Happy

Need some input on the connection at BKK.

All our previous transits thru BKK were on TG F so there was always a buggy waiting for us at the arrival gate. My recollection has been that the buggy ride was quite long - in one occasion it seemed literally from one end of the airport to the other end for the F lounge... My thought at that time was, "thank goodness we dont have to walk it." The airport is HUGE.

This time we are coming in on QR from DOH, then connecting to CX to HKG slightly under 3 hours later.

An earlier CX flight has released some award seats. If we switch to that flight the connection would be below 2 hours - would this still leaves some time to visit the CX lounge, or just enough for the international to international connection?

kaka

i've had a 40-50 minute connection once with my reasonably fit mid-50s claim-to-have-31-inch-waistline dad. We made it with enough time for a shower at the lounge. it was a long walk nonetheless.

jdtravels

BKK is quite large, but it's reasonably efficient and easy to get around. Around 2 hours would be plenty of time if your inbound flight isn't delayed.

But important thing is: are you travelling on one ticket?

TheFlyingDJ

I do an XXX-DOH-BKK-HKG routing regularly and have not had problems making the next flight at BKK even with a 1 hour transit (including getting CX airside transfer desk to pull my bag from the system since BA couldn't through-tag to HKG).

Very few people do INT-INT connection at BKK (usually INT-Domestic or vice versa) so there is never a queue at the airside transit security points. There is however a potential for a long walk depending on which gate QR use that day. CX normally use concourse D(5-8)/E/F/G gates which are close to their lounge (start of G concourse) but if the QR flight arrives at concourse A/B/C/D(1-4) gates then you end up having to walk the entire length of the airport. There are moving walkways but it still takes me ~15 minutes at a brisk pace.

While you would probably be fine with the 2 hour transit, assuming you have access to the CX lounge I'd personally stay with the 3 hour connection: this allows a bit of padding for late arrival of your inbound QR flight, no need to rush from gate to gate, and the CX lounge is excellent so killing a spare hour there will not be a hardship.

brunos

That is a strange routing to do "regularly".

Unfortunately, I have encountered times when there was a long line at the INT-INT security (there used to be a smart way to get to a specific transit point that TG F buggies were/are using).
Contrary to your statement, pax arriving from Phuket (and other domestic Thai airports deemed "international") and transiting international in BKK, clear immigration at that domestic airport (so they are deemed INT at arrival and do not go through immigration). Then they clear security again in BKK at the transit points.

On two separate tickets, I find a connection of less than two hours risky/stressful if your two gates are far away and you travel in Y. If you miss the CX flight, you will lose the ticket. Of course, checked bags would crate an additional problems, as I doubt that QR will check them through.

If on a single award ticket, then CX would probably put you on a later flight.

kaka

qr transfer desk at doh and cx at bkk assisted when i did the transfer 2 years ago.
Qr/cx even had someone greeted us at gate off the dohbkk flight (seperate tickets)

TheFlyingDJ

Yes it's a strange routing, but it works for my travel pattern and the way BAEC status/earning is structured (2.5 of those trips = Emerald). It's also literally 50% cheaper in J than going HKG-(LHR/CDG/FRA) on CX or BA, think of it as an ex-TPE on steroids :-) By "regularly" I mean 4 times per year for the last 4 years, so it's not every week but I have plenty experience of that specific transfer.

I should have worded my point about INT-INT transfers better, you are of course right that passengers departing Phuket etc. have cleared immigration already. What I meant was that I find that those 'domestic' flights usually depart A/B/C/D so the two transfer security points at the D/E/F/G concourse end (nearby the CX and QR transfer desks) are not usually busy because that's mostly 'long-haul international' O&D flights. I've never taken longer than 10 minutes to get through transit security at BKK, but maybe i've been lucky with timing...

Either way 2 hour connection should be the minimum, but 3 hours for comfort.

Kacee

You can purchase ground services, including a buggy ride, from Bangkok Flight Services.

Premium Airport Services.

Happy

Thank y'all for the information.

It is one award ticket as DXB-DOH-BKK-HKG. F on the QR portion J on the CX leg.

In any case when we arrive HKG we just head straight to Marriott SkyCity (they have a reception desk at HKIA, and IIRC, they call a car for elites as soon as you report to the desk. No need to wait for the van shuttle) So to arrive one hour earlier does not make a meaningful difference. I would change the flight IF the connection is still leisurely but apparently it is not as I am afraid of.

What I worry about is the QR flight lands at the other end of the airport from where the CX flight departs. And of course the possibility of a delay of the incoming flight although I think it should be unlikely as the DOH-BKK leaves at an ungodly 3am... but it is 380F...

Anyway I will keep the schedule as it is for the "3 hours for comfort" connection.