Booking a Return Flight to US During Covid

[suzannegoh]

I’m planning to make a trip to Chicago for medical care and then return to Thailand and I’m trying to understand the procedure for booking return flight to Thailand in this time of COEs, in particular whether it matters where you buy your return ticket from.  Information on the Thai Embassy’s web page in LA says to apply for a COE and then book the flight to Thailand.  They say to book either a “semi-commercial” or a “repatriation” flight and they provide a list of semi-commercial flights, which can be https://bit.ly/2Ude2kx. Among the semi-commercial flights that are listed are some flights that can be booked on United Airlines’ web page using Frequent Flier miles just the same as if it was an ordinary commercial flight, such as TG911 from London to Bangkok.  So it seems like if I wanted to book a trip to Chicago, I should be able to book a roundtrip ticket on United’s web page (in advance) for an itinerary that flies BKK-LHR-ORD and then ORD-LHR-BKK with the final leg being on TG911.  Would that be acceptable to Thai authorities, or must I buy my return ticket through a special source? I have a proper Visa and an insurance policy that covers Covid up to an acceptably high limit, that’s not an issue, the only concern is whether it’s safe to book a TG flight to Bangkok before applying for the COE.

[Nonthaburi Boy]

I imagine the point of applying for the COE first is that there is no guarantee it will be granted, or how long it will take? Also, regulations can change at any time so somebody eligible at the time of booking the flight is not necessarily still going to be eligible when they apply for the COE and visa.

 

A new expat at our company has had problems with exactly this - plans made before getting the COEs and visas for his family have been completely messed up because the process is taking longer than expected. In our case it is just a bother since we have no significant penalty for flight and quarantine changes but it made the issue clear to me.

 

Sorry, I cannot answer your sensible question with any certainty. Why do you think you have to book through special channels? I have never heard of that. We booked (but this was not the US) through American Express travel as usual. Maybe use a service like that if unsure, rather than direct? Then you can talk to somebody before booking and put your mind at ease. 

[suzannegoh]

1 hour ago, Nonthaburi Boy said:

I imagine the point of applying for the COE first is that there is no guarantee it will be granted, or how long it will take? Also, regulations can change at any time so somebody eligible at the time of booking the flight is not necessarily still going to be eligible when they apply for the COE and visa.

 

A new expat at our company has had problems with exactly this - plans made before getting the COEs and visas for his family have been completely messed up because the process is taking longer than expected. In our case it is just a bother since we have no significant penalty for flight and quarantine changes but it made the issue clear to me.

 

Sorry, I cannot answer your sensible question with any certainty. Why do you think you have to book through special channels? I have never heard of that. We booked (but this was not the US) through American Express travel as usual. Maybe use a service like that if unsure, rather than direct? Then you can talk to somebody before booking and put your mind at ease. 

Thanks for that input.  I wonder how early one can apply for the COE.  I was thinking that you need to apply for it once you are in the US but if it was possible to apply for it before leaving Thailand that would take a lot of the risk out of it.