trip begins in Chiang Mai, where Thai Airways allows check-in of luggage all the way to Philadelphia. Nice!

Regrettably, on the return flight, Qatar requires passengers to go thru Bangkok Customs, then check bags BKK to CNX, despite final destination being Chiang Mai.

Anybody have similar experience? Recommendations?

Thank you!

are Qatar tickets usually cheaper via Qatar website? any Chiang Mai travel agencies able to do better?

Every time I flew back to the u.s. and came back thru bkk (I live in CM) I had to clear customs and immigration in bkk. Airlines flown were United, China and Japan.

OH, sorry. I forgot, even with Thai airlines when they had the non stop from bkk to la. Still had to clear thru bkk.

Qatar Airways partner airline is Bangkok Airways. So perhaps if you fly them you can check your bags all the way through.

I had a mate who has leg problems, he said he needed a wheelchair and that enabled him to transit all the way to CNX and clear immigration and customs there.

It is the norm to clear immigration in bkk when coming back in and cnx being final destination. However, you will go through the "transit immigration" airside. It looks that whoever has organized your tickets is unaware of this and thinks you will have to go through final immigration and then proceed to landslide and therefore collect your bags. Tell them you are going through transit immigration and therefore your bags should be sent all the way through to CNX.

What is 'transit immigration'?

What is 'transit immigration'?

It's another immigration area within BKK airport, I.e not the one you pass through before you leave the airport. I've been through there many many times when coming back from work. Bags checked all the way through to CNX, but stamped in at Bkk and stayed airside in order to catch my connection.

It isn't immigration. It isn't customs either. It's a security check.

Chiang Mai International Airport

should can handle Customs and Immigration, of course.

It isn't immigration. It isn't customs either. It's a security check.

A security check that stamps you into the country and therefore bypassing immigration at CNX??? Sounds like immigration to me...

Then it's not 'transit immigration'. It's Immigration.

Calm down sweetheart and keep up with course of pedantic pills. It's Immigration with the Transit area of the airport, not a security check. They stamp your passport "IMMIGRATION BANGKOK THAILAND".

Calm down sweetheart and keep up with course of pedantic pills. It's Immigration with the Transit area of the airport, not a security check. They stamp your passport "IMMIGRATION BANGKOK THAILAND".

So you're entering the country in Swampy.

That's immigration, isn't it?

Presumably when you clear it you are then in the Domestic part of the airport - and can walk out of the airport and get a taxi to Bangkok?

When traveling to the states through Bangkok I always had my luggage checked all the way through to Chiang Mai coming back.

Also to the states when going. I used Eva air from Bangkok and either Thai or Bangkok air to and from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

One time I had to clear customs in Bangkok because I forgot to tell them to tag it all the way thorough to Chiang Mai when I got on the plane in Seattle. I did not have a definite return to Chiang Mai from Bangkok. I could change my Eva air flight but Bangkok would not allow a change of date. So when I notified my agent he booked me on Thai air as they were flying back to Chiang Mai at a much more reasonable time.

Last time I went I used Korean and no problem as they fly in and out of Chiang Mai.

Qatar may have the right idea. I just arrived via Korean Air and my checked baggage arrived from San Diego to Los Angeles to Chiang Mai with zero inspection that I could see. That is now making me uneasy.

Qatar may have the right idea. I just arrived via Korean Air and my checked baggage arrived from San Diego to Los Angeles to Chiang Mai with zero inspection that I could see. That is now making me uneasy.

Why would that make you uneasy? That is standard operating procedure when you ship it straight thru. They only inspect it at point of arrival unless you are carrying it on board.

that of course does not apply to cut rate airlines where you have to pick up your baggage at every stop

One would hope if someone clears immigration in Bangkok, and their bag is going on to Chiang Mai, that at least some check is made to ensure that the checked in passenger actually gets on the aircraft.

Not that this is much of a protection these days with all these suicide attackers.

Yes Chicog there is a check made to ensure that every checked baggage item loaded into the hold is matched with a passenger. It is all computerised and driven by the bar code tag that each passenger is given when the bags are labeled at check in. If there is a no show passenger the corresponding bags will be off loaded.