Intl SQ J arrival in coughet options to expedite through to domestic terminal

[Xizor]

Hi all, this may be a dumb question but it will be our first trip in business class (yay!) and wondering whether the fare also enables expedited clearance through immigration at coughet or anything like that? From memory coughet lines can vary wildly. I vaguely recall seeing something like that in Bangkok but it was years ago and my mind could be playing tricks on me.

Our end destination is Koh Samui and we have not booked that flight yet as the SQ flight arrives at 5:10PM and the latest Bangkok airways flight was 5:30PM. So we have just been holding off in case they added another flight... and they have! There is now one at 7:30PM. We will have carry on luggage only on the way there. We'd love to try and get that 7:30PM flight.

So yeah, does our business fare include some manner of priority processing through coughet immigration or otherwise will we need to buy one of those fast track type helper services (if so, any particular recommendations)? FWIW i currently have priority pass membership but i think thats only useful for lounges so probably irrelevant.

Thanks!

 

[Xizor]

... Or any other advice how we might proceed?

 

[Duggo]

Last trip we did to coughet was in March, SQ arrival into coughet was around 5pm from memory. There was no need for expidited clearance as we were lucky enough to arrive when it was not busy. We cleared customs in a matter of minutes.

 

[Xizor]

Last trip we did to coughet was in March, SQ arrival into coughet was around 5pm from memory. There was no need for expidited clearance as we were lucky enough to arrive when it was not busy. We cleared customs in a matter of minutes.

Do you know are all the immigration lines common or is there a different one for business? We've never flown business so a bit clueless.

In hindsight i wish i didnt book the points redemption flight through to coughet. Was caught up in the thrill of business redemption. Better off flying Bangkok Airways economy from Singapore to Koh Samui.

 

[AIRwin]

Was caught up in the thrill of business redemption.

Is the redemption just for SIN-HKT or originating from elsewhere?

 

[Duggo]

Do you know are all the immigration lines common or is there a different one for business? We've never flown business so a bit clueless.

In hindsight i wish i didnt book the points redemption flight through to coughet. Was caught up in the thrill of business redemption. Better off flying Bangkok Airways economy from Singapore to Koh Samui.

I do not think SQ has expidited clearance for HKT, I think they have for HKK. I have arrived at HKT when clearance was terribly slow arriving on Jetstar previously but that was a later arrival and coincided with other arrivals. Last trip HKT was empty of pax arrivals when we cleared, all about timing I guess. You could search other arrivals into HKT that may coincide with your arrival time.

 

[Xizor]

Is the redemption just for SIN-HKT or originating from elsewhere?

Its Syd-SIN-HKT (2ppl, one-way, under 1 ticket). The return leg is booked separately under a Virgin ticket for SQ.

 

[AIRwin]

Its Syd-SIN-HKT (2ppl, one-way, under 1 ticket).

Wonder if it can be changed to SYD-SIN instead?

 

[Quickstatus]

Not for HKT

In that part off the world SQ J/F/R class expedited immigration clearance is for:

BKK
BWN
KUL

 

[dajop]

Wonder if it can be changed to SYD-SIN instead?

Probably unlikely due to married sectors. Also suspect OP could be up for $150-200 more per traveller for SIN-USM vs HKT-USM.

 

[Xizor]

Not for HKT

In that part off the world SQ J/F/R class expedited immigration clearance is for:

BKK
BWN
KUL

Bugger, thanks!

Post automatically merged: Jun 14, 2023

Probably unlikely due to married sectors. Also suspect OP could be up for $150-200 more per traveller for SIN-USM vs HKT-USM.

Sorry dumb question, what is a married sector? When i log into SQ and click "change flight" it just shows Sydney and coughet.... im guessing that is a married sector?
If there were an option I don't really care about a few hundred bucks compared to another pointless layover.

 

[Quickstatus]

married sector? When i log into SQ and click "change flight" it just shows Sydney and coughet.... im guessing that is a married sector

It means the ticket is priced as a SYD to HK and not a SYD-SIN plus a SIN-HKT - where separate tickets consisting of SYD-SIN plus a SIN-HKT comes out more expensive that a SYD-HKT with layover in SIN

The catch is that it is not possible to cut out one of the sectors - divorce is very difficult. If you remove one of the married sectors from the itinerary, the ticket needs to be repriced for one sector - usually means the original ticket cancelled and rebooked for one sector

 

[Xizor]

It means the ticket is priced as a SYD to HK and not a SYD-SIN plus a SIN-HKT - where separate tickets consisting of SYD-SIN plus a SIN-HKT comes out more expensive that a SYD-HKT with layover in SIN

The catch is that it is not possible to cut out one of the sectors - divorce is very difficult. If you remove one of the married sectors from the itinerary, the ticket needs to be repriced for one sector - usually means the original ticket cancelled and rebooked for one sector

Sweet makes sense. Yes, certainly not touching that. Wonder if i can get a Bangkok airways fare that will allow me to re-schedule (with a fee) if i miss the 7:30pm flight.

It's about $150pp each way for the base ticket bangkok air coughet to koh samui, though the terms are a bit tricky to interpret. It does mention fees of 500-1500 baht but not sure if that applies to missing the flight.

 

[Quickstatus]

Wonder if i can get a Bangkok airways fare that will allow me to re-schedule (with a fee) if i miss the 7:30pm flight.

What about a fully refundable fare that allows you to cancel with a refund?

 

[robbo135]

From memory coughet lines can vary wildly. I vaguely recall seeing something like that in Bangkok but it was years ago and my mind could be playing tricks on me.

When are you flying in? I flew on SQ736 in February (which seems like the same flight you're on) and we actually got a remote stand on arrival, so that meant a bus to the main terminal, so that is a potential wildcard to take into account. Immigration lines were non-existent thank goodness.

Also J on the SQ B738's is pretty mediocre, seat is basically a QF/VA style domestic J seat. Apparently there are Ipads that they hand out for J passengers but none were handed out on my flight. Just got better food and better seat than Y. Despite being first off the plane, we weren't first to immigration due the remote stand situation and Y passengers also being squeezed onto the same bus as J passengers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When are you flying in? I flew on SQ736 in February (which seems like the same flight you're on) and we actually got a remote stand on arrival, so that meant a bus to the main terminal, so that is a potential wildcard to take into account. Immigration lines were non-existent thank goodness.

Also J on the SQ B738's is pretty mediocre, seat is basically a QF/VA style domestic J seat. Apparently there are Ipads that they hand out for J passengers but none were handed out on my flight. Just got better food and better seat than Y. Despite being first off the plane, we weren't first to immigration due the remote stand situation and Y passengers also being squeezed onto the same bus as J passengers.

That’s unfortunate The 73Ms are quite nice with full flats! Our HKT-SIN was the full flat version.

 

[Xizor]

When are you flying in? I flew on SQ736 in February (which seems like the same flight you're on) and we actually got a remote stand on arrival, so that meant a bus to the main terminal, so that is a potential wildcard to take into account. Immigration lines were non-existent thank goodness.

Also J on the SQ B738's is pretty mediocre, seat is basically a QF/VA style domestic J seat. Apparently there are Ipads that they hand out for J passengers but none were handed out on my flight. Just got better food and better seat than Y. Despite being first off the plane, we weren't first to immigration due the remote stand situation and Y passengers also being squeezed onto the same bus as J passengers.

Mid August..... alas.. SQ736.

 

[dajop]

That’s unfortunate The 73Ms are quite nice with full flats! Our HKT-SIN was the full flat version.

Always laugh at how everyone holds SQ to a much higher standard. even for these short "domestic"-type sectors. Connect to 2 hr flights just about anywhere in the world (except Europe) you will get a cradle seat. This sector is slightly shorter than SYD-ADL, and is about 1:20-1:30 from takeoff to landing, so I'd suggest a lie flat seat is "nice to have" and not really essential.

 

[Xizor]

Sounds like i need to take this on the chin and just play it safe, book a hotel and do the layover in coughet.

 

[Quickstatus]

Sounds like i need to take this on the chin and just play it safe, book a hotel and do the layover in coughet.

Or just book a fully refundable hotel room, and if you make the flight cancel the hotel room?
Possibly the hotels are not full and you can see if last minute bookings are more costly than an advanced fully refundable booking to help with the decision . If same price then book the hotel if you don't make the flight.