Arriving Airport W/out Onward Ticket

[BKKGuitar]

Hi-- will i have problems at BKK airport if i arrive there without "onward transportation"? my round-trip ticket terminates in BKK. i'm not Thai. thanks, and sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times!

frank

[lopburi3]

If you have a visa for Thailand it should not be a problem but if not the airline may not fly you here.

[Sheryl]

Hi-- will i have problems at BKK airport if i arrive there without "onward transportation"? my round-trip ticket terminates in BKK. i'm not Thai. thanks, and sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times!

frank

If the airline says anything you can tell them you plan to buy an onward ticket in Thaland. It's not unusual for people to do that as the prices here are better than many other places.

If you are from oen of the countries eligible for 30 day stay on arrival without visa -- or, if not, if you have a visa -- then they shouldn't object.

As for Thai immigration, it depends a lot on where you are from and how you look. They do not routinely ask to see the ticket but may if suspicious of you for some reason. North Americans and Europeans usually breeze on through, Africans, South Asians, Burmese, Laotians and Cambodians are often grilled and asked to show various documents (what all I don't know, I've just learned to avoid getting behind them in the immigration line).

I've passed through Thai immigration over 100 times over the past 25 years and never once been asked to show a ticket or asked anything else for that matter...including many arrivals without a visa. But I'm from the US. They do profile, and nationalities from countries that often overstay their visa or engage in illegal employment or otherwise break the law are treated quite differently.

[Sheryl]

P.S. Dress neatly and conservatively, this will help a lot.

[britmaveric]

If you don't have a visa, likelyhood of them letting you get on the plane is remote. Get around can buy a cheapie Air Asia ticket prior to 30days then this will be sufficient for boarding.

[Crossy]

Hi-- will i have problems at BKK airport if i arrive there without "onward transportation"? my round-trip ticket terminates in BKK. i'm not Thai. thanks, and sorry if this question has been asked a thousand times!

frank

You won't have any problems at BKK immigration desks

BUT

Dependent upon where you are coming from (some countries are more strict than others) you almost certainly will NOT get on the aircraft unless you have a visa.

As others have said get a cheapo flight on Air Asia or similar, print the confirmation email to show the check-in person.

[3stan]

Yep, i've looked into this issue before. You are likely to experience problem getting on the plane to bkk if you don't have a visa or a return or on going ticket. Kind of depends on the company you're flying with and from which country you are bording the plane. It's a gamble, but i'd say the odds are against you so i would buy a cheap ongoing ticket (to pnom pen or something) if i was you..

[Pink Mist]

The airline are the problem, they have the grief if there is a problem.

[laxman1960]

Yep, i've looked into this issue before. You are likely to experience problem getting on the plane to bkk if you don't have a visa or a return or on going ticket. Kind of depends on the company you're flying with and from which country you are bording the plane. It's a gamble, but i'd say the odds are against you so i would buy a cheap ongoing ticket (to pnom pen or something) if i was you..

If you are coming from the US and the checkin agent is doing their job you will not get on the plane without a residency visa for Thailand or holding an onward ticket. I used to buy my round trip tickets originating in Thailand so I had the last leg going back to Thailand without onward travel since my next ticket was waiting at my travel agent in Bangkok. On the first 6 trips I didn't have a problem at all, the NW agent never asked. The 7th trip the agent asked and lucky for me I had an unexpired coupon for a BKK to Singapore trip so they didn't hassle me further. At the time the only other option would have been to purchase a refundable ticket from NW out of Thailand so I could get on the plane.

D

[BKKGuitar]

Yep, i've looked into this issue before. You are likely to experience problem getting on the plane to bkk if you don't have a visa or a return or on going ticket. Kind of depends on the company you're flying with and from which country you are bording the plane. It's a gamble, but i'd say the odds are against you so i would buy a cheap ongoing ticket (to pnom pen or something) if i was you..

Hmm, now i'm nervous. i'm flying NWA manila-bangkok, on the second half of a round-trip ticket... anyone else flown from manila? (thanks a lot for all the great responses, by the way!) most responses feel i'll have trouble getting on that plane...

[lopburi3]

The easy answer is to get yourself a tourist visa. If you already have one you will not have a problem.

If you try to fly without visa or onward ticket you are very likely to have a problem. Even 20 years ago I was denied transport on that route by Thai International on a return portion of a ticket. I had to buy a new round trip MNL/BKK/MNL to board.

[zzap]

The 'problem' will occur at the starting point of your journey, not in Manila.

I have a story to tell, but it doesn't belong in this thread. Let's just say I lost a lot of time and money for being too stubborn to get a tourist visa in advance.

Once, even when I had a 1-year visa for the destination port, I had lengthy arguments before they'd let me board the plane - all this was starting from Europe, though.

[Axel]

I said it before. I always check in to BKK with a ticket ending there and show a p/port without visa.

My visa is in another p/port.

Over the years at ~ 15 flights p/a I was challenged in 50% of the check-ins.

London Heathrow always queries, so does Zurich but not Fankfurt.

In Asia it depends how busy they are but SIN and HKG asks for the ticket "you have no visa, Sir."

So better do get a ticket, even a print-out of an e-ticket will do.

[OX266]

You may have a problem from the US or LHR as stated above, but me, my girlfriend and some othe relatives have flown probably 30+ times without onward tickets as I always buy them in BKK.

HKG and Cathay from elsewhere too have been the only place/airline to give me a hard time, but obviously it depends on the agent.

[3stan]

..well coming from PI, i'd say you are less likely to be bothered than coming from europe or US but still, yes, i would get myself a visa or refoundable ongoing ticket instead of stressing about getting denied access to the plane and having to buy a new ticket etc..

[Michael W]

Well I've flown one-way business class from the U.S. to Bangkok on China Airlines and the only thing that happened at check-in was I had to sign a standard waver form that I would be responsible for any fines and return ticket costs should I be turned away at BKK Immigration.

[zzap]

Now this is interesting.

Us lesser 'economy' passengers don't have this option.

[3stan]

hum, interesting..yeah, i think it might had something to do with the fact you were flying 1st class..

[Michael W]

Now this is interesting.

Us lesser 'economy' passengers don't have this option.

Are you sure? Maybe it's airline specific. China Airlines treated it as a fairly routine matter, pulling out a standard waver form and all. But I can't speak for other airlines. As to my biz class ticket, it was simply a mileage upgrade awarded from all the previous econ class flights I've flown with them.

[astral]

I have been in this situation for many years and never had a problem.

I always have a visa to enter Thailand and that is all the airlines seem

to care about.

The same seems to apply with Immigration.

[Crossy]

I have been in this situation for many years and never had a problem.

I always have a visa to enter Thailand and that is all the airlines seem

to care about.

The same seems to apply with Immigration.

Never became clear as to whether the OP has a visa. If he does not he will almost certainly have a problem with his carrier, I've been asked several times when the nice check-in person can't find the visa. Immigration never seem to worry.

[Axel]

When checking the MFA-site, you will not find a requirement for tickets:

- Foreigners entering Thailand under Tourist Visa Exemption must possess means of living expenses at the amount of 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly.

The immigration-officer can ask for additional documents but would be satisfied, if you have sufficient funds to buy a ticket.

It's a different story with the airlines who have to fly passengers out if entry is denied. At check-in they should ask "Show me your Baht 10,000", which would be trouble some, so they ask for out-bound tickets.

[Khun Jean]

In my understanding it is the airlines responsibility to check your visa.

They will have to take you back when you are stopped by immigration.

To avoid the extra costs for them you can sign a waiver at check in declaring you will pay for it.

I did that several times before. I did have a non immigrant visa.

The airline was Eva air. It also happened with LuftHanse/Thai airways. I had no trouble on the Amsterdam/Frankfurt part, but was questioned in Frankfurt. After explaining and showing my non immigrant visa it was ok. I had the feeling they were somewhat reluctant.

This time i am going with a one-way ticket from Dusseldorf to Bangkok with LTU with a 60 day tourist visa as i am only visiting 6 weeks, and after that i will have my regular non immigrant visa again. And a return ticket with Bangkok as a starting point. Tickets from Bangkok are a lot cheaper, especially for longer periods than 1 month.

[givanno]

I once had to buy a ticket BKK-Penang because Gulf Air would notlet me check in without onward ticket or visa. That cost me 50 Euros of cancellation fees. Nowadays if I don't have a visa I print some old Air Asia eticket after changing the date accordingly. I wouldn't show that ticket to a Thai immigration officer though but they never ask anyway.