Originally Posted by
Taipei
It may save time, but the passport checkpoint is normally the delay since you need check in at counter to get boarding passes.
If they only have hand luggage and no checked bags wouldn't they save a lot of time? They arrive TPE and go to the transit desk (Transfer Counter B for Tiger Air Taiwan), pick up their boarding passes go through security and down the escalator to the departure level. No need to go through immigration.
I would choose security airside in transit over departures security in a heartbeat. TPE is one of the easiest and fastest airports in Asia to do international transit. The one drawback is they have a good distance to travel between Terminals 1 and 2 but they have to travel that distance that no matter landside or airside.
OP, to answer your questions:
1- you need to ask AC if they will check your bags through to IT. Check carefully, because as someone already posted probably not. You do not want to check and claim your bags in TPE, even if your flight is on time your odds are not good. There can be a back-up at immigration to enter Taiwan, a delay in getting your bags, then you need to change terminals, check in again, go through security which is frequently backed up, and departure immigration which alone can take more than 30 minutes. You would need a miracle to make it. Compare that to going to the transit counter to get your boarding passes and then transit security which is never more than 5 minutes.
2.From the ifly.com website:
Transfer from T2, Zones C or D to T1, Zones A or B: After disembarking at Zones C or D, follow signs to the Skytrain boarding area, then ride the Skytrain to T1; thereafter proceed to the transfer counter at either Zone A or B of T1 to check-in for onward flight; go through security control and therefater to your boarding gate on level 3F.
3. This is not a good option.
4. TPE is set up for international transfers and unlike ICN or NRT does not have a gazillion people doing it. You just need a back-up plan if your AC flight is late. You probably understand that with two totally separate reservations Tiger Air is not going to do anything for you if the AC flight is delayed and you cannot make your connection.