HKT-BKK (overnight)-MEL questions about BKK transit
 

Have looked through previous threads to find an answer to our particular situation.

We are a family of four travelling from HKT through BKK onto MEL all on a single ticket and with all flights operated by TG. We have a 14 hr layover in BKK though (arrive around 6pm on Friday, leave 8am Sat).

I was wondering if in HKT they will automatically tag bags and check us in all the way to MEL, or if it is possible to request they do this? Ideally we’d want the bags checked through but we don’t want to clear immigration, etc in HKT as other transiting passengers to other destinations with shorter layover via BKK often do. This is because we have an overnight hotel booked near airport and want to be able to leave quickly from domestic arrivals.

What is standard practice in this situation with an overnight layover in BKK when going domestic—>international on TG? All flights in J and I am *G if that makes a difference.

Admittedly I have no first hand experience, but I doubt TG will check bags to MEL when you check-in to BKK only and do not clear immigration at HKT.

I agree with SK AAR, but similarly have not tried what you are seeking to do. You can only ask at check-in.

Having bags airside for 14 hours is less than ideal and is something I would avoid if possible.

Final thought, domestic bags come though relatively quickly. Why the rush to a local hotel?

Thai-Kiwi makes a good point. Domestic bags do come through relatively quickly. :)

The major downside of keeping the bags with you for the overnight transit is that you will need to checkin very early am for the 0800 flight to Melbourne....and that can be a pain...slow checkin, slow security, long lines at immigration, assuming this is Y. So of course it’s better if you can check the bags ex HKT all the way ( but I have no idea if it’s possible,...)

OP says all flights in J, and is *G. So that helps a lot.

I'm not sure if TG at HKT will accept bags for MEL when the transit is overnight like that, but I would assume they do. If so, I don't see any need to mention to anyone at TG that you plan to sleeping outside BKK airport. Just take the CIQ sticker and say thank you, then take it off and follow the route of the domestic-only passengers. Based on my experiences when doing the same in CNX, no-one will notice or care.

Only if TG tries to not check your baggage through, because they assume you will be leaving BKK aiport, would I bring the issue up and ask them to check the baggage through to MEL.

I though CIQ pax on departure cleared immigration at the point of departure ie HKT? If so, ripping off the sticker and re-entering Thailand would not be something I would recommend or risk.

Is this what you have been doing ex-CNX?

I would definitely not recommend that. What I suggested was following the route of the passengers that do not have a CIQ sticker after taking of the CIQ sticker. I.e., do not clear immigration at HKT.

And yes, that's what was doing at CNX when needed.

One time I had even cleared immigration at CNX when I later, before boarding in CNX, discovered I needed to go landside in BKK. TG-staff at the gate helped me by walking me back to the immigration counter in CNX and asked them to please cancel my Thailand departure stamp. Then the TG-lady (unusually competent compared to other airline staff, as has been most of my experiences with TG staff when I have needed something "special") took off my CIQ sticker and asked me to walk back to domestic departures and proceed as normal (CNX has separate domestic/international security checkpoints, as well as check-in counters, even though all meet at the same boarding gate). No changes to checked luggage (checked through to Europe) or boarding passes, and at the time, no status with TG either FWIW.