Transiting Through Bkk (international)

[Isthmus]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any experience transiting through BKK as an international traveler.

I am a US citizen and my wife is a Chinese citizen. We will be doing some traveling in SE Asia and have all the proper visas for the countries we intend to visit.

BKK is convenient for a couple of possible connecting flights strictly for flight logistics. Is it easy to transit through BKK when you are changing airlines? What are the specific rules (assuming we have possesion of an onward flight within a reasonable amount of time, say 8 or 10 hours max.) Is there a special line at immigration for international transiting passengers who still have to collect their luggage? Is a Thai visa required? (We will have one--probably required by most airlines to get on their flight to Thailand, but would like to save it for a return flight when we will stay for at least a few days. I have read about the re-entry visa at the airport but would like to avoid that if we are just making a flight connection.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Prakanong]

Chinese Citizens can get a VoA (Visa on Arrival) valid for 15 days for a fee (1800 THB I think) - you could get one both ways

It seems you are changing airlines and are not having baggage booked through to final destination - are you leaving airside and collecting bags then re-checking in?

[tw25rw]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any experience transiting through BKK as an international traveler.

I am a US citizen and my wife is a Chinese citizen. We will be doing some traveling in SE Asia and have all the proper visas for the countries we intend to visit.

BKK is convenient for a couple of possible connecting flights strictly for flight logistics. Is it easy to transit through BKK when you are changing airlines? What are the specific rules (assuming we have possesion of an onward flight within a reasonable amount of time, say 8 or 10 hours max.) Is there a special line at immigration for international transiting passengers who still have to collect their luggage? Is a Thai visa required? (We will have one--probably required by most airlines to get on their flight to Thailand, but would like to save it for a return flight when we will stay for at least a few days. I have read about the re-entry visa at the airport but would like to avoid that if we are just making a flight connection.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

No specific line, but generally you can check your bags in when you check in for the first flight through to the destination. 8-10 hours is tons of time to all kinds of stuff (as long as you aren't dragging cases around). I don't think you have any reason to worry.

[Isthmus]

Chinese Citizens can get a VoA (Visa on Arrival) valid for 15 days for a fee (1800 THB I think) - you could get one both ways

It seems you are changing airlines and are not having baggage booked through to final destination - are you leaving airside and collecting bags then re-checking in?

Thanks, I assume with luggage checked to final destination that transiting wouldn't be an issue. My concern is specifically with a situation with changing airlines and having to collect luggage to do that. In a couple of inquiries with Air Asia they have told us that we cannot check our luggage through to final destination. I'm not entirely sure why this is---super cheap promotional flights, other not-so-becoming aspects of this airline, or whatever---but also in a couple of possible itineraries I'm looking at, I really kind of like the idea of making sure my luggage is on the flight I am checking in on (again, tickets purchased seperately for different airlines)

It seems that getting Thai visas and meeting entry/exit requriements is not that big of an issue, but there also is the equation of the price of a cheap ticket in combination with the price, or not, of visas or entry cards, plus the effort to get them.

As far as leaving airside, etc., I have never been to BKK so I don't know what the system is. For us, having to go through security or immigration/passport control wouldn't be an issue regarding possession of visa type documents and onward tickets, etc.--the question I have is simply do they let you do such a thing in a situation where a person has to also collect and recheck their luggage without actually officially entering the country (using up a visa entry) when I have in my possesion an onward ticket for a flight within just a few hours or less.

[tw25rw]

Thanks, I assume with luggage checked to final destination that transiting wouldn't be an issue. My concern is specifically with a situation with changing airlines and having to collect luggage to do that. In a couple of inquiries with Air Asia they have told us that we cannot check our luggage through to final destination. I'm not entirely sure why this is---super cheap promotional flights, other not-so-becoming aspects of this airline, or whatever---but also in a couple of possible itineraries I'm looking at, I really kind of like the idea of making sure my luggage is on the flight I am checking in on (again, tickets purchased seperately for different airlines)

If Air Asia don't interline, you'll have to do it the hard way. Collect your bags and recheck-in having gone through immigration etc.

[ovenman]

In a couple of inquiries with Air Asia they have told us that we cannot check our luggage through to final destination. I'm not entirely sure why this is---super cheap promotional flights, other not-so-becoming aspects of this airline, or whatever

It's the standard operating policy of pretty much all low-cost airlines to not interline bags.

[Isthmus]

In a couple of inquiries with Air Asia they have told us that we cannot check our luggage through to final destination. I'm not entirely sure why this is---super cheap promotional flights, other not-so-becoming aspects of this airline, or whatever

It's the standard operating policy of pretty much all low-cost airlines to not interline bags.

Thanks, yeah I was kind of suspecting that that is the case. So it is kind of a question to see which way is better--higher priced airline or get another visa. But, at least for some of the airlines I've checked out, I also feel safer transfering my own luggage even though it's a pain to go through all that.

[budmak]

just watch with air asia for baggage allowance as thry wil sting you on overwight bags

[adammike]

Its not a problem just a pain to wait in line at the passport control.

When you fill in the immigration form just tick the transit box they

then ask to see your ticket and they stamp you through.

Get your bags and go to departures and check in its a hassle but

painless.Just take carry on.

I still can not get an answer from any forum about what time the

Thai air transit desk opens {so I do not have to go through passport control}

If I do I cant make the 07:40 Phnom Phen flight,

I will then take the 15:20 airasia flight though my EVA flight arrives a 05:40.

[jimmym40]

It would be great if you can just take all your belongings in your HANDCARRY luggage so you don't have to check any baggage, then everything should be a breeze. Just a thought...

[Kerryd]

I've found a number of times that various airlines won't transfer luggage.

Often happens if you have different tickets for different airlines (i.e. you have a Gulf Air ticket to Bangkok. A Thai Air ticket to Manila. A China Air ticket to Taipei). Also happens if you are using some Budget or Regional airlines, that don't have agreements with the "big boys".

If the 1 ticket has all the destinations on it, the luggage can get checked through to the final destination. Generally though, any time you have to switch airlines, you'll have to collect and recheck your luggage.

(note too that it seems if you have less than 3 hours between connections, it's iffy if your luggage can be transferred in time from one plane to the next).

As mentioned above though, the visas shouldn't be a problem.

You arrive, go through Immigration (get your 15 or 30 days stamp), collect your luggage, go upstairs to the Departure area and check in for your next flight. If there is a long time between flights, there is an Airport hotel you could check into.

This won't affect you if you come back through Bangkok on your return (visa-wise). It would be the same situation. Arrive, get your new (15/30 day) stamp at Immigration, collect your luggage and carry on.

And like jimmym40 mentioned, if you could keep everything in just carry-ons, it would solve a lot of problems. No Immigration to go through, no worries about luggage transfers, fewer worries about making connections (where your arrival and departure times are very close).