giblet

I'm booking flights on two PNRs transferring at BKK at the end of the month. One is arriving on QR on BKK at 12:30pm in Y and the other is arriving on CX at 11:30am.

We will need to collect our baggage. There's a 2:05 p.m. and then 5:50 p.m. Bangkok Airways flight, and obviously I'm not keen to spend 5+ hours sitting at BKK if I don't have to. But 2:05 might be cutting it close.

How long do we need to give ourselves for a safe transfer?

SK AAR

If immigration and collecting bags at BKK is needed the pax arríving on the QR flight may not reach the PG check-in desks in time (check-in closes 45 min before departure for domestic flights). The pax arriving on CX is likely to have enough time to check-in for the 14:05 PG flight

If you want to play it safe, book the later PG flight. However, with moderate change fees for domestic flights in TH and with domestic fares very reasonable, one could gamble and go for the earlier flight, however, being prepared to rebook to a later flight if things do not work out/you do not make the 14:05 flight.

CJKatl

ARE YOU SURE that you cannot check your bags through to the final destination if you take the later CZ flight? Something in the back of my head remembered reading this: According to a March 7, 2017 LoyaltyLobby article, CZ is not following the OneWorld rule on interlining bags. In the FAQs, CZ is quoted as stating:
emphasis added

Note it does not limit this to OneWorld airlines, but to all the airline's interline partners. On the CZ site, Bangkok Airways is identified as a codeshare partner, which makes me think there may be an interline agreement. Have you checked with CZ about whether your bag can be interlined through Bangkok? If not, it's worth a call.

If you can interline your bag, two hours is more than enough time in BKK. I've never had to wait at the security check to change planes internationally. You can usually walk right up, have your stuff scanned pronto and by up the elevator in seconds.

Plato90s

I think the OP is going to a domestic Bangkok Airways flight so this is an int'l-to-domestic transfer.

Unless his final destination is one of the few airports like Phuket that offer custom/immigration, interlining won't do them much good.


I think SK AAR is right, you're cutting it awfully close trying to make the connection from 12:30pm landing to 2:05pm takeoff.

CJKatl

Of course, you are likely correct. My bad. Then yes, two hours is cutting it way too close. Everything would need to work perfectly to make the second flight. There is no room for a plane being late, immigration being backed up or baggage claim being slow. I've done the long wait at BKK. It's not fun, especially if you cannot check your bags and have to stay outside security, but it's probably the wiser way to go.

transpac

I don't think Bangkok Airways allows baggage to be checked through if on separate tickets.

http://www.bangkokair.com/pages/view/separate_ticket

They changed this policy a few years ago.

I still can't figure out what the timing is on the various arriving and departing flights, or what the final destination might be? That info would help. Are the travelers from visa exempt countries?

Very generally speaking, a PG flight later in the day might be more full, so missing the earlier one and expecting to get on the later one, even paying the various fees and charges, might be challenging.

Personally, I'd book the 17:50 flight.

CJKatl

Those are the rules if your first flight is on Bangkok Airways. If your first flight is on the other airline and you are connecting to Bangkok Airways the other airline's rules govern. Those rules may be different. With Cathay Pacific, for example, most OneWay members will not transfer to Cathay Pacific, while Cathay Pacific will transfer to those airlines. Since there is an agreement between CZ and Bangkok, you may be able to transfer in that direction while not being able to transfer back. Crazy, but that's why the examples shown in your link all start with Bangkok flights.

As has been pointed out, though, it's a moot point if the first flight is international and the second domestic.

transpac

From the same link...

For INBOUND travel, Bangkok Airways will not accept through check both passenger and bags from International/domestic flight to connect with any PG flight in case of any two separate tickets issued. Passenger must claim the luggage and recheck in at Bangkok Airways check in counter to obtain PG boarding pass. For those traveling with International flight, passenger must also need to clear customs and immigration.


Interlining bags through BKK can work if the final destination is HKT, CNX, CEI, HDY, KBV, USM, assuming the carriers support it. You would clear Immigration at BKK (mid-field), and clear Customs at one of the referenced airports.


http://suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/22...-boarding-pass

http://suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/10...-boarding-pass

Plato90s

I'd assume the OP is meeting someone at BKK airport, and plan to continue travel together after arriving from disparate flights. I've done something similar on diving trips in the past when it was desirable for the whole group to arrive at the final destination at the same time due to the scheduled charter.



But really - there's nothing to be done. 95 minutes is extreme high-risk for int'l-to-domestic connection.

Hypothetically, if I absolutely MUST make that connection work... I'd pay for a fast track service with golf-cart transfer to immigration and have only carry-on luggage. In theory, an on-time arrival might see you clearing immigration/customs within 25 minutes (if you're in F/J - add 10 minutes if you're in economy) and then you can try to check-in for the Bangkok Air flight before rushing to the gate.

There would be no room for error.

dsquared37

They don't have 2 hours, they have 95 min which is cutting things very close even if QR/CX is willing to interline.

--------

Has nobody in here read any of giblet's posts? It would be highly unlikely they'd be connecting domestically to begin with and the flight times in question correspond to a short hop international flight. This is NOT an Int-Dom transfer.

Additionally the 2:05PM flight in question is an ATR72 necessitating a bus gate.

Plato90s

You're right, my mistake.


2:05pm and then 5:50pm corresponds to PG913/PG907 to Siem Reap (REP) so it's an international transit.

95 minutes is more than sufficient for MCT as long as checked baggage is interlined. I've done a BKK transit with just check-in luggage with 65 minute scheduled connection.



If there's checked bags without interline... 95 min is insufficient.

giblet

I'm doing it again and want to run this Flyertalk before I buy my ticket (dsquared37 I'm looking at you).

I have an OZ flight in C that leaves BKK at 11:55pm on Friday. I need to connect from REP on a separate PNR (in Y). I was planning to take the Bangkok Airways flight that arrives at 8:40pm. Since I'm leaving in C and can fast track, that's enough time, right?

I'm from a visa-exempt country but I will have checked baggage.

dsquared37

I'm guessing you're looking at PG 908 which is an A320 so you're less likely to be delayed by inclement weather but as the weather clears seasonally PG tends to overschedule flights and take rolling delays as the day progresses.

If flights go to schedule you're fine but if anything goes wrong you have nothing to pull out of your hat - the next flight definitely won't give you sufficient time and a delayed arrival and immi chaos could leave you in a bind. Do you have a PG priority immigration voucher to help in case of entry immi lines? I've taken the exPNH flight that arrives at a similar time and immi can be a total zoo around then.

You might be absolutely fine and experience no hitches, but I'd probably take the flight arriving at 17:00 if that's a viable option. It really depends upon your risk allowance. The earlier flight creates a few hours of time to kill but IMO it's better to be at Magic Point having some food then stressed out in REP wondering if you'll make it.

giblet

Okay, I'll book PG 914 that arrives at 5:15 pm instead.

I was trying to avoid having to sit at BKK for 6 hours, but this just shows how Flyertalk has spoiled me. When I first started posting here sitting in a business class lounge for a few hours would have been such a treat. Now I dread it.

Generally though, what's a good connection time for international to international BKK transfers on separate PNRs? Or is it just that you need enough time to take the next flight if PG cancels one?