Clearing Immigration

[Chilli Pepper 5]

Hi,

 

I am due in with Eva at 15.05, will i have enough time to collect bag /clear immigration and make the

16.00 Bell bus to Patts?

 

Do not fancy hanging around for the next one at 18.00.

 

Cheers

 

CP

[pattysteve 34]

Hi,

 

I am due in with Eva at 15.05, will i have enough time to collect bag /clear immigration and make the

16.00 Bell bus to Patts?

 

Do not fancy hanging around for the next one at 18.00.

 

Cheers

 

CP

 

 

I think its a bit tight.

 

Would need everything to go very smoothly,but if the flight is ontime its doable.

[bigdelta 46]

Depends on 2 things-if your flight ariives early,on time or late and what the lines are like at immigration.There could be 3 widebodies arrive 5 minutes prior and you're history.Or you could arrive 10 minutes prior and you're on your way...

[seeker 0]

Ive only been there twice m8 both times it took about an hour! and anyway id rather be stuck there for 3 hours then here for 3 weeks remember your on your hols, Have a great time!

[seeker 0]

Depends on 2 things-if your flight ariives early,on time or late and what the lines are like at immigration.There could be 3 widebodies arrive 5 minutes prior and you're history.Or you could arrive 10 minutes prior and you're on your way...

aint that 4 things

[jacko 8,815]

Hi,

 

I am due in with Eva at 15.05, will i have enough time to collect bag /clear immigration and make the

16.00 Bell bus to Patts?

 

Do not fancy hanging around for the next one at 18.00.

 

Cheers

 

CP

I think the immigration queue will kill that idea.

Failing an early arrival...... does anything take off on time from LHR????

If you miss that bus.... get up to departures and try for a 1000 baht taxi.

Or be gregarious and look for monger material on your flight for a taxi share.

[stevemcm 1]

Based on my experience (50 flights with EVA in the last 12 years) I would say you have no chance. Last time on 28th March rumours that flights were nearly empty due to the recession were unfounded and the queues were as bad as ever.

 

stevoh.

[pauly77 1]

I would say you should make it no problem, my flight arrived 06.55 and I was booked on 08.00 bus. Flight arrived bang on time and I was actually through customs by 07.35.

Would say two things-try to get a seat near the exit so you are off the plane quick and fast walk to immigration.

Other thing in your favour is that bus always leaves 10/15 mins late.

[Chivas 0]

Stating the obvious but make sure you get allocated your seat at the front of economy so you are ahead of the hordes as you come off the motor for immigration.

 

Move smartly anyway and you may make it.

[jacko 8,815]

I would say you should make it no problem, my flight arrived 06.55 and I was booked on 08.00 bus. Flight arrived bang on time and I was actually through customs by 07.35.

Would say two things-try to get a seat near the exit so you are off the plane quick and fast walk to immigration.

Other thing in your favour is that bus always leaves 10/15 mins late.

Jeez.... don't listen to this. The queues at this early hour are nothing compared from midday on when the European overnighters are all coming in!

[Caerphilly 0]

I had the same potential debate when I was looking at using the bus for a 3.20pm arrival. Bell advised I book a seat on the 4.00pm bus and the 6pm bus and if I made the 4.00 to tell the lady at the bus point and she would cancel my 6pm booking

 

keeps your options open

[Emil 0]

A couple other things will come into play. 1. The location of the gate to immigration. 2. Is your bag one of the first onto the carousel or the last bag.

[jacko 8,815]

A couple other things will come into play. 1. The location of the gate to immigration. 2. Is your bag one of the first onto the carousel or the last bag.

At this time I have always found that immigration is THE delay, my suitcase being there already when I get through. The exceptions being when a new immigration post has just opened, and I have managed to peel off sharply and get to the front, or when I come inwith the TGF and we can go through the Thai posts together.

Perhaps make friends with one on the plane...

[stevoman 2]

Jeez.... don't listen to this. The queues at this early hour are nothing compared from midday on when the European overnighters are all coming in!

 

Jeez don't attach much importance to this,last Oct we arrived from Brunei, landing at 1230pm and were in our taxi and on our way to Pats at 1-15pm,and we were seated at the rear in cattle class.

No hard and fast rule,just your luck eg How many immigration windows open!

[growler 0]

If there are long lines at immigration it can be beneficial to walk along the main corridor and try the other immigration area.

[pokey 0]

No problem mate, don't bother lining up in immigration, just walk right feekin through, never know you might make it as far as the luggage carousel before the authories put you in handcuffs.

 

Just kidding, as previously suggested many factors will affect your chances.

[bigdelta 46]

If there are long lines at immigration it can be beneficial to walk along the main corridor and try the other immigration area.

Very true.There was a time when I waited in line and after clearing,heading down 3 carousels only to find no lines at that immigration outpost.

[seeker 0]

Wonder if hes still waiting

[pattaya_mad 208]

Im in the same situation, I arrive on 29th May on EVA, Im booked on the 16.00 ball bus..if its the same as my last trip I was walking through the arrivals 40 minutes after landing, but as we know it doesn`t always go to plan..if I miss the bus I will grab a taxi, no probs

[Chilli Pepper 5]

Thanks for all the good advice guys.

 

Just counting down the days until wheels up.

[Regyai 415]

I arrived on the 20th (as the last of the water splashings dissapeared down the drains ) with similar timings.

 

Brisk walk to immigration (virtually empty) bags umoungst the last ones to hit the carousel - strange how the ones with 'priority' tags allways are!

 

5 mins interlude with XRay monkey at customs and downstairs still with a 15/20min wait for the 4 oclock Bell bus

 

 

 

.

[expat67 5]

Has there been any delays in recent days at Immigration because of the extra screening of people arriving from countries where there have been reported cases of the swine flu? I read in the Bangkok Post that they will be asking arrivals about their recent activities and taking their temperatures.

[loupole 4]

As a previous poster put in my experience Bell didnt leave on time either, if your name is down on their list they will wait 10 or 15 mins for you to appear, I land 0705 and I have chanced booking on the 0800 no biggy if I miss it, just tell they girl and she will stick you on the next one, I have never known the bus be over crowded never been more than 10 people onit going to Patts, however coming back its a different story especially the ones destined for BKK city.

[PattayaPete 530]

I have noticed that most people take about an hour (on average) to get through immigration and customs where as I take between 10 and 20 minutes.

 

The hour comes from meeting friends and being forced to wait for what seem like forever at the exit door. When they finally emerge I always ask why they took so long and usually get a bit of a blank look.

 

Here's what I do. I usually travel business class so my bags are tagged priority and I am first out of the plane. Regardless of the length of the walk to immigration I make sure I am the first from my plane to get there. Once I arrive I stand back for a second or two and study the queues. Pick a short one with out east asian / arabs. Nothing against east asians / arabs but they do seem to get much more scrutiny and take longer to process. If the queues are long keep an eagle eye open for a new immigration position to open. They always fluff around for a few minutes before they open a new one. When you see this move quickly to the new position.

 

If I am travelling with my wife I use the Thai only immigration positions (nearly always shorter queues). Have never been turned away when with a Thai but they won't process you if you are alone.

 

On my last arrival I was flying Cebu Pacific (budget airline) from Angeles. No business class and I was in the back seat of the plane. I was just about the last person off but managed to get past everyone on the long walk to immigration. I chose my queue wisely and was outside meeting my driver at 2:45 pm. The plane landed at 2:30.

[Kev 178]

Pete,

 

Have to agree lot of the time is taken up waiting for people who are meeting you, that is why I said to the missus no-one is to meet us at the airport next time, they can wait for us at the hotel.

 

Well that is the plan whether it works or not is another thing, but she does know it pisses me off waiting around at the airport all the time. I mean to say they haven't seen us for 12 months or so so what is another hour or so hey!