Flight for TG, BKK-UK(Glasgow)

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

I hope to have my TG visit the UK next April.

Would appreciate any advice as to which airlines offer the best deals for return tickets from BKK to Glasgow,UK.

Also, any recommendations about travel agents either in Bangkok or Pattaya.

Please, no comments regarding Visas, I know that is going to be the difficult part !

[Crackpot 2]

I hope to have my TG visit the UK next April.

Would appreciate any advice as to which airlines offer the best deals for return tickets from BKK to Glasgow,UK.

Also, any recommendations about travel agents either in Bangkok or Pattaya.

Please, no comments regarding Visas, I know that is going to be the difficult part !

If you are going to be organising it from the UK you need to do it with a highly reputable company, who will only issue the ticket after seeing their passport with a valid Entry Clearance stamp.  We used Diethelm in Bangkok, paying via email with a credit card.

 

Find out what date her Interview will be then arrange a provisional date with Diethelm.

Good Luck anyway.

[nidnoyham 30]

I would get your visa first, 'cos any lower priced tickets are non-refundable. once they have her name on. they are non transferable too.

 

I use the Travel Agent just past Honey Lodge from Walking Street, tried 4 or 5 places this year & they were the cheapest BKK/LHR/BKK. It may be cheaper to buy each leg individually, it's a hastle claiming bags at LHR yourself, but having worked there for 26 years I would rather do that anyway, I think you will have less hastle from customs etc than at Glasgow.

 

Good Luck, I am doing same for 2nd time next year  

[Eneukman 1]

It should still be possible to get bags checked straight though to Glasgow even if the tickets for both each leg were purchased seperately. I've had to do this from Edinburgh on the last two occasions - daft but the cost of a return ticket from Edinburgh was several hundred pounds more expensive than buying seperate tickets. Also if flying with BA, say, she wouldn't even have to check in again at Heathrow as this could all be done in a oner at Bangkok.

 

Alan

[torrenova 644]

For sure easier to use BA / Qantas as they are the only ones flying BKK-LHR-GLA. Perhaps you could get on a carrier like KLM who might fly through their hub direct from Glasgow. Then again, is LHR easier for immigration - but if held up, will you miss your connection ?

 

Don't know about BKK agents but I use NPK in Pattayland 1 (http://www.npkpattaya.com/index.htm) Tel. +66 38 429528 Fax +66 38  710934, next to Lewinskis and opposite the Sugar Shack.

 

Good for email info as well.

[nidnoyham 30]

I have not cleared immigration at Glasgow, but last year at LHR my Thai GF was at immigration desk about 15 seconds before getting her passport stamped, that was evening flight T3 EVA in June. If  I was connecting through I would be happier with a early morning arrival.  Then I would avoid Immigration at LHR. All the US flight are arriving, (Customs call it the wagon train ) and it gets very busy.

I assume you will be travelling together, so price of ticket does matter when you are doubling up. If my GF comes over this year I think I will meet her at LHR, save 500 Quid.  

[valentinoxxx 4]

Best travel agent in Pattaya, IMO is KN Travel(The one mentioned earlier). Speak to Khun Joe on 038 710 967.

 

They are the cheapest, no doubt.

If there is a flight to be found, he should find it.

 

There are too many agents in Bkk to pinpoint just one, though KN's head office is in Bkk.

 

If you wish to use EVA Air's direct service(Econ or Premium Econ) use http://www.atninter.com/

[Eneukman 1]

I have not cleared immigration at Glasgow, but last year at LHR my Thai GF was at immigration desk about 15 seconds before getting her passport stamped, that was evening flight T3 EVA in June. If  I was connecting through I would be happier with a early morning arrival.  Then I would avoid Immigration at LHR. All the US flight are arriving, (Customs call it the wagon train ) and it gets very busy.

I assume you will be travelling together, so price of ticket does matter when you are doubling up. If my GF comes over this year I think I will meet her at LHR, save 500 Quid.  

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but I am a bit puzzled as to how if you are connecting through (presumably Heathrow?) you would avoid immigration at Heathrow. If you have an onward internal flight in the UK you have to clear immigration at Heathrow. You will clear Customs at Glasgow - though you do pass a Customs checkpoint at Heathrow but I have never seem it manned though no doubt they are still watching you.

 

The only way to avoid clearing immigration at Heathrow would be to fly to Glasgow via Amsterdam or some other European city.

 

Alan

[nidnoyham 30]

Eneukman-  yeh I see what you mean, I have never connected at LHR to domestic airport but was pointing out that if I was, I would prefer a morning arrival as opposed to say 7pm EVA/TG916. Arriving  in morning gives you all day. I still say allow at least 2 hours min' for connection. If arriving TG910 0700ish, you would be right at the peak time immigration wise and might be delayed.  As you say Customs, wich is my point, is often unmanned and a breeze, where as MAN airport is Customs training airport, so you get a lot of keen rookies, only too happy to go through your kit, especially if you are from LOS.

 

Torrenova asked if you would be held up at Immigration at LHR, so explained how easy it was for my GF last year at T3, but that was EVA evening arrival and pretty quiet at Immigration.  I think that is what I meant .  

[CheshireTom 1,377]

nidnoyham,

 

If you arrive at LHR ex BKK for onward domestic connections you clear immigration at the Flight Connections Centre, not the main Arrivals area.  It is normally very quiet at the non-UK/EU desk.  BA/bmi arrivals at MAN go into T3 (BA/bmi Domestic) so there is normally no Customs to be seen, unlike T1/T2 where the training takes place.

 

That said, when my Mrs arrived on a visitors visa at LHR (early a.m. with TG) it took us 4 hours to get her through immigration at T3 including separate individual grillings in the immigration back offices. :-/

 

Tom

 

p.s. Are you the same guy who was going to interview the Alcazar performers?

[nidnoyham 30]

Hi Tom,

 

I think you have put the Imigration problem at T3 LHR in a nutshell, simply if you are transfering through LHR with a THAI lady, and arrive at peak morning 0630-0930, allow a good conection time for immigration delays.  But because it is so busy Customs is usually a breeze- phew I made hard work of that didn't I?

 

Yes it was my daughter that was interviewing the performers at Alkhazar, very welcome they made her too.

She graduated this year with a 2-1 in Performing Arts, not sure if the trip to Pattaya swung it, but she's now addicted to LOS. Has talked her mum into going in May, they both get on so well with my Thai lady, that I have not been invited- a girls week in Pattaya ! Hmm, there's something wrong here. May try to swing it that they come back together, that's if I can get a visa  this year for her. I'm off to LOS on 31 JAN to give it a try.

HAPPY New Year  

[LOUYI1964 0]

I have done  BKK/LHR/MAN a few times the bagage is checked through from BKK the customs people run dogs over them during the transfer at LHR (not all the time)and I would think Xray any they take an interest in immigration is cleared as stated above at the flight transfer center so in effect once through there your in the UK and on a domestic flight with nothing to do at the other end at Man you just pick up your case and go through a door straight in to the arrivals lobby I would thinkGlasgow would be much the same.

[Eneukman 1]

I can't comment on Manchester or Glasgow, but when I arrive back at Edinburgh on a connecting flight from Heathrow from LOS (or anywhere else outwith the EC), I have to collect my bags from a seperate area. Customs officials operate here though I have never had a problem so far but I have seen them questioning other people about the contents of their cases.

 

 

Alan