elvisoliver

We'll be arriving in Bangkok from Samui at 3:50 P.M. via Bangkok Airways then catching a 5:15 P.M. flight to Chiang Mai on Thai Airways. Does anyone know if we've given ourselves sufficient time to collect & re-check our bags? Would Bangkok Airways transfer our bags to Thai?

Cicerone

As your flights in entirely within Thailand, you will not go through customs or immigration in Bangkok. You can check you bags all the way through to Chiang Mai from Samui.

Don't confuse code sharing with the ability to check bags through between different airlines, you always have that ability.

elvisoliver

Cicerone - what do you mean by code sharing? We bought the tickets on-line separately. I'm assuming that we should give the Bangkok Airways agent our Thai flight information so they can tag our bags accordingly? Sorry, I don't mean to sound stupid but I know the friendly airlines in the U.S. won't do that for you.

Cicerone

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you. Some people seem to be under the impression that unless their connecting flight is with a code share partner of the originating flight, that your bags don't get transferred automatically. That is not the case, and I was trying to say that. All airlines have an agreement to transfer bags to connecting flights, it is not related to whether the airlines are part of a code share or frequent flyer association.

When you check in at Samui for the Bangkok flight, you should give the clerk your ticket for the connecting flight so they can make sure the bags get correctly tagged with your ultimate arrival airport in Chiang Mai. No different from the US.

I can't tell from you message whether you have a Thai ticket already for the Bangkok-Chiang Mai flight. You should have it with you when you check in for the Samui-Bangkok flight, as it will make things easier for the Bangkok Air clerk to tag your luggage. As I recall, there is a Thai Airways counter in the airport in Samui, you could always get it issued there if you don't have it issued somewhere else before you arrive in Samui.

Kind of suprised that your experience in the US was that you could not check bags through. I just did this about 2 weeks ago on two US flights.

elvisoliver

Thanks so much for your knowledgable insight in this matter. I really did not know that airlines do check bags through to your final destination regardless of who you're flying. Anyhow, yes, we have our e-ticket info. from Thai so we will definitely present it to the clerk at check in. This will simplify matters for us tremendously. Thanks again.

rhkkmk

i find the times to be extremly tight....it does not allow for any time situations with either flight....my flight from samui to bkk last month was late after the original one was cancelled so i would not have been able to make that connection....while bkk air is in the domestic terminal, it is way at one end so you will have to walk just a little bit as well...

i would try to get the next CM flight if it were me...there are plenty of flights...

elvisoliver

I wondered about the time factor too but you're right rhhkmk, there are plenty of flights. I think the next one is at 7:15 so we'll keep our fingers crossed and hope all goes well. If not, we'll be spending some quality time getting to know Bangkok airport.
I'm not complaining but traveling with a toddler centainly puts a new spin on the planning process. My husband and I never worry so much about lay-overs, where we sit on the plane, hotel locations, etc. as much as we do now. I do have a new found respect (and empathy) for parents traveling with children.