The scenario:

• Flying HKT-BKK on Thai Airways
  
• 90 min. layover at BKK then flying out of Thailand on Air Asia
  
• I will have pre-done boarding pass on Air Asia
  
• No checked baggage
  

I would like to do immigration at HKT as I have been reading horror stories about the delays at BKK. Anyone have experience on this one?

Thank you

No problems at phuket flying domesic.

You will be clearing customs in Bangkok.

Yes, you are flying domestic to Bangkok with no internation connecting flight (Air Asia is always stand alone). That means you can not clear immigration in Phuket.

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

Yes, China Airliens in combination with Thai or Bangkok Airways you can do that, but not with Air Asia.

I was hoping to show my boarding pass for the onward flight on AA to go thru the international departure gate in Phuket

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

Yes, China Airliens in combination with Thai or Bangkok Airways you can do that, but not with Air Asia.

I think you'll find that the reason you will have to go through immigration in BKK is that Air Asia doesn't have an agreement with Thai International to transfer luggage from plane to plane. This means that you will have to pick up you bags and check-in again; thus the reason why you can't do immigration at HKT.

I was hoping to show my boarding pass for the onward flight on AA to go thru the international departure gate in Phuket

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

Yes, China Airliens in combination with Thai or Bangkok Airways you can do that, but not with Air Asia.

Why don't you call Thai Airways and ask them?

I was hoping to show my boarding pass for the onward flight on AA to go thru the international departure gate in Phuket

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

Yes, China Airliens in combination with Thai or Bangkok Airways you can do that, but not with Air Asia.

Why don't you call Thai Airways and ask them?

Or just look at the Air Asia website, where it is clearly stated this is not possible with Air Asia. See here.

I was hoping to show my boarding pass for the onward flight on AA to go thru the international departure gate in Phuket

I have had a flight on Thai Airways from Phuket to BKK connecting with China Airlines BKK to Taipei on to San Francisco with my bags check through from Phuket to San Francisco and have gone through immigration in Phuket. But I don't know about Air Asia. Good luck. 90 minutes to connect with an international flight is a pretty short time, especially flying out of Phuket where the flights always seem to be late. I have close to a 3 hour layover in BKK to make sure I make my international flight. Last time my Thai Airways flight was over an hour late.

Yes, China Airliens in combination with Thai or Bangkok Airways you can do that, but not with Air Asia.

Either way when you get to BKK the Air Asia terminal is quite a long way from the international check in area. This is the catch with Air Asia, cheap flights but long walks, buses and common flight delays. I fly with air asia regularly and would estimate that I am delayed about 30% of the time.

If you read my original post point # 3 states "no checked baggage"

I think you'll find that the reason you will have to go through immigration in BKK is that Air Asia doesn't have an agreement with Thai International to transfer luggage from plane to plane. This means that you will have to pick up you bags and check-in again; thus the reason why you can't do immigration at HKT.

Air Asia has no say in what Thai Immigration will/will not do. I am looking for someone who has done (or tried to) what I outlined in my post.

Or just look at the Air Asia website, where it is clearly stated this is not possible with Air Asia. See here.

Air Asia has no say in what Thai Immigration will/will not do. I am looking for someone who has done (or tried to) what I outlined in my post.

Of course they do. You're flying domestically to Bangkok without connecting flight. Hence no immigration on Phuket. Now, if Air Asia were to have an agreement with Thai it would be different.