dsquared37

Correct. The benefit of beginning the departure in CNX (or HKT, USM, KBV, HDY, CEI) is that you can take care of immigration at the domestic airport and simply head through transit security (or CIQ depending upon where the plane gates).

This isn't always possible but a good option if the schedule works for you.

wheresmybagba

...so should I expect lengthy delays transitting MEL-BKK-KBV early morning? We're travelling in business but is there any sort of fast track for passengers with domestic connections?

A_Lee

Well, from where I typically originate to fly to Thailand (Korea) there are direct flights to both CNX and HKT, which I am switching to and completely bypassing BKK from now on if possible. Unfortunate for TG though, they don't have ICN-CNX flights, and their ICN-HKT flight times aren't suitable for me. So KE and OZ will get my business now on the Thailand route.

BKKROP

You will be OK, sail through to the business class lounge in the domestic terminal. Most of these posters haven't flown TG, haven't flown period, I would say, certainly haven't been through Bangkok Airport this year,

A_Lee

I've done likewise in the past. Unfortunately, the new BKK policy of not allowing you to go upstairs to the international lounges, and not being able to pass through international-to-domestic security/passport control when you arrive (unless it's soon before your domestic departure), they have effectively made this a completely useless system to me. It would be more aggravation to have to sit around waiting for my time to be able to pass through security, than to wait in the normal immigration queue just so that I could have a place to relax for a few hours.

On the way back, there shouldn't be much of a problem and the preferable way to go, but the completely unacceptable situation they've created on the inbound makes that quite impractical. I'd have to fly one carrier inbound with a direct flight to the domestic destination, and then TG (or PG, etc) outbound with the connection through BKK. Doesn't make any sense to me, so as much as I dislike Skyteam, it's my only choice when going to CNX, using KE, and completely bypassing BKK.

Hopefully TG has or soon will realize that this mess at BKK is going to cost them a lot of business, and some heads will start rolling at BKK operations and immigration. From all the reports I'm hearing, the situation is completely unacceptable, and I'd bet willing to be people caught up in this mess will seriously think twice about booking their next trip via BKK.

dsquared37

I'd love to see your list of posters who haven't been through BKK this year. Let me know when you've finished your count.

After you complete this task we can then deal with your theory that most on here have never flown TG. But one ridiculous assertion at a time please.

dsquared37

The int-dom immigration areas have been backed up at times but nothing like normal immigration. There is no fast track that I'm aware of, however you should not have any problems.

BKKROP

What a coincidence, I was just finishing the "N" cities

but I am at a loss to understand why anyone would blame an airline for security clampdowns. Coming in from overseas the passengers will have a dedicated domestic channel prior to the security. I can only assume there has been a blanket cover on these news items in the area. TG have always looked after their C/J paxs

jiejie

I don't understand why you're quibbling over this--it misses the Big Picture which is that 2 HOURS is UNACCEPTABLE. Even 1 HOUR is UNACCEPTABLE and particularly for departures. There certainly are hordes of people who have had to wait 1 hour either arriving or departing. Whether or not they post on FT to bear witness to you, shouldn't be the issue.

Departure delays are more serious since people have flights to catch. It's not only that there aren't enough officers manning the desks at peak times. It's also that they take too long to process each person, especially on the outbounds. While in the queue (which for me is always worse on the outbound due to typical scheduling), I've often made a game of timing the officers as they deal with each person. Not sure if it's just the staff moving slowly at Thai Standard Speed, or if the immigration computer system is also part of the problem by being very slow...wouldn't surprise me. In my case, it seems that the computer is what the officer is waiting on, as my departures are about as uncomplicated as it gets for a foreigner. Noticed it seems to be the same for many others as well. Maybe an investment in faster immigration server and routing technology is in order?

A_Lee

Based on what I've read here, and my own experience, you have two issues.

First, on peak days there can be a lot of people at the international-to-domestic passport control. It might take you 45 minutes on a peak day, though now we're ending the peak travel season to Thailand. But offset that with the admitted lack of enough immigration officers, and who knows what you might experience.

Second, and only based on what I've seen reported, you will be barred from using the international-to-domestic passport control until a certain time before your flight. It used to be that you could go through at your leisure, but some have reported this is no longer the case, though nobody has said what the exact time frame for this new rule.

So you can't transit too early, but you shouldn't wait till too late either. I would think that two hours (which I believe is what's involved in the flights you mentioned) should be no problem. Definitely should be enough time, and hopefully you'll be allowed through immediately upon arriving, so you can go to the domestic TG lounge.

There is no fast-track for this transit. I asked specifically about that when I was hit with some very long queues a couple months ago and was told there is none, even though there was at that time for normal immigration into Thailand.

wheresmybagba

Thanks for that response. Yes I think the connection time is 2:20...so hopefully a sweet spot between the new 'too early' rule and getting through with some time to go to the lounge.

Travel day (of connection) is a Saturday - next Saturday in fact, the KBV flight is already full in Y at least so if that was typcial I'd expect it to be busy. At least we're not also competing with Friday evening departures ex Europe connecting to domestic flights.

BKKROP

I never have to wait, so a disclaimer up front, but my crew do and the worse places for us are China/Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia (well it is actually customs), Vietnam, London and Paris. Of all the places Thailand is easy. It is one of those glorious destinations where we do not have to go through Immigration then pick up our bags and then start all over again and go through customs inspections.

Try Indonesia and this procedure can take hours.
Try Australia and they will hold you up because you bought a wooden wall art, this can take hours too, and they will film it and show it on border control televsion.
Try Vietnam and the stamping of a passport can put you to sleep
Try Hong Kong, that is murder, walking backwards and then sideways.
Try Shenzhen crossing to China, now here is somewhere you do need a cut lunch
Try London, but then with 45 million arrivals, against 30 million for Bangkok and a piddly 6 million arrivals for Australian port, you expect problems and like at JFK with 20 million and all the requirements, there are

I make no bones about it, I love Thailand, we would transit it twice a week sometimes but except for the day they all had their exams and the airport was understaffed, it has been bearable. The main problem I see is the increase in the patronage of the LCC. I don't think this was expected anywhere, SIN and KUL have been smart to give them a seperate terminal, if you are paying peanuts, you are not going to complain, that much has been proven

A_Lee

I think you're probably right about the LCCs. I don't think the passenger numbers have increased all that much on TG or any of the other legacy carriers that I use. But LCCs have seen an explosion in their passenger numbers recently and I would expect the expansion to continue at least into the near future. Something seriously needs to be done about this issue and quickly.

Bangkok fortunately has an airport already that I would think could easily by utilized - DMK! If they have a plan to eventually build a LCC terminal at BKK, then fine. But in the meantime, why don't they shift all LCCs over to DMK, both international and domestic? That would free up a lot of space at BKK and make it a much more pleasant experience. And if immigration queues at DMK are huge, who cares...some inconvenience is the price one has to pay if you want to save some money. Put the experienced immigration officers at BKK and the trainees at DMK.

With all the facilities already existing at DMK, it ought to be an easy task to unmothball it and make it usable again.

dsquared37

TS, while in the police department made his first big monies leasing computers to the department. It now all makes sense, we need TS back to fix this immi computer porblems.

Now this is an odd one. I heard it in passing a month or two ago but wasn't inclined to believe it was more than a one off.

If a pax is denied the ability to go through this immigration checkpoint then they should go through the normal one and up stairs to check in.

The domestic C counters and domestic *G counters will check you in many hours before departure.

Aussie_flyer

I wonder if he is on his own list? Sometimes I think so