BinSabai

if you can check through your bags and do immigration in Krabi, you have plenty of time
doable even if you can not check through your bags (but usually TG is pretty accomodating), but then incoming flight should not be delayed.
domestic arrival and pick up of bags should not take longer then 20-30 minutes, then 5 minutes Elevator up and walk to Cathay's check in (if you are premium passenger on Cathay this would also help), immigration and security

COSYR

I don't know why it is so hard to find this question. ( I have found Dom to Intl, Intl to Dom, Change of airlines, etc.)

My wife and I are flying in J on TG from PVG-BKK-MEL, and then on the return MEL-BKK-TPE, also all on TG, but with only a 70 minute layover.
Will I have to go through customs and immigration? Will I have to collect and recheck my bags? Or is there an international transit option that avoids customs and immigration?

Anything else I should know about flying through BKK? It is my first time through Thailand.
Thanks for your help.

sooge_sj

I assume it is one ticket (PNR). If so you baggage will be checked through to the final destination and you don’t have to go through customs and immigration. You just have to go through security.

I have done CMB-BKKNRT, CMB-BKK-TPE, and CMB-BKK-ICN many times, and it has always just been security. The only issue is that security lines can be long. Also, my experience has been that on several of the inter-Asia TG flights, the passengers taken by bus to the terminal. So being in J and getting off the plane first doesn’t really help. They wait until the entire bus is full before they drive to the terminal. But once you arrive at the terminal there are always TG staff waiting with signs for people with tight connections.

COSYR

That is great to hear. I've heard about TG's great service, and I look forward to experiencing the airline first hand.

SK AAR

Dont worry, 70 min is more than plenty time to do TG -> TG int. connection at BKK. It is very easy; follow the signs for int. transfer/connections and proceed through BP check (a person will check your onward boarding pass before you are allowed to take the escalators upstairs to depart. level) and security check. Most likely there will be a line for security check, but it should not take more than 5-10 min to get through. You will even have time to visit one of the TG lounges.

As already explained: No need to clear immigration (do not follow the signs for immigration!) and your bags will be checked through to final destination.

Eugeniusz Bodo

I had 55 min connection from MNL to NRT @BKK on Thai, the agent with a cart was waiting for me upon deplaning. I ended up having a drink in a lounge and a cigarette next to my departure gate. BKK is huge but really well run operation. Talking J and on the same ticket!

BinSabai

that is rather an exception and one should not have the expectation, that there is always an agent and a cart when on tight transits
they just wanted to make sure you get THAT flight, maybe on the next flight to NRT J was overbooked or full
Sometimes they just book you on the next flight if you do not make the tight connection, in particular if they have several flights per day like to NRT

cbrown5294

I have an award ticket Lax-HKG (AA) connection to CX onwards to BKK landing 1130am. I plan to fly onward to Chaing Mai that day on a paid ticket ... What time should I allow? Will have to check luggage

Kacee

Two hours if you could be assured your bag would be checked through, but with AA in LAX I suspect that's not likely, so I would leave minimum three hours to clear immigration, collect bag, and re-check.

I just came through BKK at 11:15 a.m. and it was pretty empty at immigration.

BinSabai

agreed with Kacee that check through luggage to Chiang Mai is not likely and that you have to go through normal Immigration, retrieve luggage and recheck in domestic
as for immigration it depends whether you arrive on premium ticket or purchase fast track, which allows you fast progress, should there be any queue in normal Immigration. This would allow you to do immigration, retrieve luggage and go through customs within around 30 minutes.
then go up to departure level and domestic area takes around 10 minutes; check in and security domestic 30 minutes on cattle class ticket and 15 on premium

cbrown5294

Thanks for the info . I think I will end up with a 4 hr layover since I want to stick with Thai as I am Star Gold.
any lounge advice ? Looks like i will only have access to Domestic lounge since I will be staying local flying to USM. I will probably desperately need a shower after a 24 hr trip from LA at that point

Thai-Kiwi

A quick look out of curiosity resulted in few options for a shower after your international arrival. The TG domestic lounge has none.This blog explained nipping over to the Novotel hotel and paying THB 500 (US$ 14) for a shower. There may be other possibilities. Taking a Shower Near Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport | Masaki Okamoto

BinSabai

agreed with Thai-Kiwi, no shower in the domestic lounge...Novotel or any nearby hotel has showers or - if this is your thing - there are also soapies nearby where you can get clean...

louie-m

Nephew and new wife will be travelling from Krabi to London via Bangkok in February. The BKK - LHR flight will hopefully be a Thai F award, so the domestic flight will have to be on a separate (revenue, probably economy) ticket.

I've seen references to the CIQ option but nothing that answers all my questions. Would this be available to them on separate tickets? Would that separate ticket also need to be on Thai (I presume Thai will interline on separate Thai - Thai tickets but do they on the other airlines flying out of KBV?)?

Can someone run me through what you need to do/where you need to go (at KBV and BKK)/what the rules are for CIQ?

The obvious domestic flight would be TG250. I take it that 3 1/2 hours is plenty between flights (TG250, which has a poor on-time record, average delay about 25 mins recently, and TG910). If TG250 was very late/cancelled so that they missed TG910 are Thai likely to be helpful given that they would be on separate tickets? Would they have time for a massage at BKK ?

Kacee

Why not just book the award KBV-LHR? Same price.

Yes, plenty.