Unaccompanied Mother In Law

[Aussietraveller]

Hi All,

I am sure that we are not the first to cross this particular bridge, and not sure of the best way to do it.

My Thai Mother in Law will be coming out to Australia soon for a Visit.

She has been on a plane only once and has never traveled internationally.

She does not speak any English.

We are concerned that she will not know what to do and get over anxious with the flight and customs/immigration.

We are contemplating someone flying up to Bangkok to get her and flying back with her.

This does add to the expense of the exercise though.

Does anyone know if the Airlines have an unaccompanied Mother In Law program, similar to a unaccompanied minors program.

Get her to the flight after check in, onto the flight, off the flight in Brisbane and through Customs and Immigration.

Or is anyone coming BKk to Bne late Feb 2011?

[CharlieH]

Most Airlines/Airports offer a "meet & greet" service, you should contact the Airport in Brisbane and the Airline she is travelling on and ask them.

You could always get some cards written out for her, Have the cards written in Thai and English so she can just show the approrpiate card to someone if she needs help. I used this method before and it worked very well.

Good luck, hope she enjoys the trip.:jap:

Edited January 6, 2011 by CharlieH

[Wallaby]

My gf flew to Oz by herself with very little english. I contacted the airline and they noted her as a first time flyer needing assistance. When she got to checkin at BKK an airline staff member went with her through immigration and customs etc. When she got to Oz another airline staff member took her off the plane, carried her bags and again guided her through immigration and customs. She never touched her passport the whole way.

I was very impressed.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

You should try to get copies of the Arrival/Departure forms, and Customs form if it's a separate document, fill in a sample one, and mail it/them to her. Perhaps someone travelling to Oz this month can pick some up and snail mail them to you, or you could check with an airline at your local airport for copies. That'd save her some hassle on arrival. Also pick up the Thai Arrival/Departure form for when she comes back. Oops, she needs that for departure from Thailand, they'll pull the Departure portion and staple in the Arrival portion for when she returns. The airline should also have those.

Here's a couple online items, sure to be more on the www:

http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/border-security/air/airport.htm

http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/border-security/travel/passenger-cards/

www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/.../GuideForTravellers.pdf

Tell her NO "normal: Thai medicines, don't take a chance on what they might be, there's some "funny" one if she's from Issan!! Quite normal up there, but no-no in many countries. Same with carrying foods, fruits or veggie products.

Mac

[WilliaminBKK]

I would also consider ordering a Wheelchair, she will simple have to wait on the plane a bit longer but at least there is assistance.

[Bakseedaa]

Make very sure she has no foodstuffs in her luggage, or wooden imploments... no nuts, and to have someone write out some cards for her...But I`m sure she will find some other Thai people on the flight to help her... will be many heading to sunny Brisbane this time of year... Hope she has a great time there and hope your marriage lasts the course... Haha I love my mother in law too....

[xen]

Probably the easiest way .and the way we always did it was to have her fly on Thai Airways where they will look after her. They are pretty used to this situation and they will fill in the declarations etc for her. Emerites usually have at least one Thai speaking steward/hostess but that cannot be guaranteed.

And tell her no funny stuff in her luggage like food ,somtum , herbals, etc etc. It is easier than having go thru the proceedures of getting past customs. Explain to her that in Oz, nearly everything in the way of Thai food and groceriescan be obtained here so she does not need to bring supplies and she will not starve or do without. This seems to be one of their major concerns and why they try to bring stuff in that they will have confiscated.

[rick75]

As xen said, just fly Her with thai airways, She will have plenty of Thai speakers on the plane, get your wife to explain to Her how things work and what the processes will be, more than likely She will befriend a fellow Thai on the plane who will walk her through customs anyway. You said She is coming to Brisbane, make sure she is booked onto a direct flight and not one with a Sydney stop over, that keeps it simple.

[Acutus]

In the past, one can contact the DIAC and ask to have a Thai interpreter to help at the airport. This way, an interpreter could be allowed into the custom area and help a pax getting through the custom etc. However, as it has been awhile now that I witnessed this practice at the airport, it is wise to contact DIAC and/or TIS now. Here is TIS's url, "http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/help_with_translating/".

Of course, as other posters said, just fly THAI. With a bit of luck, one won't run into the BKK-attitude cabin crew who look down on esarn or non-BKK or any undeserving poor people and get a bit of services in flight. If one want to be sure, just fly a business class. They are always nice there, up to a certain point within the Thai Factor, of course.