The Use Of Thai Business Lounge

[brianw]

I have just received my e ticket for my domestic flight with thai travelling in march 07 a big surprise for me is that i will be flying out of the new airport my question is will I be allowed to use the Thai Business lounge although i am only on a domestic flight also is it 24 hours open as i fly in from HKG at midnight and flight out at 0600

[libya 115]

I have just received my e ticket for my domestic flight with thai travelling in march 07 a big surprise for me is that i will be flying out of the new airport my question is will I be allowed to use the Thai Business lounge although i am only on a domestic flight also is it 24 hours open as i fly in from HKG at midnight and flight out at 0600

24 hours opening. Is your arrival flight ticket business class?

[Cuban]

>Is your arrival flight ticket business class?

....Or if you are a Star Alliance Gold Card holder.

I am unsure if the general public lounge is open yet, I would guess they would charge a small (?) fee.

[brianw]

>Is your arrival flight ticket business class?

....Or if you are a Star Alliance Gold Card holder.

I am unsure if the general public lounge is open yet, I would guess they would charge a small (?) fee.

[flightcrew1]

It has nothing to with the arrival. If your ticket is business class domestic then you are entitled to use the lounge. When you arrive in BKK from HKG go to transfer counter and they will check you in if you have not been already been checked in if you flew Thai from HKG. There you will get boarding pass and an invite to the lounge which is open 24hours. If you arrive business class but flying out economy they will not allow you in the lounge unless you are some type of star alliance gold or higher member.

[george]

If you arrive with domestic Business you can use the Domestic Business On-arrival lounge at Suvarnabhumi.

[brianw]

thanks alot for the info.

[Soju]

A lot of complete misinformation in this thread based on my experience. The TG lounges are NOT open 24 hours!!! They close after the last flight and open maybe an hour before the first flight. My experience with the operating hours are mainly for the international side lounges, so maybe if someone has the specific hours of operation for the domestic lounge they can post that. I'll try to ask that specific question of TG staff when I take my next flight, but I'll likely forget about it by then. Unless something has changed since my last trip, you cannot stay overnight in the TG domestic lounge. But even if it was open 24 hours, it won't help you any unless you can get your domestic boarding pass before leaving HKG. The Domestic Check-in countes will be closed by the time you arrive, and they do not open again until about 5AM. Without a boarding pass, you cannot enter the domestic departure area, where the domestic TG lounge is. Being you cannot check-in till 5AM, you will only be able to use the lounge for less than an hour.

As of very recently, the TG arrival lounge was not yet opened. It looks completed, but seems as though TG is waiting for some reason to open it. Unless it has opened within the past week or so, it is not available to you. It may very well be opened by March, but I haven't seen any information about what hours it will be opened. I'd imagine it will open later and stay open longer than the other lounges, being it's an arrival lounge, and not a departure lounge, but I'd be a bit surprised if it's open 24 hours. It would be nice though if it is. It is a very small lounge from the looks of it, with very limited seating. I do recall reading somewhere that they will have showers in it. AFAIK, it is only for passengers arriving on a TG flight, in business or first class. The normal TG departure lounges also accomodate other Star Alliance gold card holders traveling on a Star Alliance flight, but I don't believe this is the case with the arrival lounge. I will also check on when the arrival lounge should be opening and if possible find out the operating hours on my next trip through Suvarnabhumi.

AFAIK, you cannot purchase access to the TG lounges. Either you are qualified to use them for free, or you cannot use them, period. I could be mistaken, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never heard of anyone being able to purchase access. You can purchase access to the Louis Tavern Lounge, which is international airside. AFAIK, there is no lounge you can purchase access to on the domestic side.

To the OP, what exactly is your itinerary, as there seems to be a lot of confusion in the replies here. I read your post to mean you were flying HKG-BKK, and then a domestic flight from BKK to wherever. Are you flying on business class on TG for your domestic flight? Are you flying on business or first class with TG on your flight from HKG? Giving exact details of your flights/class of service/FFP status will help in giving you accurate and pertinent information to help you.

Before someone jumps on me, I should add that the TG international airside economy class transit lounge, on Concourse B, is open 24 hours. It is not a business-class lounge and is basically nothing more than better-than-average comfort-wise chairs in an area for international passengers of any airline to sit. If you don't have checked-luggage, or don't mind your luggage arriving without you there to collect it, then you might want to use this lounge and then go through immigration after relaxing there for a while. Or alternately pay for a room at the Louis Tavern Dayrooms (2,000 Baht for 4 hours I believe), if they have any rooms available, and again it is only international airside, so you cannot collect your luggage.

Some domestic TG destinations allow you to remain airside and check-in at the transfer desk to your final destination and go through immigration there, which might be more to you liking. Post more details about your flights and we can give you more information about this if it is applicable to you or not.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Soju

[monty]

Thai does have a business lounge, used it very recently on arriving from KL with Thai!

One thing they did forget to include is decent toilets.

The toilets are more like what you would find in a restaurant catering up to 30 people, certainly not sufficient for a lounge catering to 200 + people!!!

[jasreeve17]

To get into the business lounge you'll need a business class departure card or your thai / star alliance gold card. Even then you can only use it for 2 hours before the flight.

[Soju]

Thai does have a business lounge, used it very recently on arriving from KL with Thai!

One thing they did forget to include is decent toilets.

The toilets are more like what you would find in a restaurant catering up to 30 people, certainly not sufficient for a lounge catering to 200 + people!!!

Where was this lounge? Was it after you exited through customs? The TG arrival lounge, which wasn't opened late December, is located just to the right as you exit domestic arrivals, Gate A, almost to the very far right of the arrivals hall. Various TG departure lounges (which you can use if you are transiting to another TG flight), both domestic and international, have been open since the airport was officially opened. If you used the arrival lounge, what time was that and did you ask what hours they are open?

Edited to add that if the lounge you saw could hold 200+ people, then it almost certainly is not the arrival lounge but one of the departure lounges. I think too many people are completely confusing the issue. An arrival lounge and departure lounge are different and the qualifications for using them are different. People, please be more specific in your information or you just totally confuse people. There are something like 10 different TG lounges at BKK and if you don't specifiy which lounge you are talking about, your information is useless at best, but more likely hurting the people you are trying to help if they are wanting to use a different lounge than the one you are referring to.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Soju

[Thug]

Star-alliance Gold card members are allowed?

[Soju]

To get into the business lounge you'll need a business class departure card or your thai / star alliance gold card. Even then you can only use it for 2 hours before the flight.

I think you should be more precise or it will be confusing to some. Which business lounge are you referring to? For DEPARTURE business class lounges, of which there are one domestic lounge, and 3 international lounges (with 2 more international lounges to open soon), you can use them if you are flying on a Star Alliance carrier on that day, and have a Star Alliance Gold card. Or you can use them if you are flying business class that day on TG or any other Star Alliance carrier. If you are not flying on a Star Alliance carrier that day, you cannot use them. For the business-class arrival lounge, I have not seen any information stating that Star Alliance Gold card holders have any access to that lounge. AFAIK, based on the TG information I've read, it is only for TG Business and First class passengers, and not for Star Alliance Gold card holders, or for passengers arriving in Business/First class on any other airlines, even if they are Star Alliance. Again, that is just how I've interpreted what I've read so would love to hear if the actual case is different than that.

I should add that UA passengers were not allowed to use the international TG lounges when Suvarnabhumi first opened, even if they were Gold card holders. I don't know if this has changed or not since then, but initially they were required to use the Louis Tavern lounges. All other Star Alliance passengers were allowed to use the TG lounges, provided they were qualified (Gold card with Star Alliance boarding pass, or Business/First Star Alliance boarding pass).

Edited January 2, 2007 by Soju

[jasreeve17]

"I think you should be more precise or it will be confusing to some. "

" All other Star Alliance passengers were allowed to use the TG lounges, provided they were qualified (Gold card with Star Alliance boarding pass, or Business/First Star Alliance boarding pass)."

Correct - departure lounges (or transit lounges as 99% of the time they are the same "fly-side" lounge).

- You have a normal business class departure card. OR

- You have a departure card (any class / any Star alliance airline) AND a star alliance gold card.

As you said but in simplier form.

See final point below, please, from the star alliance website rules.

Star Alliance Gold Benefits

• Priority Reservations Waitlisting¹ - when there aren't any seats left on your preferred flight, gives you priority should a seat become available.
  
• Priority Airport Standby - gives you top priority when standing-by a flight at the airport.^1/2
  
• Priority Airport Check-in - allows you to check-in at the Business and/or First Class counter
  
• Priority Baggage Handling - like you, your bags get priority treatment and are among the first to be unloaded.
  
• Extra Baggage Allowance - an additional 20kg (44 pounds) or one additional piece of luggage³ which means you can check in three bags instead of two.
  
• Priority Boarding⁴ - enjoy the freedom of boarding at your convenience along with First and Business Class passengers.
  
• Airport Lounge Access - available worldwide for you and a friend⁵ when you travel with any Star Alliance member airline, regardless of your class of travel.
  

[george]

I just posted a quick review of the TG Royal Silk Waiting lounge between Domestic and Business/First checkin rows:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=99446

[Rinrada]

Couple of Pics.....entrance,lounge bar.....

[Soju]

THAI has a downloadable leaflet on Suvarnabhumi which shows all their offical lounges. Their lounges are as follows:

Royal Orchid Arrival Lounge on Level 2 (not yet open AFAIK, hours of operation not known)

Domestic Royal Silk Lounge on Level 2 (open)

Royal Silk Lounge on Level 3, Concourse D (open - this is the original and biggest lounge most people are talking about)

Royal First Lounge on Level 3, Concourse D (open)

Royal Spa Lounge on Level 3, Concourse D (not yet open AFAIK)

Two Royal Silk Lounges on Level 3, Concourse C. (Left side lounge is open, right-side lounge not yet open AFAIK)

Royal Silk Lounge on Level 3, Concourse E (open)

Royal Orchid Lounge on Level 3, Concourse E (not yet open AFAIK, believe it has a First class section and a business class section to this lounge, so in effect two separate lounges)

(Economy) Transit Lounge on Level 3, Concourse B (open, hours of operation: 24 hours)

That's 10 or 11 different lounges (depending on how you count the Royal Orchid Lounge on Concourse E). AFAIK, all the currently opened lounges, except the Economy Transit Lounge, are only operating during the hours that TG has departing flights, roughly 05:00 through the entire day, until 01:00 or 01:30 in the morning after the last flight leaves. With the Domestic Royal Silk Lounge likely closing earlier than that due to an earlier last flight out. I do not yet know what the expected operating hours of the Arrival Lounge or the Spa Lounge will be. I have been told that the Spa Lounge will be a pay-to-enter lounge, but it will be best to wait and see once it opens as to what the exact situation is. There is no mention in this leaflet of the "waiting area" or "waiting lounge" mentioned by George, so I don't think that area can be classified as a true lounge. For that matter, the Transit Lounge is similar and may not want to be classifed as a true lounge either, although TG does refer to it as one of their lounges.

All the lounges, with the exception of the Arrival Lounge, and the "Waiting Lounge" referred to by George are airside, with the Domestic Lounge naturally being airside in the domestic section, with the remaining lounges being airside in the international section.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion about the lounges, and referring to them by their official TG designated names, along with the concourse number will go a long way towards making it clear which lounge you are referring to.

[trajan]

as of this afternoon, the Thai arrivals lounge is still not opened....

[Cuban]

>Even then you can only use it for 2 hours before the flight.

Sorry to chase the point, no restriction on access related to time before your flight.

I've been in both lounges (Business and First Class) at the new BKK upto six hours before my flight, they didn't bat an eyelid.

I know some other (other airports) lounges only allow entry upto three hours before flight departure time, however I believe this may just be a cop-out clause they have on paper to use should they choose to deny you access based on looks or over crowded lounges, I have not been refused access based on time in other locations round the world either.

[brianw]

again many thanks to everone who has put ther pennyworth in It looks as though we will be sitting around the domestic terminal for a few hours waiting for the check in to open. re... my flights i am flying with emirates hkg to bkk economy class and thai business to Khon Kean( the original idea was to have the use of the lounge ) that idea seems to have gone to pot. any idea on a cheap hotel near the airport no crazy prices as the novotel £100++++

[Soju]

again many thanks to everone who has put ther pennyworth in It looks as though we will be sitting around the domestic terminal for a few hours waiting for the check in to open. re... my flights i am flying with emirates hkg to bkk economy class and thai business to Khon Kean( the original idea was to have the use of the lounge ) that idea seems to have gone to pot. any idea on a cheap hotel near the airport no crazy prices as the novotel £100++++

There are several international airports in Thailand which allow you to transit on a THAI flight and go through immigration and customs at that airport rather than BKK. Unfortunately for you, Khon Kaen in not one of them, so as you already figured out, you have no choices here. The Arrivals Lounge, even if it is operational by then and even if it is open 24 hours cannot be used by you being you are departing in business class on TG, not arriving.

For cheap nearby hotels, search this forum as there's lots of posts about that. But given your very limited time, just about any hotel other than the airport Novotel will likely take you near an hour of travel time (30 minutes each way). A few hotels say they're only 20 minutes away, but if you get unlucky with a taxi driver that doesn't know the place, you might be lucky to make it in even 30 minutes.

If you do decide to overnight at the airport, you'll have plenty of company as there always seems to be lots of passengers sprawled out on the chairs in the departure hall late at night. They did recently bring in all the old seating from Don Muang, which has the blue colored cushioned seats, which if you need to try to sleep on a chair is probably more comfortable than the standard Suvarnabhumi metal seats.

If you don't have any checked luggage, I'd recommend seeing if the Louis Tavern Dayrooms have any rooms available (reservations not yet available, but this may change soon). It's not cheap at 2,000 THB per 4 hours, but 4 hours is probably all you need with your schedule. They are located on Concourse G, Level 4 I think, and also have additional rooms on Concourse A, Level 3, above the Louis Tavern Lounge. You might be able to find a hotel for 1,200 Baht, which would be of much less standards, and by the time you pay a taxi fare both ways won't really save much, and will likely have less time for sleeping. With checked luggage I wouldn't use them being they are airside and you have no way of collecting your luggage until after you finish at the hotel and go through immigration.