Nov 5, 2015, 10:10 am
Last edit by: Matt4
QR to and from Bangkok
What to expect
A recent trip report for this journey, can be found here:
Photos of the Cabin
You will find photos galore of the J cabin on the A380 and 777 which are some of the aircrafts QR use on the DOH-BKK-DOH route.
You will find photos galore of the F cabin on the A380 here.
Aircraft Layouts
A380: 1-2-1 layout in F and J, 3-4-3 (Lower deck) and 2-4-2 (Upper deck, only accessible for OneWorld status passengers unless the lower deck is full) in Y
787: 1-2-1 layout in J and 3-3-3 in Y
777: 2-2-2 layout in J, 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 (QR834 DOH-BKK-HAN, QR835 HAN-BKK-DOH) in Y
A340-600: 2-2-2 layout in J and 2-4-2 in Y
Which Lounge should I use at BKK?
There are multiple lounges to use in Bangkok, and the best option for you will likely be determined by the time of your flight, and the location of your departure gate.
QR are in the process of opening their own lounge in Bangkok, but as of April 2016, we know very little other than it will be located on Concourse D. Until then, QR recommend J and F passengers use the lounges provided by Thai Airways. These lounges are scattered throughout the airport.
For F passengers, you will get an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, which is located on Concourse E. It is a small area, but QR no longer have an Agreement to use the larger Thai Airways Royal First Lounge on Concourse D. The small area is roped off, and there is a small menu (no buffet), with a decent drinks selection.
For J passengers, and Y passengers with status (Silver and higher) you will receive an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. These are located on Concourse C, Concourse D, and Concourse E. A map of the lounges can be found here.
OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire card holders or F or J passengers have also access to two lounges situated on or near the 3rd floor, Concourse G: the recently-opened (2015) Cathay Pacific Lounge (04:00 to between 18:30 and 01:00), and the Japan Airlines lounge (05:45-09:55, 18:00-00:40). While the CX and JL lounges are quite close together, they can be a distance from the QR gates - so keep an eye on the time!
Connecting from Thai (TG) domestic
Thai will through check-in your bags and facilitate you as a "CIQ" passenger through an airside transfer at BKK. They will do this even if you are travelling to BKK on a completely separate TG ticket, but you will need to show evidence of the QR flight (ticket number or online check-in receipt). This is based on leaving from Chiang Mai, but should work for other Thai airports.
The process is particularly useful in avoiding security queues landside to airside at BKK, and gets neatly around QR's restrictions on check-in opening times at the airport.
CIQ stands for Customs Immigration and Quarantine: nothing to do with Chiquimula airport in Guatamala
Will I be given pyjamas and an amenity kit? Reports vary, but have a look at this thread before flying to prepare your expectations -
What meals are served? This is dependent on the timing of your flight and class of travel, but 1 or 2 full meals are usually offered by QR. Menus can be found via the QR Dashboard. F menus and Y menus are here.
Will I be offered Fast-Track through Immigration?
- Departure from BKK : you will get a Fast-Track (Premium Lane) voucher if travelling in J or F, or travelling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
- Arrival to BKK : if you are traveling in J or F, you will be provided with a Fast-Track voucher upon landing in Bangkok. Hold on to your boarding pass as you deplane, as the brown Fast Track vouchers are sometimes given out at the top of the gate rather than on the plane. If you are traveling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status, you have to request the Fast-Track voucher at the QR agent at the gate.
What time does check-in open? Check in opens 3 hours before your departure time. QR police this quite strictly.
What to expect
A recent trip report for this journey, can be found here:
Photos of the Cabin
You will find photos galore of the J cabin on the A380 and 777 which are some of the aircrafts QR use on the DOH-BKK-DOH route.
You will find photos galore of the F cabin on the A380 here.
Aircraft Layouts
A380: 1-2-1 layout in F and J, 3-4-3 (Lower deck) and 2-4-2 (Upper deck, only accessible for OneWorld status passengers unless the lower deck is full) in Y
787: 1-2-1 layout in J and 3-3-3 in Y
777: 2-2-2 layout in J, 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 (QR834 DOH-BKK-HAN, QR835 HAN-BKK-DOH) in Y
A340-600: 2-2-2 layout in J and 2-4-2 in Y
Which Lounge should I use at BKK?
There are multiple lounges to use in Bangkok, and the best option for you will likely be determined by the time of your flight, and the location of your departure gate.
QR are in the process of opening their own lounge in Bangkok, but as of April 2016, we know very little other than it will be located on Concourse D. Until then, QR recommend J and F passengers use the lounges provided by Thai Airways. These lounges are scattered throughout the airport.
For F passengers, you will get an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, which is located on Concourse E. It is a small area, but QR no longer have an Agreement to use the larger Thai Airways Royal First Lounge on Concourse D. The small area is roped off, and there is a small menu (no buffet), with a decent drinks selection.
For J passengers, and Y passengers with status (Silver and higher) you will receive an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. These are located on Concourse C, Concourse D, and Concourse E. A map of the lounges can be found here.
OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire card holders or F or J passengers have also access to two lounges situated on or near the 3rd floor, Concourse G: the recently-opened (2015) Cathay Pacific Lounge (04:00 to between 18:30 and 01:00), and the Japan Airlines lounge (05:45-09:55, 18:00-00:40). While the CX and JL lounges are quite close together, they can be a distance from the QR gates - so keep an eye on the time!
Connecting from Thai (TG) domestic
Thai will through check-in your bags and facilitate you as a "CIQ" passenger through an airside transfer at BKK. They will do this even if you are travelling to BKK on a completely separate TG ticket, but you will need to show evidence of the QR flight (ticket number or online check-in receipt). This is based on leaving from Chiang Mai, but should work for other Thai airports.
The process is particularly useful in avoiding security queues landside to airside at BKK, and gets neatly around QR's restrictions on check-in opening times at the airport.
CIQ stands for Customs Immigration and Quarantine: nothing to do with Chiquimula airport in Guatamala
Will I be given pyjamas and an amenity kit? Reports vary, but have a look at this thread before flying to prepare your expectations -
What meals are served? This is dependent on the timing of your flight and class of travel, but 1 or 2 full meals are usually offered by QR. Menus can be found via the QR Dashboard. F menus and Y menus are here.
Will I be offered Fast-Track through Immigration?
- Departure from BKK : you will get a Fast-Track (Premium Lane) voucher if travelling in J or F, or travelling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
- Arrival to BKK : if you are traveling in J or F, you will be provided with a Fast-Track voucher upon landing in Bangkok. Hold on to your boarding pass as you deplane, as the brown Fast Track vouchers are sometimes given out at the top of the gate rather than on the plane. If you are traveling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status, you have to request the Fast-Track voucher at the QR agent at the gate.
What time does check-in open? Check in opens 3 hours before your departure time. QR police this quite strictly.
QR to and from Bangkok (BKK) - Non Lounge Discussion
Oct 30, 2015, 7:29 am
#256
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold (and other non-status plastic)
Posts: 1,889
Check in opens strictly 3 hours before the flight
NB Although mobile boarding pass is officially not available at BKK, I was able to use a barcode on my phone to get all the way past multiple security checks to the gate at BKK, whereupon you get issued a paper boarding pass. Obviously you won't be able to check bags in, unless you are a very good sweet-talker, and you won't get a fast track invitation (but you can use your BKK arrival fast track invitation for departure, if you didn't surrender it on your way in)
Oct 30, 2015, 7:29 am
#257
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
Hey,
I took exactly the same flight in may last year. Had to be at the airport very early (round 8pm) because of the military curfew back then.
They actually closed the check in desk after the earlier flight left and told us to come back 2 1/2 hours before our departure. They did open them back up around 11pm! So Id advice not to come too early if you don't have to.
BKK was a mess during the curfew because pretty much all passengers for night departures were there already - we were lucky to at least have seats in the departure area.
BG,
Marc
I took exactly the same flight in may last year. Had to be at the airport very early (round 8pm) because of the military curfew back then.
They actually closed the check in desk after the earlier flight left and told us to come back 2 1/2 hours before our departure. They did open them back up around 11pm! So Id advice not to come too early if you don't have to.
BKK was a mess during the curfew because pretty much all passengers for night departures were there already - we were lucky to at least have seats in the departure area.
BG,
Marc
Oct 30, 2015, 7:56 am
#258
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Berlin
Posts: 1,533
I was there for the 20:40 departure just over a week ago. I arrived a little after 18:00. I enquired where the First class check in desk was but was told that it had now closed...
That didn't appear very first class or 5* service to me.
Palmer
That didn't appear very first class or 5* service to me.
Palmer
Oct 30, 2015, 7:06 pm
#259
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: The Embassy
Posts: 677
Strictly three hours before can also mean two hours before...
There's a basic but functional ground side lounge at the higher letter side of the airport, on the floor below departures. 500THB for a couple of hours but usually deserted, comfortable seats, and has wifi
There's a basic but functional ground side lounge at the higher letter side of the airport, on the floor below departures. 500THB for a couple of hours but usually deserted, comfortable seats, and has wifi
Oct 31, 2015, 6:36 am
#262
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: UK
Programs: Etihad Gold, Qatar Gold, flying Blue, Falcon, Lufthansa, Eva
Posts: 1,428
Check in opens strictly 3 hours before the flight
Is this a Qatar thing only 3 hours before I have usually been able to check in 3 and a half hours before with other airlines in Bangkok
Is this a Qatar thing only 3 hours before I have usually been able to check in 3 and a half hours before with other airlines in Bangkok
Oct 31, 2015, 5:03 pm
#263
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: The Embassy
Posts: 677
I've had trouble checking in early for anyone other than Thai, as they generally don't have staff there to check you in. CX and JL have both let me check in when they had booths open from earlier flights, but I was lucky both times that they did.
Nov 3, 2015, 5:27 am
#265
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BAEC: Gold, HH:Diamond, Marriott: Platinum, IHG: Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 140
Feedback from my experience on the 01:40 flight was similar with checkin closed when I arrived at 20:30. I just went through as HBO (with two pieces over the 7kg limit) and enjoyed the lounges until boarding. At the gate a guy weighed my case with a handheld scale device and decided it was too heavy so it was then put into the hold. Very minimal inconvenience although there was ample space on board for it in the bins.
Nov 5, 2015, 10:14 am
#266
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
Please note the new WIKI at the top of this thread, which should hopefully help those with queries regarding the QR service to and from Bangkok.
Nov 5, 2015, 11:17 am
#267
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
My early QR check-in bids at Bangkok have been accepted with only a bit pushing, but only when I've been hand-baggage only.
Thai has checked-in me plus bags from Chiang Mai, on a separate Thai ticket to Bangkok, transferring airside at BKK to Qatar. Thai needed the QR ticket number or online generated boarding pass. It worked bafflingly well, though I ended up in the JAL lounge for most of the 5 hour transfer.
Thai has checked-in me plus bags from Chiang Mai, on a separate Thai ticket to Bangkok, transferring airside at BKK to Qatar. Thai needed the QR ticket number or online generated boarding pass. It worked bafflingly well, though I ended up in the JAL lounge for most of the 5 hour transfer.
Nov 6, 2015, 3:59 am
#269
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Latinpass Million Miler. BA Gold.
Posts: 3,544
We flew Bangkok Airways from Koh Samui to BKK and then on to QR. At check in Bangkok Airways asked if we were travelling onwards with anyone, and said that they were happy to check our bags through, as they have an interline agreement with QR. You can then use the CIQ transfer from the domestic to international gates at BKK. We didn't use it as we wanted to travel hand bag only on QR with an overnight stop at the airside hotel in DOH.
QR was indeed strict three hours. When I suggested that I already had boarding passes and was hand baggage only, the lady policing the premium check in just didn't understand and kept pointing me in the direction of the check in counters. Checking in did give us a access to the security fast track lane though.
We went to the CX lounge. Superb!
QR was indeed strict three hours. When I suggested that I already had boarding passes and was hand baggage only, the lady policing the premium check in just didn't understand and kept pointing me in the direction of the check in counters. Checking in did give us a access to the security fast track lane though.
We went to the CX lounge. Superb!
Nov 6, 2015, 10:57 am
#270
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
Thanks to the couple of FTers who have modified the WIKI - much appreciated edits.