Proposed Transfers Between The Airports

[marshbags]

I have just received the following important information relating to an email i sent on our behalf of all interested members.

While it is brief at least it confirms that arrangements are being made along with the expected transfer times from one airport to the other they think is a reasonable time allowance.

The baggage enquiry wasn,t answered but i think something relating to this will be announced when details are finalised.

My enquiry ( i have deleted my email address details )

-----Original Message-----

From: Myself

Sent: Thursday, 15 March 2007 7:41 PM

To: [email protected]

Subject: Transfers on landing at D.Maung to the New Airport For Tourists

Can you pleae advise us on possible transfer between D.Maung and the new airport for domestic passengers arriving from Udonthani and are going on to international destinations please.

I called in at the local T Airways office at Udon with a view to booking flights after the transfer date and was advised to contact you.

I am enquiring on behalf of the local expat community and friends arriving from overseas.

There is great concern about connecting flights and time allowances.

Also could there be any chance of baggage being forwarded or will passengers have to take it between airports for flights other than Thai Airways International ones.

We realise the transfer doesn,t take place until 25-03-07 but obviously advance information is required to facilitate int. connecting times ect.

Thank you for your kind attention on this matter.

Reply

From: Public Relations [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Monday, 19 March 2007 8:07 AM

To: 'THAI Enquiries'

Subject: FW: Transfers on landing at D.Maung to the New Airport For Tourists:-

From: "THAI Enquiries" <[email protected]>

To: Myself

Subject: FW: Transfers on landing at D.Maung to the New Airport For Tourists

Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:45:25 +1000

Thanks for your enquiry.

Details are still being advised but we understand there will be a shuttle bus between the 2 airports.

The connecting time is 3hrs 30mins for passengers arriving and departing at different airports.

Regards, Sue

THAI : 1300 651 960

Thanks due to Thai Airways for responding in a prompt manner considering the weekend period came into the response period

marshbags

[gummy]

Although they don't say I assume their definition of "connecting time" is time from scheduled landing to time of scheduled departure ?

[Krub]

I would never never risk a 3 hours 30 minutes transit time between arrival and departure between DM and SUV.

More like 5 hours to be safe

[marshbags]

I would never never risk a 3 hours 30 minutes transit time between arrival and departure between DM and SUV.

More like 5 hours to be safe

Agreed, better safe than sorry as the saying goes, especially if you are taking immigration, boarding times ect. into the scenario.

Hate to say it but taking the enviroment into account the unpredictability comes into play, without meaning to sound cynical of course.

Perhaps after the first few days / or more ??? it may be that a more accurate assessment can be made on the journey times, but there are all the other logistics to consider also.

There is also the security situation, just to add another bit of gloom to it all.

Stay cool and smile your way through it and the flight will be far more relaxing.

marshbags

[nmac1106]

Good info, 3hrs 30 mins to transfer, Nokair suggessted 3 hrs.

I am arriving on 26 March 2007 at 14:50 hours and hoped to get to Udon Thani that evening. However Nokair (I've just cancelled my booking, and requested refund), depart at 17:40hrs, and Thai have a flight departing at 18:30hrs, is there any chance of catching either of these, allowing for 30-45 mins for ckeck-in. Also, has anyone got a rough idea of cost for taxi between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang?

Only 1 week, I'll try and post after arrival to let others know how I fared.

Regards Neil

[Krub]

Good info, 3hrs 30 mins to transfer, Nokair suggessted 3 hrs.

I am arriving on 26 March 2007 at 14:50 hours and hoped to get to Udon Thani that evening. However Nokair (I've just cancelled my booking, and requested refund), depart at 17:40hrs, and Thai have a flight departing at 18:30hrs, is there any chance of catching either of these, allowing for 30-45 mins for ckeck-in. Also, has anyone got a rough idea of cost for taxi between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang?

Only 1 week, I'll try and post after arrival to let others know how I fared.

Regards Neil

Assuming your flights lands on time at 14:50. Give it 20 minutes to park at gate and a further 30 minutes for your luggage to come out (that is real fast). Also that within those 30 mionutes you managed to clear immigration (again fast). That brings you in a taxi at 16:00

Give yourself 1 hour taxi drive to DM.

If all goes really well you might make it but if the plane is 30 minutes late, the bags take 45 or 60 minutes to come out, immigration queues hold up, traffic on way to DM, you might have to spend a night near DM

I would go for it.

or try the AirAsia flight at 499 baht that leaves SUV for UdonThani at 16:15 !

[lomatopo]

Although they don't say I assume their definition of "connecting time" is time from scheduled landing to time of scheduled departure ?

Not really. It sounds as though TG is using a 3:30 MCT (Minimum Connection Time). This means that booking/reservation systems (CRS/GDS) will only present connections that meet or exceed this MCT, say for LHR-BKK/DMK-KKC (one ticket, all on TG), and TG would be responsible for transporting you if you missed your connecting flight due to late arriving flights. Problems obviously arise when one books separate reservations, say LHR-BKK on BR (Eva) on one ticket and DMK-KKC on TG on a separate ticket.

If I booked a 3:30 MCT on my own I wouldn't want to wait around for a shuttle bus, I'd take a taxi.

[KatieR]

Please do let us know how you get on. I have a flight due to arrive into Suvarnabhumi at 0710, then a flight leaving Don Muang for Chiang Mai 10.40- I need to be there for 9.40 I think. Am worried I might be cutting it a bit fine, as I've no idea what traffic is like in that part of the city (I know traffic is generally pretty terrible in Bangkok). Anyone know how long it would take in a Taxi roughly, and how much cash I should expect to pay?

Thanks loads.

Katie

[Krub]

Please do let us know how you get on. I have a flight due to arrive into Suvarnabhumi at 0710, then a flight leaving Don Muang for Chiang Mai 10.40- I need to be there for 9.40 I think. Am worried I might be cutting it a bit fine, as I've no idea what traffic is like in that part of the city (I know traffic is generally pretty terrible in Bangkok). Anyone know how long it would take in a Taxi roughly, and how much cash I should expect to pay?

Thanks loads.

Katie

If all goes well 1 hour by taxi count around 500 baht. Better if not week-day as going in Bangkok at that time will be very crowded

[nmac1106]

Katie, I notice Thai Airways still have some flights to Chaing Mai departing from Suvarnabhumi. Don't know your situation, I had booked BKK to Udon Thani separate, with Nokair, and was offered a refund. I have now booked with Thai at the later time of 20:20 hrs.

The important part is the time between, and as I'm travelling on 26 March, I intend to post my experiences which may help others who will no doubt have to do the same transfer between airports.

Regards Neil

[Maestro]

...say for LHR-BKK/DMK-KKC (one ticket, all on TG)...

With an itinerary like that, when checking in at LHR can you check your baggage through to KKC and don’t have to touch it in Bangkok?

--

Maestro

[ovenman]

...say for LHR-BKK/DMK-KKC (one ticket, all on TG)...

With an itinerary like that, when checking in at LHR can you check your baggage through to KKC and don’t have to touch it in Bangkok?

I wouldn't expect that it would work that way but I guess you never know. A connection in New York City between say, LaGuardia and JFK requires that you carry your own bags between airports (or at least it has for me).

[Krub]

...say for LHR-BKK/DMK-KKC (one ticket, all on TG)...

With an itinerary like that, when checking in at LHR can you check your baggage through to KKC and don’t have to touch it in Bangkok?

--

Maestro

KKC is NOT an international destination you MUST pick up your bags in BKK

[lomatopo]

...say for LHR-BKK/DMK-KKC (one ticket, all on TG)...

With an itinerary like that, when checking in at LHR can you check your baggage through to KKC and don’t have to touch it in Bangkok?

--

Maestro

No. As there is no Customs in KKC you would need to retrieve any checked bags at BKK, clear Customs, then migrate to DMK with your bags, where you could then check them in with TG, again. In theory TG could offer a service to check your bags through, say in LHR in this example, then you hand them off after Customs, and TG would transport them over to DMK. I doubt TG is offering this service and if they did, I wouldn't hand by bags off at that point. In U.S. airports it is done like this if you arrive (internationally)/depart (domestically) at the same airport.

[schmitonian]

All these replies are for transfers on the way IN to Thailand. I will be travelling OUT from Thailand (UTH-DMK-BKK-BAH) and have allowed 3:20 for the transfer. I actually paid for the more expensive TG tix hoping I could get the bags checked all the way through from UTH and not having to bother picking them up and doing the baggage transfer myself.

Anyone know if this is the case, or do I have to wait at Don Muang, pick up the bags and lug them (along with the wife and 3y.o) across town?

[Lancashirelad]

All these replies are for transfers on the way IN to Thailand. I will be travelling OUT from Thailand (UTH-DMK-BKK-BAH) and have allowed 3:20 for the transfer. I actually paid for the more expensive TG tix hoping I could get the bags checked all the way through from UTH and not having to bother picking them up and doing the baggage transfer myself.

Anyone know if this is the case, or do I have to wait at Don Muang, pick up the bags and lug them (along with the wife and 3y.o) across town?

ask the airline when you check in and watch (as you ALWAYS should) where they tag them to.

[marshbags]

This is the latest news available from the Thai Airways website

Quote:-

THAI Reports on Passenger Services on the first day of operations at Don Mueang Airport Issue 3

Today (26 March 2007) at 11.00 hrs., Don Mueang Airport, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited reported that over 8,000 passengers departed and arrived at Don Mueang Airport on THAI’s flights between 06.00 – 24.00 hrs. on 25 March 2007 and a satisfactory number of passengers traveling departure and arrival domestic flights used Don Mueang Airport during the morning.

Flg. Off. Apinan Sumanaseni, President of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, said that on the first day of the company’s passenger services of domestic flights at Don Mueang Airport on 25 March 2007 between 06.00 – 24.00 hrs., THAI operated a total number of 30 flights carrying a total of 8,212 passengers including 4,380 departure passengers and 3,832 arrival passengers.

There were 71 passengers traveling from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang Airport for their connecting flights which THAI provided transfer.

Today, from 06.00 hrs. through until 09.35 hrs., THAI operated a total of 12 number of flights, out of which four arrival flights were carrying 419 passengers and eight departure flights were carrying 1,320 passengers. Therefore, it can be calculated that there are approximately 80 per cent of passengers using THAI’s services when compared to the number of overall seats available.

In addition, THAI opens THAI City Air Terminal, providing check-in service for passengers traveling from Don Mueang airport. The services include shuttle bus transportation between Lad Prao MRT Station – Don Mueang airport which passengers have to identify the boarding pass or traveling documents. The transportation, located at domestic arriving area, 1st floor, Don Mueang Airport, depart every 30 minutes until midnight.

For further information, passengers may contact call center at 0-2356-1111, 24 hours a day

Unquote.

On behalf of all interested members and myself of course.

Has anyone got any experiences to share on this report and it,s actual implimentation, please.

In particular the passenger services to and from the 2 airports ( Both Ways )

I,m not sure if this for ALL passengers ongoing to international flights or just ones relevant to Thai Airways flights.

Thank you for sharing your actual experiences on this report.

marshbags

P.S.

Issues 1 and 2 are of earlier reports and Issue 3 supersedes them.