Air Asia internal flight - how much does online check-in help?

[Craig krup]

I'm going to be tight for time, I think. I thought arrive 0720 Suvarnabhumi fly out of Don Mueang 1130 was enough, but I'll miss the 0800 shuttle so it'll be 1000 (or later) arrive Don Mueang. If I've only got hand luggage will checking in online and printing the boarding pass mean I can go straight to the boarding gate? Obviously the hand luggage has to be scanned at some point. Am I going to miss the flight? Am I going to have to pony up for a taxi?

[A taxi would probably cost more than the <deleted> flight. Lesson learned. Leave more time]

[KhunBENQ]

but I'll miss the 0800 shuttle so it'll be 1000 (or later) arrive Don Muean

? What shuttle do you refer to ?

The free airport shuttle from BKK to DMK travels about every 10 min. in peak times like early morning.

Travel time to DMK about 1h to 1.5h, even less than 1h is possible.

Are you coming from an international flight? Doha?

[Craig krup]

but I'll miss the 0800 shuttle so it'll be 1000 (or later) arrive Don Muean

? What shuttle do you refer to ?

The free airport shuttle from BKK to DMK travels about every 10 min. in peak times like early morning.

Travel time to DMK about 1h to 1.5h, even less than 1h is possible.

Are you coming from an international flight? Doha?

Yes - exactly - Doha. I thought the free shuttle was every hour on the hour. So I thought I'll never get through customs and immigration in 40 minutes, even if the plane's one time and even if I've only hand luggage, so it would be a 0900 shuttle or a taxi. Thinking about it, presumably there are other buses you can pay for. But you think the free shuttle is more frequent than every hour?

[KhunBENQ]

Yes - exactly - Doha. I thought the free shuttle was every hour on the hour.

No.

Never less than every half hour from 5h to 24h.

Every 12 min from 8:00h to 11:00h.

I used this shuttle a couple of times in this direction at similar times (bus from Pattaya to BKK, continuing to DMK, my travel times were just under 1h).

Your schedule seems absolutely doable.

What is your destination from DMK?

[Argus Tuft]

Plenty of time for the shuttle - Khun Ben Q is correct on this

There are frequent shuttles leaving from Suvanabhumi to DMK - you will be fine given the timings you mentioned in the OP

[cnx355]

As for the boarding pass with only hand luggage....you proceed directly to security and you show your boarding pass go to you gate.

I was flying on Air Asia last month and did exactly that in Chiangmai and Kuala Lumpur ....No problem. and they were International flights.

[jippytum]

I use the shuttle a lot .every 30 mins on the hour .Time of journey varies 1.20 hrs to 1.35 . If your incoming flight is on time you have time to catch the shuttle and on arrival at terminal 2 proceed straight to domestic departures pass the security and proceed to boarding gate .

[rogeroc]

Alternatively can use public transport, take skytrain to Phaya Thai, change to another skystrain at PhayaThai to MoChit and at MoChit buses A1 and A2 sit outside the skytrain station and go to the Don Mueang Terminal. About 1.15 to 1.30 hours. More hassle than the shuttle but if you know you have a long wait for next shuttle is an option.

[nemrut]

Depends on the gate agent, some will let you through while others may ask you to check in and get a stamp.

Might as well do the latter and not risk wasting time if youre not allowed through without checking in at ticket counter.

[Craig krup]

Yes - exactly - Doha. I thought the free shuttle was every hour on the hour.

No.

Never less than every half hour from 5h to 24h.

Every 12 min from 8:00h to 11:00h.

I used this shuttle a couple of times in this direction at similar times (bus from Pattaya to BKK, continuing to DMK, my travel times were just under 1h).

Your schedule seems absolutely doable.

What is your destination from DMK?

Up to Udon. I can almost taste the noodles. The b*****d dogs on the west side of Nong Bua park can probably almost taste my ankles.

[Craig krup]

Alternatively can use public transport, take skytrain to Phaya Thai, change to another skystrain at PhayaThai to MoChit and at MoChit buses A1 and A2 sit outside the skytrain station and go to the Don Mueang Terminal. About 1.15 to 1.30 hours. More hassle than the shuttle but if you know you have a long wait for next shuttle is an option.

That was what I would have done, but free, convenient and direct is definitely the way to go if it's possible.

[Craig krup]

The shuttle bus was groovy - old, but air conditioned and (most importantly) free! 

 

They do check your flight details - presumably because the airlines get charged based on how many of their passengers use the bus - and they stamp it with a sort of smiling cat. The bus makes good progress after the second (and even more so the third) toll booth. All in all it was really good. Don Mueang's a funny layout, though. You get dropped off, there's a seedy stair upstairs for departures, on the first landing you doubt whether you've come the right way, and then the second landing opens up into a massive airport. Pretty swish, I thought - water fountains, cumfy seats, good signage. For 450 baht Bangkok to Udon I'd certainly do it again. 334 baht back on the bus is a world of misery for only £2.50 less. 

[JaseTheBass]

Just went through AirAsia's self check in system. Will use a proper airline next time.

Sent from my Cray II supercomputer

[observer90210]

On 16/10/2017 at 10:50 AM, JaseTheBass said:

Just went through AirAsia's self check in system. Will use a proper airline next time.

Sent from my Cray II supercomputer
 

What went wrong with Air Asia if I may ask ?

[JaseTheBass]

What went wrong with Air Asia if I may ask ?

I dont understand how having to visit 3 stations (check in, luggage label, luggage drop) is an improvement on going to 1 counter and getting done one go. It took at least 3 times longer than when we checked in a few days earlier using the sensible method as very few people knew <deleted> was going on.

Sent from my Cray II supercomputer