5khours

Went out of the airport half a dozen times this year on sub-24 hour connections. Never been hit with the fee. Knowing TG it might depend on what class you're flying.

A_Lee

I've had to pay it flying in both C and Y. Haven't ever tried it flying F so don't know if they'd charge it for that or not, but I have the feeling it matters not which class, but rather whether the check-in agent catches it or not.

As for immigration officers and using a boarding pass issued elsewhere, I've been caught out in the general section, which TG Y passengers would use, but never at the TG fast-track area. I've tried it well over 10 times I'd estimate, so they caught it less than 10% of the time.

I've not attempted it this year (attempting to check-in with not having paid the tax and hoping the agent doesn't catch it), but last year had good luck. A couple years ago I was getting hit up for it every time I checked in. It was so regular that I got fed up with going to the check-in desk, only to have to make it over to the TG ticket office, then back to check-in, so I just went directly to the TG ticket office first to buy my coupon, then to the check-in. Wouldn't you know it, the agent didn't ask for it after I'd already bought it, and I haven't been asked for it since. So 700 THB down the drain for a never used airport tax coupon.

dsquared37

All my experiences have been while in C.... Can't even remember my last Y transit, much less leaving the airport, which is good since Y pax aren't given a runner to pay (or so I'm told).

Just remembering: Once, maybe 4 years ago, SQ hit me with the tax and, if memory serves, they made me go pay it. can't remember where it was though.

Aussie_flyer

Ive had to pay in F but staff take your money and buy the ticket for you. If you have gotten away with it count yourself lucky because you DO owe it.

Globalist

I had it once many years ago (5 or so) when I arrived on a Thursday and connected in F on a Friday. It was less than 24 hours so the travel agent did not include any BKK tax.

The F checkin agent came by asking for the tax, which I refused to pay because of the travel agents advice. That Friday was also a public holiday so could not reach the travel agent. Explained my view and after a while I was let trough with my partner without paying the tax. I paid almost 300k thb for the 2 F tickets and found it slightly absurd that I was asked for 1400 thb tax at check-in.

Now I know better and would have paid it.

Globalist

HMPS

Was traveling J, had a 12 hour stopover.

If this tax is applied sporadicaly, then I might as well not contribute to the local economy and stay in the lounge, if no shorter connections...might as well skip TG !

5khours

Had a long (14 hour) connection in BKK so I headed to the Pen for the day. Was planning to see if I got nicked for the 700 baht when I got back, but it was so nice at the Pen, I decided to stay an extra day, chucked the last segment on my award ticket and booked a new flight for the next day. I assume the 700 baht is included in the price of any ticket which originates in BKK.

P.S. Come to think of it, 700 baht is not much in the grand scheme of things.

anaidross

I know of many other airports in Asia that do not charge transiting passengers who leave the airport to visit the city any taxes.

BKK is the only one I know of which does this.

dsquared37

I'm not aware of any either.

Aussie_flyer

anywhere in Indonesia will charge AFAIK

dsquared37

True, but in Indonesia pax are always paying upon departure and it's never collected within the ticket. A somewhat different twist.

anaidross

^^^

Of course, I forgot to qualify my statement that I am talking about airports which adopt "taxes collected within the ticket" practice.

dgsydney

It is still possible to avoid the tax on a <24hr stopover.

I was on a United 1 way J award. Syd-Sin on SQ / 14hr stop / Sin-BKK on SQ / 15hr stop / BKK-PNH on TG.

Trick was to get the first 2 boarding passes issued in Sydney. Sinagpore couldn't issue final Thai boarding pass, so I strolled out of transit area went up to Checkin B and asked for my boarding pass. One was issued, then I had a nice 14 hr stop over.

Checked my united E-ticket award. Definitely no taxes paid to AOT.

dsquared37

And for a 15 hr stop in BKK it will never be assessed by the ticketing carrier. In these cases AoT wants their money and you're supposed to be assessed at some time before exiting the country... its a tossup whether that will happen or not.

While it worked for you in this manner I don't necessarily think it's a trick. I often simply walk up to the checkin counters street-side and obtain my onward BP from them. Only once in the last 1.5 years have I been told the departure tax was due.

Also, when getting your BP at the transit desk they've always stamped my BP as 'transit' which, IMO, would make it more difficult to evade (avoid?) the fee.

Stephen65

This seems to be a complete lottery. I did transits through BKK three times where I left the airport in the last year or so and not once was I hit with the tax on checking in for the onward flight.

Two were F/F transits and one a J/J. In every case I had already been issued my onward BP at the originating airport.