filmwill

Too late--hotel is already prepaid with a steep cancellation fee.

We'll most likely lose a day at the beach.

You know what they say: a lost day at the beach is really just a day gained with Hanuman!

LeighTravelClub

Like Craig says...............cough up....pay for a private speedboat....we do it every time even if ferry times are accommodating, it's worth every penny. Craig has it just right........you're on vacation. Make it special.
Whatever you do.....you know and I know......you're going to love your return to Phi Phi.
Less than six weeks since we were last there and I just can't wait to return.

Will,... most of all..........enjoy PARADISE!

Hanuman

Anytime Filmwill!

Another remedy to your predicament is to fly a low cost airline instead of Thai. Air Asia does have flights that you can take and you will arrive with plenty of time for the boat transfer. Bad news is that there is no business class!

SirHalberd

Delta flight landing near midnight on the 20th - maybe 15 minutes to clear. Bags were still coming out on conveyor belt after the passport was stamped.

Departure, around 0430, on April 3, about 15 minutes to get stamped out.

Quero

As someone who lives and works on Phuket, and who flies in and out from international destinations frequently (including yesterday), I can add some insight.

1) You clear immigration in Bangkok, but not at the long and slow immigration lines that take 1.5 hours. There's a special transit immigration counter for passengers tranferring to domestic flights bound for Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai. I didn't wait at all last night when I arrived.

2) If you are on Thai Airways, you can check your bags through to Phuket. You clear Customs in Phuket, not in Bangkok. This is important as if you collect your bags in Bangkok and recheck them, you WILL need to go through the regular immigration line and not the transit line. The only way you can go through the transit immigration is if you check your bags through all the way to Phuket. When you arrive at Phuket airport, you will pass through the domestic baggage claim, follow a corridor past some taxi touts and hotel booths, and into the international baggage claim area. There you will pick up your bag.

3) Yesterday my flight landed at Phuket at 20:25, and I had collected my bag, walked through Customs and reached the parking lot by 20:50. There were no lines at all, though, my bag was tagged Priority (from business class) so it came out on the carrousel first, and my flights were on time.

4) If your hotel initially stated that the flight arrival and transfer times were sufficient, and based on that you booked your stay with them, they need to wait for you. The ferry boats will not delay their departures, but the transfer van should be able to wait a few minutes for you at the airport. Failing that, the resort should credit your account for the first night (so you can apply it to an activity or something).

5) These problems are why you should not attempt to book stuff yourself in Thailand. It's far better to use a travel consultant who is locally based. It costs you nothing, and the value added is enormous.

filmwill

Appreciate your adice, Quero. I should've updated this thread after I had found a solution. Since it was impossible to connect in time, we're simply spending an overnight in Bangkok (and hopefully breaking bread with Hanuman!) and will head to Phi Phi early the next morning.

All salient points, but #4 is actually inaccurate. Someone not in the know at the hotel said it was sufficent but when I spoke with the manager they informed me that it was at my own risk and if I couldn't be at the meeting place within 20 minutes of landing, the van and boat would leave without me. They discouraged me from even trying. That outcome would happen with or without a travel agent planning this. The boat leaves when it leaves. I would argue that a travel agent wouldn't have even recommend trying what I was trying to accomplish.

Again, I do appreciate your advice, but I heartily disagree with your last statement. Five trips to Thailand planned on my own later...and I wouldn't have it any other way. All due respect, but I would NEVER use a travel agent for something that can easily be done on one's own.

I think a lot of folks here would agree with me. Of all the places in SE Asia one can plan their own travel, Thailand is by far and above the easiest and least painful to plan a trip on your own..

Kathie

"5) These problems are why you should not attempt to book stuff yourself in Thailand. It's far better to use a travel consultant who is locally based. It costs you nothing, and the value added is enormous."

lol, you have stumbled upon a forum of people most of whom have been traveling to Thailand for years and years and who have done all of their booking themselves. If you think you'll get business by posting here, you will be greatly disillusioned.

James_Weber

Quero-

I think your advice is great and I could use a bit more. I hope you can answer rapidly bc this is coming up soon. My GF is flying from Kazan, Russia, to meet me in Phuket on the 23rd. She is of Swiss nationality. We are students.. no Business Class express for us. She is flying to Moscow on Siberia Airlines and to BKK on Etihad Airways. The initial ticket is totally separate from the BKK to HKT flight, which is on AirAisa (of course).

I am an idiot and allowed a 1hour 50 minute layover. The best solution seems to check the luggage through as you say. Is this possible with these airlines?

Worse case scenario we lose 60 bucks on a new Air Asia flight, but I'm trying to avoid looking like an idiot here . Thanks. All others feel free to chime in, on topic of course, cheers!

Kathie

No, you cannot check luggage through with Air Asia. As a budget airline, they do not transfer luggage for any flights - even their own. She will need to go through passport control, pick up her luggage from baggage claim, go through customs, then go to the Air Asia desk and check her luggage for her flight to Phuket.