Help With Journey Please.

[sicknote]

Hi,

I am flying to Bangkok from the UK and arriving around 7:30 am. I have a flight to Chiang Mai at 10:45am.

When I get off in Bangkok will I need to go through passport control there or will I do this in Chiang Mai?

I really have no clue if I have given myself enough time to catch my connection.

Any help would be great.

[Rinrada]

Who ..ie.. what airline are you flying with...?

[Contractor]

Assuming your flight to CM is from the same airport (not Don Muang) then you will have plenty of time. Even if not, I do not see a problem.

Passport control is now in BKK.

Are you checked all the way through to CNX on Thai, or are you changing airlines?

Good luck

[sicknote]

I am not checked all the way through as I'm changing airlines. The flight is from the same airport though.

I am flying Quatar to Bangkok then Airasia to CM.

[Rinrada]

In that case its out through Immigration....get VOA (assuming nil in advance) p/u any luggage and exit to arrivals hall.

Then head upstairs and check in with Air Asia and wander back through again into Domestic Departures and off...

[tigerbeer]

where is quatar?

[sicknote]

Thanx for that Rinrada.

Quatar is Qatar.....I'm just an idiot.

[noise]

In that case its out through Immigration....get VOA (assuming nil in advance) p/u any luggage and exit to arrivals hall.

Then head upstairs and check in with Air Asia and wander back through again into Domestic Departures and off...

My expereience says that it doesn't matter if you change airlines in BKK, you can check you luggage from England to CNX and do not have to pick it up and go through customs in BKK. You just have to be specific in London and tell them to check thru.

Once in CNX you then go down to the international terminal to get your bags, going through customs there.

[mickmac]

You might not be able to check luggage through from London, especially if the onward flight is on a budget airline, as Air Asia is, so be wary of this.

[highlander76]

You will have loads of time .After Immigration get your luggage head straight to the third floor and find your flight make sure you put your duty free in your main luggage.

[uptheos]

You will have loads of time .After Immigration get your luggage head straight to the third floor and find your flight make sure you put your duty free in your main luggage.

If you are coming off a major airline and connecting with Air Asia, be prepared for a strict 15 kilo luggage allowance and to pay the extra cost.

[sicknote]

Thanks for the info guys. Can't wait to explore this part of Thailand.

[Ricardo]

where is quatar?

It's on the equatar !

[KhunDave]

You definately will not be able to through-check your bag to CNX, Air Asia do not interline baggage with other airlines. Don't worry about your timescale though (unless you have a MAJOR delay) you have plenty of time, and if your flight from Qatar arrives on time you will most likely have a couple of hours to kill at BKK. I make this trip regularly and my usual connection time to CNX is 90 minutes - I haven't missed one yet.

[Blinky Bill]

Thanx for that Rinrada.

Quatar is Qatar.....I'm just an idiot.

You'll fit in well.

[uptheos]

I am not checked all the way through as I'm changing airlines. The flight is from the same airport though.

I am flying Quatar to Bangkok then Airasia to CM.

I think you will be impressed with Qatar Air - I fly regulary with them to LHR.

Might be a bit of a shock after appx 15-16 hours of civility to fart around with the Air Asia cattle express!

OK now hear all the noise from the AA regulars.

[Rinrada]

In that case its out through Immigration....get VOA (assuming nil in advance) p/u any luggage and exit to arrivals hall.

Then head upstairs and check in with Air Asia and wander back through again into Domestic Departures and off...

My expereience says that it doesn't matter if you change airlines in BKK, you can check you luggage from England to CNX and do not have to pick it up and go through customs in BKK. You just have to be specific in London and tell them to check thru.

Once in CNX you then go down to the international terminal to get your bags, going through customs there.

Only on Thai...unless you are going fully internationally..eg...Via Singers with the pore/silk....

[Fantasteak]

Edited May 11, 2008 by Fantasteak

[Blinky Bill]

Good to see you are keeping up your normal good standard of posting fantasteak.

[noise]

You definately will not be able to through-check your bag to CNX, Air Asia do not interline baggage with other airlines. Don't worry about your timescale though (unless you have a MAJOR delay) you have plenty of time, and if your flight from Qatar arrives on time you will most likely have a couple of hours to kill at BKK. I make this trip regularly and my usual connection time to CNX is 90 minutes - I haven't missed one yet.

Khun Dave,

How would you compare the cost-benefit of this route for the once a year traveler (i.e., how much effort involved in going from international to domestic, how much for over weight, etc.)? I want to make some recommendations to Thai friends coming to CNX and they will be bringing the two 35 kg bags (or whatever the international wt limit is for their airline and seat class) plus carry on (gifts for their families). Being lazy I never wanted to move bags over to domestic at Don Muang and was willing to pay to fly Thai to CNX. Have not been thru the new terminal (fly directly into CNX now). Thanks

[KhunDave]

You definately will not be able to through-check your bag to CNX, Air Asia do not interline baggage with other airlines. Don't worry about your timescale though (unless you have a MAJOR delay) you have plenty of time, and if your flight from Qatar arrives on time you will most likely have a couple of hours to kill at BKK. I make this trip regularly and my usual connection time to CNX is 90 minutes - I haven't missed one yet.

Khun Dave,

How would you compare the cost-benefit of this route for the once a year traveler (i.e., how much effort involved in going from international to domestic, how much for over weight, etc.)? I want to make some recommendations to Thai friends coming to CNX and they will be bringing the two 35 kg bags (or whatever the international wt limit is for their airline and seat class) plus carry on (gifts for their families). Being lazy I never wanted to move bags over to domestic at Don Muang and was willing to pay to fly Thai to CNX. Have not been thru the new terminal (fly directly into CNX now). Thanks

Unfortunately the option of making an airside transfer to a domestic flight at BKK has now been taken away. Since around mid-2007, we are now obliged to clear Immigration at Suvarnabhumi. I don't know why this was done, but it was certainly a retrograde step and IMO has contributed to the now quite frequent occurrances of large queues.

It is still possible to through-check the luggage to CNX however, provided that the airline has an interline agreement with TG. I would recommend this option if your friends will be bringing a lot of stuff. Anything which reduces the workload after a long haul flight is worth a bit extra I think.

[Rinrada]

You definately will not be able to through-check your bag to CNX, Air Asia do not interline baggage with other airlines. Don't worry about your timescale though (unless you have a MAJOR delay) you have plenty of time, and if your flight from Qatar arrives on time you will most likely have a couple of hours to kill at BKK. I make this trip regularly and my usual connection time to CNX is 90 minutes - I haven't missed one yet.

Khun Dave,

How would you compare the cost-benefit of this route for the once a year traveler (i.e., how much effort involved in going from international to domestic, how much for over weight, etc.)? I want to make some recommendations to Thai friends coming to CNX and they will be bringing the two 35 kg bags (or whatever the international wt limit is for their airline and seat class) plus carry on (gifts for their families). Being lazy I never wanted to move bags over to domestic at Don Muang and was willing to pay to fly Thai to CNX. Have not been thru the new terminal (fly directly into CNX now). Thanks

Unfortunately the option of making an airside transfer to a domestic flight at BKK has now been taken away. Since around mid-2007, we are now obliged to clear Immigration at Suvarnabhumi. I don't know why this was done, but it was certainly a retrograde step and IMO has contributed to the now quite frequent occurrances of large queues.

It is still possible to through-check the luggage to CNX however, provided that the airline has an interline agreement with TG. I would recommend this option if your friends will be bringing a lot of stuff. Anything which reduces the workload after a long haul flight is worth a bit extra I think.

If you are in transit with Thai from say London to Chiang Mai you clear Immigration internally and go straight through the little door to (in my case) the domestic business lounge which is located almost opposite the CM boarding deptarture station.

Noticed on last Jolli that Bangkok Airways was also sharing the internal Immi with TG....different desks.