Bella_Bluebell

Hi - we are flying EVA LHR to BKK in February and then I think we are going to fly straight down to Phuket that same day. Are the international and domestic terminals separate? I am wondering just because we are using a car seat for the baby on the plane but don't want to drag it around the beaches with us as it is bulky and cumbersome and getting on and off boats, we will have enough to deal with.

I'm hoping to arrange to give it to a limousine/driver service and get it taken to our Bangkok hotel for us to pick up at the end of our trip. But to do this, I think I will need to leave 'airside' and go into arrivals at BKK to hand it over. Will I be able to do this?

Hope that makes sense!
BB

Bella_Bluebell

Also - does anyone know if when you fly into BKK and then go straight onto a domestic flight, can you check your luggage straight through?
BB

Kathie

I assume your domestic flight leaves from BKK? Do check and make sure, otherwise you have to change airports to old Don Muang.

There is easy access from the international to the domestic parts of the terminal - just follow the transit to domestic flights signage. But, you typically don't go through immigration and customs when you transit so you couldn't put the car seat in a taxi to go to your Bangkok hotel. The exception would be if you are flying a budget airline like Air Asia, then there is no transfer of luggage to your next flight, and you must go through immigration and customs and pick up your luggage, then check in at the Air Asia desk and go to the domestic part of the terminal.

If you are flying Thai Air from Bangkok to Phuket, your luggage should be transferred by EVA to your Thai flight. Do make sure they put the proper luggage tag on your suitcases at LHR so it is checked though to Phuket. Typically, you'd go through customs and immigration in Phuket.

Smeagol

Bella

Who are you flying to Phuket with? because that makes a difference whether you can check your luggage thru (i know this cause we flew Eva just 4 weeks ago)

Bella_Bluebell

I haven't booked yet - I was going to book Thai but am trying to hold off in case we decide to go elsewhere if things kick off again.

It sounds as if we can check through with thai but not Air Asia? I can tell this car seat is going to be a complete hassle!!

Smeagol

You DEFINATELY CANNOT book thru with AA (i couldn't check thru with Eva onto Malaysian Airlines!!!) but i am pretty sure you can with Thai or Bangkok air (do they go to HKT?) I will try to find the thread on TA about this...

Smeagol

Bella

Just found a post on TA about someone who flew LHR - BKK then straight to HKT on Bangkok airways she WAS able to check her luggage thru (sorry not sure how to add the thread)

Hope that helps. (gutted we missed out on BKK this year due to airport closure stuck (in a nice way) in Penang)

Gpanda

You may be able to leave the car seat at the BKK airport and just pick it up on your return thereto.

rhkkmk

i think there is checked luggage within the airport without going outside....maybe james or michael or hanuman can tell us....

if you go to a taxi or to a limo service you will have to pay the exit fee i believe....

how about leaving it at the first phuket hotel and pick it up again when you pass through there or maybe there is left luggage at phuket...i can't remember if i have seen it there....jamesA??

JamesA

I can't recall left baggage a Phuket but certainly it is there, but rarely needed as hotels will pretty much 'always' keep baggage for you without worry. As Bob says leave at wherever your first stop is in Phuket, that is if you are routing back through there.


For Eva connections I would call Eva and ask them. Better if you can connect all the way to Phuket.
Bangkok Airways have Airbus on Phuke route which are single aisle 3x3 seating, remember Thai operates wide body 747, 777, 330's with lots of room.
Thai has lots more flights so in unlikely event of any delay they can switch you to next flight ( as long as seats available ), coming in long haul I would perhaps go for Thai for that reason.

BKK-Phuket is only 1 hr 10

Bella_Bluebell

hello all - I'm going to give EVA a call and also email the airport in BKK. We are planning on flying into Phuket and out of Krabi. The seat is only really an issue when we are in Krabi as we are planning on catching a boat out to Railay to stay there for a few days. But the Railay hotel have suggested that we meet them at Krabi airport to be taken to Railay - perhaps there will be left luggage there or if we hire a car, perhaps the car hire company would babysit the seat for us. Would definitely prefer to check through if possible.
Thanks all!

Smeagol

Bob
isnt the exit fee now in the ticket? we didnt have to pay anything from BKK to KUL? and we had to clear immigration when we landed in bkk and then recheck in.

MichaelBKK

There is a left luggage at Krabi Airport. You can pretty much count on it at all Thai airports, with the possible exception of Trat, and maybe Samui.

Also, in fact, if your luggage is checked through, you go through immigration in Bangkok, but not customs. There are special immigration counters between international arrivals and domestic departures.

I don't think there is any place you can store luggage within the secure area at Bangkok airport. The only left luggage services are in the public access areas.

Kathie

Michael, I thought I'd remembered you saying that you now go through immigration at BKK on international to domestic transfers. For years, you always went though immigration at the domestic destination. The last time I did this was two years ago, so they have changed it since then.