Hotels FAQ » Airport Hotel » Thailand trip
Question:
> Am doing a business trip to China which is requiring an overnight in > Bangkok. Any recommendations for good accomodations near the BKK airport??? > The Amari looks fine but seems rather extreme in pricing for the quality of > service. > Comfort Suites no longer seems to appear on the Choice Hotels’ website.
I stayed at the Rama Gardens Hotel on my way to Ranong last year. Very nice hotel with spacious rooms, about US$ 60, a few minutes from Don Muang by cab. They also have a shuttle bus service. The place is non-smoking, but smokers can go to the beer garden. Can be booked on-line. M
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> OK, but the airlines cleary *request* that you check in at least 2 >> hours before takeoff , or would you like to debate that ? >Not much point. It’s not in dispute that they request it. >Likewise, the state police request that you not drive 57 in a 55 mile per >hour zone. >miguel >Ahh so you must be one of the morons who check in 10 mins before >departure and make the plane late for everyone >-
Hey Tony, the man: did miss your comments – - holidays or simply fed up with the morons?
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some >>other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in >>case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that. >I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at >least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most >flights. > I normally leave even less time than Tchiowa does. I can’t remember > the last time I checked-in more than an hour before the flight was due > to depart. I take around 20 international flights a year, and haven’t > missed one yet. You spend time standing in check-in queues if you > want, I’ve got better things to do with my time.
I agree. The biggest reason I plan to arrive 90 minutes before flight is not so much check-in time but "just in case" to allow for traffic problems. If I plan for 90 minutes and traffic is bad I still have plenty of time once at the airport. I don’t like feeling rushed when I’m getting ready for a flight.
Response:
> >> That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some >> other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in >> case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that. > I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at > least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most > flights. > Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I > fell asleep in the airport and missed it.
It is not required in Bangkok. The New Jersey shape-shifter is just trying to pick fights. I don’t think there is an actual requirement anywhere. But there are "recommendations". In SFO they were recommending arriving 3 hours before flight time.
Response:
> Ahh so you must be one of the morons who check in 10 mins before > departure and make the plane late for everyone
Nonsense.. Many airlines REQUIRE you to be at the GATE 15 or 20 minutes before departure. The only time I have not made this is when I was connecting and the first flight arrived late. Then, they usually let you board. If you want to be safe and arrive at the airport, fine. But there is NO way I am showing up at 5AM for a 7AM Saturday flight to SNA. If I miss the required time to be at the gate, it is not your problem. If he checks in 10 minutes before flight time, and he was required to be at the gate 20 minutes before, then he will be denied boarding. I suspect the cause of planes departing late because of late arriving passengers is usually do to connections or abnormal security delays.
Response:
>> Likewise, the state police request that you not drive 57 in a 55 mile per > hour zone. > Ahh so you must be one of the morons who check in 10 mins before > departure and make the plane late for everyone
Maybe twice in the past few years I’ve been the last person on the plane, and they weren’t international flights (just Southwest 1-hour hops). Fact is there’s just a whole lot of sitting around in the departure lounge to look forward to if you get there that early. Also I’m pretty sure if I had been arguing in favor of getting there three hours in advance you’d be the first one in line to tell me what a moron I was for not getting there at the last minute. miguel — See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>>That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some >other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in >case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that. >I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at >least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most >flights.
*******5555555 Not if you are the "great Tchiowa".
Response:
>>>Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >>fell asleep in the airport and missed it. >Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did >you sleep through the last 3 years also. >Which takes all of 10 minutes to complete.
Try doing it at JFK in NYC in 10 min.
Response:
> >> Likewise, the state police request that you not drive 57 in a 55 mile per >> hour zone. > Ahh so you must be one of the morons who check in 10 mins before > departure and make the plane late for everyone > Maybe twice in the past few years I’ve been the last person on the plane, > and they weren’t international flights (just Southwest 1-hour hops). > Fact is there’s just a whole lot of sitting around in the departure lounge > to look forward to if you get there that early.
[snip] It’s actually been getting quicker for me internationally that pre 9-11. I used to budget 2- 3 hours before international flights out of major airports. On more than one occasion, I’ve used it all. Nominally, these days, getting there 2 hours is an assurance that you’ll get through in about 20 minutes. The hard part is having the kahoonahs to do something like Miguel is talking about. There is this weird sorta curve you experience. As the flight approaches, the time it takes gets longer, more folks are arriving and checking in. Then, at some point, folks stop arriving and it actually takes LESS time. Now it is very airport and time of day dependent. For example, on some airlines, like Virgin out of MCO for example, they only have a couple of flights a day. However, BA out of Gatwick may have a boat load. So you can find yourself in line with a bunch of folks whose flights leave after yours. One of the bigger risks you actually run is with checked luggage. They need a finite amount of time to get your luggage through and onto the plane. If you aren’t on it, they have to take your luggage off, but under some circumstances, if you’re on it, but your luggagge isn’t, they can still leave. So arriving late might get you on the plane, but your luggage won’t. Miguel travels almost exclusively with carry on so this isn’t an issue for him. Domestically I had an odd experience. I went up to get through security, and we practically walked straight through. We were there 3 hours early (went to the airport with folks leaving earlier). I got stopped at security because I had forgotten to remove my pocket knife. I had to go back and mail it to myself. When I returned about 10 minutes later, there was a HUGE line at security. Half hour later, you could walk straight through again. Airports experience surges, the smaller, the bigger the impact of the surges. If you are familar with the airport, and their surges, you can easily show up with in the hour of your departure and still get on your plane. In some cases, even when your wrong, the airline will tend to work with you to get you on (unless they are heavily overbooked, then you may have effectively just "volunteered" to be bumped).
Response:
Wah Shizzle says: > OK, but the airlines cleary *request* that you check in at least 2 > hours before takeoff , or would you like to debate that ?
They can request it all they want, until it is REQUIRED, I will show up in the amount of time I need to be there in order to make it to the gate by the REQUIRED boarding time. If its two hours, it is two hours. BTW, is that two hours at the counters, or at the back of the line? The link you posted said "at the airport"… Now, if I am checking in at the First Class counter, do I need the same two hours? If it is the first flight of the day, do I need to be at the airport two hours early if the counter people show up only an hour before the flight?
Response:
>>Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >fell asleep in the airport and missed it. > Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did > you sleep through the last 3 years also.
What "international security"? The only difference is that I can’t use the Kiosk. I check in, get a boarding pass. Take myself and my carryon and a lot of the time through the same security checkpoint domestic flyers are going through. I doubt the airline has flagged me as an international flier for the TSA people at the checkpoint.
Response:
>No, but I’ve taken maybe eighty international flights in the last 3 years >and haven’t been 2 hours early for a single one – nor did I miss any of >them.
I went through a long process in Pudong (Shanghai) last week, and you might want to allow some extra time there. 1. Go to UA checkin, miss obscure sign saying you need to have your temperature taken before checkin. 2. Spot second sign, hit forehead, leave line and walk 100m to center of terminal, fill out form,get in line of about 10 people, walk past a temperature detector, get form stamped. 3. Back to UA, get in biz class line with about 6 people ahead. Moved slowly for no good reason. Get boarding pass. 4. Go to airport tax booth, no line. Pay RMB90, get card like metros use. 5. Get in short line to put card through machine. 6. Get in line of about 20 people putting goods through an x-ray machine run by customs. 7. Get in line of about 10 people getting exit clearance from immigration 8. Get in line of about 10 people clearing security. Walk through metal detector with steel shanked shoes ("shoes no problem") and laptop in carryon. No problem. 9. Go to gate. If you were in the economy check in line, you would probably need all two hours. In the biz class line, it took about 40 minutes.
Response:
>>That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some >other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in >case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that. >I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at >least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most >flights.
I normally leave even less time than Tchiowa does. I can’t remember the last time I checked-in more than an hour before the flight was due to depart. I take around 20 international flights a year, and haven’t missed one yet. You spend time standing in check-in queues if you want, I’ve got better things to do with my time.
Response:
>>Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >fell asleep in the airport and missed it. >Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did >you sleep through the last 3 years also.
Which takes all of 10 minutes to complete.
Response:
I stayed at the Amari 3 nights ago. I don’t know how much it was – part of a package. I do know that the hotel is directly connected to the airport arrivals hall. No cab ride (you don’t even go outside), 2 minutes walk from arrivals hall to hotel reception and back from hotel reception to check-in the next morning. No extra time allowance for traffic jams. No cab fairs. Fan-bloody-tastic. Pay the dough and do the Amari.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Am doing a business trip to China which is requiring an overnight in > Bangkok. Any recommendations for good accomodations near the BKK airport??? > The Amari looks fine but seems rather extreme in pricing for the quality of > service. > Comfort Suites no longer seems to appear on the Choice Hotels’ website. > I was told the Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok is considered an airport hotel, > but is it really that close??? > Since I’m arriving at 11:30 p.m., I figure the drive in wouldn’t be too bad, > but I would think that I would have to leave at around 7:30 a.m. to catch a > 10:30 flight. > Rich > — > Visit America’s Aviation Headquarters: > www.usaviation.com
Response:
> OK, but the airlines cleary *request* that you check in at least 2 > hours before takeoff , or would you like to debate that ?
Not much point. It’s not in dispute that they request it. Likewise, the state police request that you not drive 57 in a 55 mile per hour zone. miguel — See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>> That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some > other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in > case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that. > I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at > least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most > flights.
Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I fell asleep in the airport and missed it. miguel — See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >fell asleep in the airport and missed it.
Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did you sleep through the last 3 years also. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->miguel >– >See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>> Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I > fell asleep in the airport and missed it. > Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did > you sleep through the last 3 years also.
No, but I’ve taken maybe eighty international flights in the last 3 years and haven’t been 2 hours early for a single one – nor did I miss any of them. miguel — See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>>> Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >> fell asleep in the airport and missed it. > Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did > you sleep through the last 3 years also. >No, but I’ve taken maybe eighty international flights in the last 3 years >and haven’t been 2 hours early for a single one – nor did I miss any of >them.
OK, but the airlines cleary *request* that you check in at least 2 hours before takeoff , or would you like to debate that ? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->miguel >– >See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
>>> Required in what sense? The only time I was 2 hours early for a flight I >> fell asleep in the airport and missed it. > Required for something nowadays called International Security , or did > you sleep through the last 3 years also. >No, but I’ve taken maybe eighty international flights in the last 3 years >and haven’t been 2 hours early for a single one – nor did I miss any of >them. >miguel
Not sure how well a sleepy greasy Mexican like you can read , but give it a try. http://www.nwa.com/features/update_airport.shtml – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->– >See the world from your web browser: http://travel.u.nu/
Response:
> Am doing a business trip to China which is requiring an overnight in > Bangkok. Any recommendations for good accomodations near the BKK airport??? > The Amari looks fine but seems rather extreme in pricing for the quality of > service. > Comfort Suites no longer seems to appear on the Choice Hotels’ website. > I was told the Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok is considered an airport hotel, > but is it really that close???
20 minute taxi ride, depending on traffic. Not really an "airport hotel" but close enough. > Since I’m arriving at 11:30 p.m., I figure the drive in wouldn’t be too bad, > but I would think that I would have to leave at around 7:30 a.m. to catch a > 10:30 flight.
That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that.
Response:
http://www.ebinahouse.com
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Am doing a business trip to China which is requiring an overnight in > Bangkok. Any recommendations for good accomodations near the BKK airport??? > The Amari looks fine but seems rather extreme in pricing for the quality of > service. > Comfort Suites no longer seems to appear on the Choice Hotels’ website. > I was told the Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok is considered an airport hotel, > but is it really that close??? > Since I’m arriving at 11:30 p.m., I figure the drive in wouldn’t be too bad, > but I would think that I would have to leave at around 7:30 a.m. to catch a > 10:30 flight. > Rich > — > Visit America’s Aviation Headquarters: > www.usaviation.com
Response:
>That’s plenty of time. Check in at Don Muang isn’t as bad as some >other airports. I arrive about 90 minutes before a flight (just in >case) and usually spend only 10-15 minutes on check in, if that.
I hope that is not for an international flight , as checking in at least 2 hours prior to takeoff is standard and required on most flights.
Response:
Am doing a business trip to China which is requiring an overnight in Bangkok. Any recommendations for good accomodations near the BKK airport??? The Amari looks fine but seems rather extreme in pricing for the quality of service. Comfort Suites no longer seems to appear on the Choice Hotels’ website. I was told the Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok is considered an airport hotel, but is it really that close??? Since I’m arriving at 11:30 p.m., I figure the drive in wouldn’t be too bad, but I would think that I would have to leave at around 7:30 a.m. to catch a 10:30 flight. Rich — Visit America’s Aviation Headquarters: www.usaviation.com
no comment untill now