divrdrew

Hi Everyone,

Quick question. I have a 1 am flight out of BKK. Trying to figure out timing to get to the airport. I actually enjoy hanging out in lounges and spending time in airports, but not sure how BKK will be during COVID. I looked at the menu for my flight and looks like I'll definitely want to eat before getting on the plane...menu doesn't look all that great and will want to maximize sleep. From my understanding, I can print my BP before I leave and am not checking a bag. Will I still need to check in at the ticket counter with all my documentation or can that be done at the lounge / gate? It appears as though the ticket counter won't open till about 10:30 pm. Should I plan to arrive around that time? Any advice would be appreciated. Looking forward to my first JAL experience!

dirvrdrew

CPH-Flyer

Most airlines have suspended boarding passes from on line check-in for international travem, as there is too much paper work to be checked, and they generally want to do that before people reach the gate. While I am not 100% sure that is also the case for JAL, I would expect so.

Probably your target will be to go there no earlier than when the counters open. But you can try, when OLCI opens, and if you get to print a BP, you can go earlier....

SKT-DK

I would get there as late as possible and make sure to have a proper dinner in town first. The service concept on these short over-night flights is indeed designed to maximise sleep, so the meal service is breakfast before landing and a very limited snack (I seem to remember three pieces of sushi) after departure for those who want. They do carry JAL’s (instant) noodle offerings if you get more hungry as well.

JAL will offer fast track immigration and security at BKK for those in J, so would not expect it to take long (of course contingent on staffing levels etc post-covid)

divrdrew

How is the JAL lounge in BKK during COVID? Enough there to have a full meal?

CPH-Flyer

https://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/servi...ge/bkk/sakura/

divrdrew

Thanks...seen that but wondering about first hand experience. IMHO, the web sites are more marketing oriented and can vary greatly from the on-ground experience (both positive and negative deviations).

SKT-DK

When is it you are flying again? If I remember correctly it is some time in December, so I can check the lounge offerings at the end of this month when flying out.

pablos

when i was there earlier this year, the food offerings were very limited but they did have on offer their signature JAL curry and rice, which is hard to go wrong with. other than the curry, there wasn't too much else beyond some hot dogs and cup noodles.

estnet

Things are changing now with more tourists and flights. Hard to predict what/when - a few weeks ago even most of the restaurants were closed, but some are now re-opening. When are u flying?
IIRC I could never do OLCI even before covid - but that may have been b/c I was flying to the US and they had to check passport, etc. I think it was for all departures, though and now it is even more strict. If you are able to do OLCI I'd love to know b/c I remember often waiting for the desk to open. The only exception is for airlines that had earlier flights I could check in early b/c the desk was open for that flight, but JL doesn't have so many departures from BKK

divrdrew

Thanks...last week of December...26-31. Looks to be quite scaled back from what the web site notes due to covid.

divrdrew

Thanks! Not a huge curry fan, but may have to try that one. Looks great! Thanks for the report!

divrdrew

Flying last week of December. From what I gather on the web site, looks like JAL is pushing everyone to OLCI at the time. I'll try that route and will post my results, both outbound from US and return from BKK. I've also seen different desk times reported...from three hours before (~22:00) to opening at 22:35 (2.5 hours before). I think I'll have to plan to get there around 22:00 either way.

pablos

i'll be back there on december 13th so will try and remember to provide an update then.

divrdrew

Thanks...would appreciate that.

pablos

howdy. as promised, an update from the BKK JAL lounge today. check-in took all of 5 minutes and they just wanted to see my Covid test results taken within one day. they will also give you a US-required vaccination attestation form which is apparently collected in tokyo before one’s flight to the US. otherwise, all normal and smooth with access to fast track immigration which took 2 minutes. (plus for any residents / insiders, another 10 minutes for a re-entry stamp which is way to the left after the regular exit immigration desks).

ok, so the JAL lounge at 8:45pm with JL34 boarding commencing at 9:35pm… about 20-25 people here and the offerings are still pretty limited. a few nibbles on offer which need to be ordered from staff. a limited drinks offering which has to be ordered from staff. it’s not a terrible place to spend your time waiting but just very sterile-feeling. (which is maybe not a bad thing during Covid times. and frankly this lounge always felt pretty sterile during normal
times.)

for comparison sake (i have priority pass) i checked out the turkish airlines lounge across the hallway — it was aggressively bad. i think it was well between flights when i went, but wow. not good. crappy drink offerings, stale and bleh self-serve food. no thank you.

i also went to the miracle business lounge across from D5 which frankly surprisingly felt pretty much okay and “normal”. it’s not amazing at the best of times but they had serve-yourself decent-enough booze, an okay and decent selection of self-serve food on offer. it is a perfectly cromulent lounge. dunno how to express it, it just felt “normal”.

anywho, there ya go. let me know if any specific questions.

(and yep, equipment change resulted in a first class seat on JL34 but my understanding is the soft product is business and the J overnight food is as per usual on JL34… weak.)