Flying Thai Smile and transferring at BKK to China Eastern... a word of caution.
Dec 4, 2017, 2:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAS
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 283
Flying Thai Smile and transferring at BKK to China Eastern... a word of caution.
I've never done an international to international transfer before on separate tickets, and am not sure I want to do it again. Anyway, a lesson learned for me.
I had a flight into and out of BKK on China Eastern (MU), but decided to book an add-on trip to REP on Thai Smile. I assumed I could transfer air side via the MU transfer counter on my return and get my boarding pass there since I was traveling with a carry on only. Once I did get there at 1:15 before departure, the MU transfer desk (staffed by Thai employees) told me I need to run to the other side of the airport, clear immigration, check in outside, and come back through security and immigration again.
I would've just booked AirAsia and flew into DMK had I known I could not transfer air side. At the check-in counter outside, they told me if I flew on Thai, it wouldn't have been an issue, but because "Thai Smile is a sort of low-cost airline like jetBlue", I could not do my check in air side. I don't understand the concept of the Thai Smile brand when it doesn't leverage any of Thai's existing agreements and flights were 10% full to REP and 70% full from REP due to a German tour group; why not just fly as regular Thai Airways? Even the Immigration officer was confused as to why I wanted to leave the airport, but I told him I was told I needed to and he told me to hurry. Also, China Eastern is a bit dumb in that they issue online boarding passes, but they are not actually valid for security check and boarding.
I did manage to make it to the gate area prior to boarding, thanks to Sky Priority and speed walking, but I don't recommend it at all.
I had a flight into and out of BKK on China Eastern (MU), but decided to book an add-on trip to REP on Thai Smile. I assumed I could transfer air side via the MU transfer counter on my return and get my boarding pass there since I was traveling with a carry on only. Once I did get there at 1:15 before departure, the MU transfer desk (staffed by Thai employees) told me I need to run to the other side of the airport, clear immigration, check in outside, and come back through security and immigration again.
I would've just booked AirAsia and flew into DMK had I known I could not transfer air side. At the check-in counter outside, they told me if I flew on Thai, it wouldn't have been an issue, but because "Thai Smile is a sort of low-cost airline like jetBlue", I could not do my check in air side. I don't understand the concept of the Thai Smile brand when it doesn't leverage any of Thai's existing agreements and flights were 10% full to REP and 70% full from REP due to a German tour group; why not just fly as regular Thai Airways? Even the Immigration officer was confused as to why I wanted to leave the airport, but I told him I was told I needed to and he told me to hurry. Also, China Eastern is a bit dumb in that they issue online boarding passes, but they are not actually valid for security check and boarding.
I did manage to make it to the gate area prior to boarding, thanks to Sky Priority and speed walking, but I don't recommend it at all.
Dec 4, 2017, 7:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
This seems to be a common issue with LCCs, it seems they often don't use transit counters in the terminals and instead make people clear immigration in order to check in. If you'd have been transferring to a mainline carrier like Bangkok Airways, you wouldn't have had an issue.
Dec 4, 2017, 11:20 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,621
Hi -
This is a common theme across Asia. If you fly on a carrier deemed to be LCC or ULCC, airside "full service" or "mainline" transit counters will not issue you a boarding pass even if you are standing there with your boarding pass form the flight, passport, etc. Their justification for this is that the LCCs are just "point-to-point" .
I just thought it was a way for the legacy carriers to make it more difficult for passengers to use them.
Anyway, I have found this to be the case in BKK, HKG, SIN, KUL ....
This is a common theme across Asia. If you fly on a carrier deemed to be LCC or ULCC, airside "full service" or "mainline" transit counters will not issue you a boarding pass even if you are standing there with your boarding pass form the flight, passport, etc. Their justification for this is that the LCCs are just "point-to-point" .
I just thought it was a way for the legacy carriers to make it more difficult for passengers to use them.
Anyway, I have found this to be the case in BKK, HKG, SIN, KUL ....
Dec 5, 2017, 2:37 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
Not an LCC issue
This seems to be a common issue with LCCs, it seems they often don't use transit counters in the terminals and instead make people clear immigration in order to check in. If you'd have been transferring to a mainline carrier like Bangkok Airways, you wouldn't have had an issue.
i had the same problem transferring from a full-service carrier to Bangkok Air and back on return. Despite it being one ticket, code share, Bangkok Air wouldn't allow me to transfer directly...
your best bet is to either book all flights on the same airline that does allow transfer (AirAsia only allows on fly-thru) or allow plenty of time to transfer...
Dec 5, 2017, 2:54 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAS
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 283
Hi -
This is a common theme across Asia. If you fly on a carrier deemed to be LCC or ULCC, airside "full service" or "mainline" transit counters will not issue you a boarding pass even if you are standing there with your boarding pass form the flight, passport, etc. Their justification for this is that the LCCs are just "point-to-point" .
I just thought it was a way for the legacy carriers to make it more difficult for passengers to use them.
Anyway, I have found this to be the case in BKK, HKG, SIN, KUL ....
This is a common theme across Asia. If you fly on a carrier deemed to be LCC or ULCC, airside "full service" or "mainline" transit counters will not issue you a boarding pass even if you are standing there with your boarding pass form the flight, passport, etc. Their justification for this is that the LCCs are just "point-to-point" .
I just thought it was a way for the legacy carriers to make it more difficult for passengers to use them.
Anyway, I have found this to be the case in BKK, HKG, SIN, KUL ....
Dec 6, 2017, 7:58 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Good to know for the future. Although having flown Thai Smile I don't understand Thai Airways intentions with the LCC, since the fares aren't actually lower and they provide an actual meal service and drinks as well as a checked bag -- why not just operate as mainline, I don't know as it would've saved some time for me that day.