Flights to/from Thailand status, news, and updates

[barrys]

I always travel with my young daughter and we love landing in BKK cos it's the only airport I've seen that has a priority family lane at passport control for people with young kids, whatever their nationality.

[Don East Stand]

Hi Barry,

That sounds like potentially very good news, as my daughter, and my 5 year old granddaughter, are coming to visit us at the end of this month.

I've never noticed a lane for families at BKK, but then again I don't suppose I ever looked for one!

Is it well sign posted or do you have to "grab" an immigration official?

This could possibly save them waiting an extra two hours for the VIP bus to Hua Hin.

Any help, tips or advice would be very welcome!

[GeeLuv]

I went through immigration on December 1. There are 3 different areas for immigration. The first one I went to was an estimated wait time of 40-45 minutes. I followed the signs and walked about 100 meters to another section with a wait time of 5-10 minutes. They have digital signs with an estimated wait time, just look for them. I waited for 5 people in front of me, took about a minute for each one. Like the sign said 5-10 minutes.

I did see an immigration officer direct a foreign family to the thai passport line. They always have someone at the entrance to lines directing people.

[JohnD]

I went through Immigration early morning on 12 October. There was an enormous queue. I remembered advice on this forum about a separate outlet for families and the elderly, so I talked to one of the officials. I think there was an age criteria on the signage?

I transferred to a much, much shorter queue. Problem was that this queue included not only families with children and the elderly, but also people with passport issues. There were maybe up to 30 people in the queue with one immigration officer.

When I got to the baggage carousel, my luggage was the last one there.
Something went badly wrong that day…

[brianks]

Hope none of you forget that if your 70 you can use Priority or Fast Track no matter how many you're traveling with. I usually have to walk a bit father before turning up the ramp to find the Priority opening. Look for the signs on the ceiling.

[barrys]

Hi Barry,
I've never noticed a lane for families at BKK, but then again I don't suppose I ever looked for one!

Is it well sign posted or do you have to "grab" an immigration official?

This could possibly save them waiting an extra two hours for the VIP bus to Hua Hin.

Any help, tips or advice would be very welcome!

I don't recall seeing any signs, but there's always some official at the start of the main queue, and whenever they see my daughter, they approach me straightaway and usher us to the fast-track line.

[Dannie Boy]

Daughters age?


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[brianks]

On my last trip in September, I spotted the signs overhead and or on pillars saying PRIORITY. Just kept following them until opening appeared identifying as Priority. Its past the main ramp to Immigration.

[huahinjim]

Apparently 70+ years can also use the priority channels

[barrys]

Daughters age?


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She'll be 6 on Sunday

[Dannie Boy]

Daughters age?


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She'll be 6 on Sunday

[huahinjim]

Hope none of you forget that if your 70 you can use Priority or Fast Track no matter how many you're traveling with. I usually have to walk a bit father before turning up the ramp to find the Priority opening. Look for the signs on the ceiling.

Sorry I missed your post before I wrote mine

[JohnD]

I had already turned up the main ramp before getting myself diverted to a separate queue – although there was definitely some signage about age, etc.
That queue was mostly oldies and people with kids in pushchairs.
Plus, like I said a few people having delaying ‘passport issues’.

This may be why I get more delayed – I got in the smaller queue in the wrong place.
So, don’t go up the main ramp.

[pitsch]

I arrived in Suvarnabhumi yesterday at 2:30pm and there was only a small queue at immigration. I went through the priority lane and was able to go straight to an officer. The bus to Hua Hin at 4pm was fully booked.

[caller]

A friend arrived from Hong Kong last Thursday evening, we were at Swampy to meet her, and at 19.27 she sent a message that she was in the immigration queue, with signage saying a 10 minute queue, at 19.47 she came through the gates. There seemed to be an awful lot of flights arriving at the same time, so I was surprised how quickly she came through.