Nov 5, 2015, 10:10 am
Last edit by: Matt4
QR to and from Bangkok
What to expect
A recent trip report for this journey, can be found here:
Photos of the Cabin
You will find photos galore of the J cabin on the A380 and 777 which are some of the aircrafts QR use on the DOH-BKK-DOH route.
You will find photos galore of the F cabin on the A380 here.
Aircraft Layouts
A380: 1-2-1 layout in F and J, 3-4-3 (Lower deck) and 2-4-2 (Upper deck, only accessible for OneWorld status passengers unless the lower deck is full) in Y
787: 1-2-1 layout in J and 3-3-3 in Y
777: 2-2-2 layout in J, 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 (QR834 DOH-BKK-HAN, QR835 HAN-BKK-DOH) in Y
A340-600: 2-2-2 layout in J and 2-4-2 in Y
Which Lounge should I use at BKK?
There are multiple lounges to use in Bangkok, and the best option for you will likely be determined by the time of your flight, and the location of your departure gate.
QR are in the process of opening their own lounge in Bangkok, but as of April 2016, we know very little other than it will be located on Concourse D. Until then, QR recommend J and F passengers use the lounges provided by Thai Airways. These lounges are scattered throughout the airport.
For F passengers, you will get an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, which is located on Concourse E. It is a small area, but QR no longer have an Agreement to use the larger Thai Airways Royal First Lounge on Concourse D. The small area is roped off, and there is a small menu (no buffet), with a decent drinks selection.
For J passengers, and Y passengers with status (Silver and higher) you will receive an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. These are located on Concourse C, Concourse D, and Concourse E. A map of the lounges can be found here.
OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire card holders or F or J passengers have also access to two lounges situated on or near the 3rd floor, Concourse G: the recently-opened (2015) Cathay Pacific Lounge (04:00 to between 18:30 and 01:00), and the Japan Airlines lounge (05:45-09:55, 18:00-00:40). While the CX and JL lounges are quite close together, they can be a distance from the QR gates - so keep an eye on the time!
Connecting from Thai (TG) domestic
Thai will through check-in your bags and facilitate you as a "CIQ" passenger through an airside transfer at BKK. They will do this even if you are travelling to BKK on a completely separate TG ticket, but you will need to show evidence of the QR flight (ticket number or online check-in receipt). This is based on leaving from Chiang Mai, but should work for other Thai airports.
The process is particularly useful in avoiding security queues landside to airside at BKK, and gets neatly around QR's restrictions on check-in opening times at the airport.
CIQ stands for Customs Immigration and Quarantine: nothing to do with Chiquimula airport in Guatamala
Will I be given pyjamas and an amenity kit? Reports vary, but have a look at this thread before flying to prepare your expectations -
What meals are served? This is dependent on the timing of your flight and class of travel, but 1 or 2 full meals are usually offered by QR. Menus can be found via the QR Dashboard. F menus and Y menus are here.
Will I be offered Fast-Track through Immigration?
- Departure from BKK : you will get a Fast-Track (Premium Lane) voucher if travelling in J or F, or travelling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
- Arrival to BKK : if you are traveling in J or F, you will be provided with a Fast-Track voucher upon landing in Bangkok. Hold on to your boarding pass as you deplane, as the brown Fast Track vouchers are sometimes given out at the top of the gate rather than on the plane. If you are traveling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status, you have to request the Fast-Track voucher at the QR agent at the gate.
What time does check-in open? Check in opens 3 hours before your departure time. QR police this quite strictly.
What to expect
A recent trip report for this journey, can be found here:
Photos of the Cabin
You will find photos galore of the J cabin on the A380 and 777 which are some of the aircrafts QR use on the DOH-BKK-DOH route.
You will find photos galore of the F cabin on the A380 here.
Aircraft Layouts
A380: 1-2-1 layout in F and J, 3-4-3 (Lower deck) and 2-4-2 (Upper deck, only accessible for OneWorld status passengers unless the lower deck is full) in Y
787: 1-2-1 layout in J and 3-3-3 in Y
777: 2-2-2 layout in J, 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 (QR834 DOH-BKK-HAN, QR835 HAN-BKK-DOH) in Y
A340-600: 2-2-2 layout in J and 2-4-2 in Y
Which Lounge should I use at BKK?
There are multiple lounges to use in Bangkok, and the best option for you will likely be determined by the time of your flight, and the location of your departure gate.
QR are in the process of opening their own lounge in Bangkok, but as of April 2016, we know very little other than it will be located on Concourse D. Until then, QR recommend J and F passengers use the lounges provided by Thai Airways. These lounges are scattered throughout the airport.
For F passengers, you will get an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal First Lounge, which is located on Concourse E. It is a small area, but QR no longer have an Agreement to use the larger Thai Airways Royal First Lounge on Concourse D. The small area is roped off, and there is a small menu (no buffet), with a decent drinks selection.
For J passengers, and Y passengers with status (Silver and higher) you will receive an invitation to use the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. These are located on Concourse C, Concourse D, and Concourse E. A map of the lounges can be found here.
OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire card holders or F or J passengers have also access to two lounges situated on or near the 3rd floor, Concourse G: the recently-opened (2015) Cathay Pacific Lounge (04:00 to between 18:30 and 01:00), and the Japan Airlines lounge (05:45-09:55, 18:00-00:40). While the CX and JL lounges are quite close together, they can be a distance from the QR gates - so keep an eye on the time!
Connecting from Thai (TG) domestic
Thai will through check-in your bags and facilitate you as a "CIQ" passenger through an airside transfer at BKK. They will do this even if you are travelling to BKK on a completely separate TG ticket, but you will need to show evidence of the QR flight (ticket number or online check-in receipt). This is based on leaving from Chiang Mai, but should work for other Thai airports.
The process is particularly useful in avoiding security queues landside to airside at BKK, and gets neatly around QR's restrictions on check-in opening times at the airport.
CIQ stands for Customs Immigration and Quarantine: nothing to do with Chiquimula airport in Guatamala
Will I be given pyjamas and an amenity kit? Reports vary, but have a look at this thread before flying to prepare your expectations -
What meals are served? This is dependent on the timing of your flight and class of travel, but 1 or 2 full meals are usually offered by QR. Menus can be found via the QR Dashboard. F menus and Y menus are here.
Will I be offered Fast-Track through Immigration?
- Departure from BKK : you will get a Fast-Track (Premium Lane) voucher if travelling in J or F, or travelling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
- Arrival to BKK : if you are traveling in J or F, you will be provided with a Fast-Track voucher upon landing in Bangkok. Hold on to your boarding pass as you deplane, as the brown Fast Track vouchers are sometimes given out at the top of the gate rather than on the plane. If you are traveling in Y with Silver, Gold or Platinum status, you have to request the Fast-Track voucher at the QR agent at the gate.
What time does check-in open? Check in opens 3 hours before your departure time. QR police this quite strictly.
QR to and from Bangkok (BKK) - Non Lounge Discussion
Mar 2, 2017, 5:57 am
#1066
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
I've gone through at BKK previously with a self-printed boarding pass approx 6 hours prior to flight. No problems with security or immigration (although you obviously won't get a fast-track pass from check-in so hold onto your arriving one if you can). The CX lounge granted me access with the self-printed boarding pass and it's much better than the TG lounge that QR contracts anyway. If you particularly want the standard boarding pass then head to the QR transit desk airside at any point before your flight and they'll print one (plus TG lounge invite) there for you. Happy travels!
by simply showing our First Class self-printed QR boarding passes.
The same about the access to the TG First Class lounge.
Mar 2, 2017, 6:23 am
#1067
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: QR Platinum
Posts: 470
The only problem arise through checked luggage in bkk.
Mar 2, 2017, 6:41 am
#1068
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,189
Mar 3, 2017, 10:16 am
#1069
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Arriving at BKK for QR flight 3+ hours before
Our experience today...
We arrived around 6pm with online check in printed boarding passes. (We decided to swing by the desk for premium lane cards and to see if we could collect our connecting BPs.
1. If we had checked bags, zero chance they would have accepted the bag.
2. At first, we did not show our bp's - we wanted all of our passes including to USA. She said no to letting us check in. (However, she was young and if we pushed I think she would have done it or found someone to do it.)
3. She called her supervisor to check and found we had checked in online. We showed her out bp's. She handed us the premium security passes and we were on our way.
4. We visited the TG and JL lounges. No problem gaining entrance by just showing our BPs.
5. At less than 24 hours we used the QR app to get our BPs to the USA.
So bottom line for those arriving at BKK more than 3 hours before your flight... check in before getting to the airport, don't have checked bags and stop by the check in counter to get your premium lane passes (if it applies to you).
Cheers!
We arrived around 6pm with online check in printed boarding passes. (We decided to swing by the desk for premium lane cards and to see if we could collect our connecting BPs.
1. If we had checked bags, zero chance they would have accepted the bag.
2. At first, we did not show our bp's - we wanted all of our passes including to USA. She said no to letting us check in. (However, she was young and if we pushed I think she would have done it or found someone to do it.)
3. She called her supervisor to check and found we had checked in online. We showed her out bp's. She handed us the premium security passes and we were on our way.
4. We visited the TG and JL lounges. No problem gaining entrance by just showing our BPs.
5. At less than 24 hours we used the QR app to get our BPs to the USA.
So bottom line for those arriving at BKK more than 3 hours before your flight... check in before getting to the airport, don't have checked bags and stop by the check in counter to get your premium lane passes (if it applies to you).
Cheers!
Mar 3, 2017, 6:51 pm
#1070
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,189
Our experience today...
We arrived around 6pm with online check in printed boarding passes. (We decided to swing by the desk for premium lane cards and to see if we could collect our connecting BPs.
1. If we had checked bags, zero chance they would have accepted the bag.
2. At first, we did not show our bp's - we wanted all of our passes including to USA. She said no to letting us check in. (However, she was young and if we pushed I think she would have done it or found someone to do it.)
3. She called her supervisor to check and found we had checked in online. We showed her out bp's. She handed us the premium security passes and we were on our way.
4. We visited the TG and JL lounges. No problem gaining entrance by just showing our BPs.
5. At less than 24 hours we used the QR app to get our BPs to the USA.
So bottom line for those arriving at BKK more than 3 hours before your flight... check in before getting to the airport, don't have checked bags and stop by the check in counter to get your premium lane passes (if it applies to you).
Cheers!
We arrived around 6pm with online check in printed boarding passes. (We decided to swing by the desk for premium lane cards and to see if we could collect our connecting BPs.
1. If we had checked bags, zero chance they would have accepted the bag.
2. At first, we did not show our bp's - we wanted all of our passes including to USA. She said no to letting us check in. (However, she was young and if we pushed I think she would have done it or found someone to do it.)
3. She called her supervisor to check and found we had checked in online. We showed her out bp's. She handed us the premium security passes and we were on our way.
4. We visited the TG and JL lounges. No problem gaining entrance by just showing our BPs.
5. At less than 24 hours we used the QR app to get our BPs to the USA.
So bottom line for those arriving at BKK more than 3 hours before your flight... check in before getting to the airport, don't have checked bags and stop by the check in counter to get your premium lane passes (if it applies to you).
Cheers!
Mar 3, 2017, 10:07 pm
#1071
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Metal tube with wings
Programs: KF Gold|VA Gold|HH Diamond|Kimpton IC|Hyatt Gold
Posts: 445
For people checking in luggage at BKK too early (when they don't have an area allocated), there wouldn't be a place for the conveyor belts to send the bags to.
As for other airlines allowing early check-in, they may have areas permanently assigned to the airlines, so it's possible for them to accept luggage early.
That's how it worked when I used to be a baggage handler many many moons ago.
Last edited by oh_lol; Mar 3, 2017 at 10:13 pm
Mar 4, 2017, 5:41 pm
#1072
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Nice lounge. Good selection of (Japanese) food and drinks. Internet speed was good.
Got crazy busy before the two evening JL flights.
As a FYI to all, the CX lounge closes at 7pm half the nights, so it leaves the TG and JL lounges as the only options.
Got crazy busy before the two evening JL flights.
As a FYI to all, the CX lounge closes at 7pm half the nights, so it leaves the TG and JL lounges as the only options.
Mar 4, 2017, 10:56 pm
#1073
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Metal tube with wings
Programs: KF Gold|VA Gold|HH Diamond|Kimpton IC|Hyatt Gold
Posts: 445
So what would your choice of lounge be right now?
Mar 5, 2017, 6:33 pm
#1074
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
If I had a lot of hours, like this past trip...
Dinner at main TG lounge. Typically chicken wings + soup + additional protein + pasta + spring rolls + finger sandwiches + decent drink choices. The main TG lounge gets very busy in the evening so I would move on after dinner.
After dinner, move to CX lounge (if open) - food is less than ideal (which is why I would eat at main TG lounge), but, CX lounge has better Champagne than TG/JL + good service + not too crowded + very comfortable chairs.
If CX lounge is not open, I would choose JL lounge if not crowded when you get there. You can pick a good seat and settle in. If it is crowded, I would go to either of the TG lounges near the JL lounge so you are closer to your departure gate.
Dinner at main TG lounge. Typically chicken wings + soup + additional protein + pasta + spring rolls + finger sandwiches + decent drink choices. The main TG lounge gets very busy in the evening so I would move on after dinner.
After dinner, move to CX lounge (if open) - food is less than ideal (which is why I would eat at main TG lounge), but, CX lounge has better Champagne than TG/JL + good service + not too crowded + very comfortable chairs.
If CX lounge is not open, I would choose JL lounge if not crowded when you get there. You can pick a good seat and settle in. If it is crowded, I would go to either of the TG lounges near the JL lounge so you are closer to your departure gate.
Mar 6, 2017, 1:42 am
#1075
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Phuket, Thailand
Programs: Qatar Gold, Asiana Club Diamond, THAI silver
Posts: 169
Those bags for connecting flights would already be in marked containers to be forwarded onto another flight from the previous destination. Once they are assigned an area to use, then can sort those bags out.
For people checking in luggage at BKK too early (when they don't have an area allocated), there wouldn't be a place for the conveyor belts to send the bags to.
As for other airlines allowing early check-in, they may have areas permanently assigned to the airlines, so it's possible for them to accept luggage early.
That's how it worked when I used to be a baggage handler many many moons ago.
For people checking in luggage at BKK too early (when they don't have an area allocated), there wouldn't be a place for the conveyor belts to send the bags to.
As for other airlines allowing early check-in, they may have areas permanently assigned to the airlines, so it's possible for them to accept luggage early.
That's how it worked when I used to be a baggage handler many many moons ago.
Early check-in wouldn't be the case for TG as TG (Home carrier) has its own permanent baggage area.
Emirates has 7 DXB + 1 HKG + 1 SYD flights / day (mind you only 1 flight is 77W, rest are 380s!!) out of Bangkok, they have their own permanent baggage can build-up area.
Not sure with EY, have to check with source.
MH may no longer accept your early check-in, they just switch ground handler late last year from TG to BFS with minimum/lowest cost possible.
Mar 6, 2017, 3:16 am
#1076
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: UK
Programs: Etihad Gold, Qatar Gold, flying Blue, Falcon, Lufthansa, Eva
Posts: 1,428
If I had a lot of hours, like this past trip...
Dinner at main TG lounge. Typically chicken wings + soup + additional protein + pasta + spring rolls + finger sandwiches + decent drink choices. The main TG lounge gets very busy in the evening so I would move on after dinner.
After dinner, move to CX lounge (if open) - food is less than ideal (which is why I would eat at main TG lounge), but, CX lounge has better Champagne than TG/JL + good service + not too crowded + very comfortable chairs.
If CX lounge is not open, I would choose JL lounge if not crowded when you get there. You can pick a good seat and settle in. If it is crowded, I would go to either of the TG lounges near the JL lounge so you are closer to your departure gate.
Dinner at main TG lounge. Typically chicken wings + soup + additional protein + pasta + spring rolls + finger sandwiches + decent drink choices. The main TG lounge gets very busy in the evening so I would move on after dinner.
After dinner, move to CX lounge (if open) - food is less than ideal (which is why I would eat at main TG lounge), but, CX lounge has better Champagne than TG/JL + good service + not too crowded + very comfortable chairs.
If CX lounge is not open, I would choose JL lounge if not crowded when you get there. You can pick a good seat and settle in. If it is crowded, I would go to either of the TG lounges near the JL lounge so you are closer to your departure gate.
Mar 6, 2017, 6:23 am
#1077
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Frankfurt
Programs: QR Platinum
Posts: 256
So do I. I like the CX noodle bar food and would always prefer it to TG lounge food. I will explore the refurbished JL lounge in a few days.
Mar 6, 2017, 7:24 am
#1079
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
mlqsko if you look at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...ar-2017-a.html you will see tht QR have made baggage interlining easier from 1st. March.
There have been some reports of interlining with PG before the 1st. March so I would guess that your chances are good.
There have been some reports of interlining with PG before the 1st. March so I would guess that your chances are good.
Mar 6, 2017, 7:32 am
#1080
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
)Cheers!