My son is leaving Bangkok and going to Hong Kong to get his flight to heathrow. He will arrive in Hong Kong at 8.15pm and his heathrow flight is 1.05 in the morning. I don't know Hong Kong airport but am bit concerned that if it is like heathrow he may not have enough time to get his flight. he is leaving bangkok with Air Asia. Could anybody advise me if they are reliable, understand they are bit like Easyjet!! I would welcome any advice. There is any early flight from Bangkok but this would mean a 16 hour wait which my son isnt keen on but I think it would be safer.
Many thanks
Caroline

I make that 4 hours and 50 minutes from touchdown for him to make his flight. In that time he needs to pick up his bags, clear immigration and then check in for his flight to Heathrow (and go back through security), as presumably he can't transfer "behind the scenes" and have his bags forwarded as it's separate tickets/airlines.

I think it's perfectly doable for him to be back inside and waiting for his flight at the boarding gate within 2 hours of landing, very likely much less (I'd estimate about 1 hour 30mins on average), so I think he will be absolutely fine, assuming his flight is not delayed... and whilst Air Asia, like any airline, can sometimes leave late, it would have to be a delay of over one hour, perhaps nearer two before he would start sweating.

Speaking personally, I hate rushing for anything on holiday, or having to worry about anything like that, so if it were me I would be tempted to get the earlier flight and spend a half day in HK eating seafood and having a walking massage, but that's just me being my usual risk-averse self... I think in all likelihood your son's transfer window of 4h50m should be more than enough.

Edit: I'd add... you might want to check his insurance policy and see if it covers for missed connections in the unlikely event that 4h50m transfer time is not enough.

HTH
Steve

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Hi Steve, thank you very much for your advice. Like you my husband and I both feel it would be safer to get the earlier flight, I would always rather be where I need to be and hang around rather than be worrying if there are any delays. However we are talking about a 22yr old who doesnt want too hang around!!! He has been travelling in Asia since November and is in Laos at the moment and was due to come home on 15 Feb but is running out of money (Thailand too expensive for him) so has asked me to change his flights which I can do for about £200. However if he missed his Heathrow flight we are talking another £600 to get new ticket and I can't afford to take that risk so think I will put my foot down and make him do the earlier flight!!!
Thanks again for your great advice and a very happy new year to you.
Best wishes
Caroline

Happy New Year to you too, Caroline! If you're yet to book, and you're stumping up the cash yourselves, then I agree - put your foot down and give him a mandatory layover!

cheerio,
Steve.

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Absolutely agree with Steve. Go for the 16 hour layover. He will have about 10-11 hours to have a look around Hong Kong Island and/or Kowloon. Air Asia has "buggered" me up on two occasions, therefore I will never use them again.

Other people have had good on time flights with them, however, to be on the safe side and as you are the payee, be firm and tell him it is the earlier flight and that HK is a good place to spend a longer than normal layover.

Earlier flight or the later flight he should have plenty of time to make his flight home unless he absentmindedly screws off somewhere. Maybe the extra time will give him some time to shower and change to clean clothes before the flight home if he has been out in the boonies a while.

Thanks guys for all your advice I did change him to the 6.30am flight getting into HK at 10.15am. When I contacted Cathay Pacific to change his heathrow flight they offered me a flight at 14.55 landing at heathrow at 20.10 so I have got him on that so he should be happy!!! Thats another £200 he owes me!! Not that I am likely to ever see it!!

Best wishes

Caroline

Good work! I bet you can't wait to have him back

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I must say I am now very excited to have him home. Have just been emailing him and he is now in Laos, he is on his own at the moment as his friend he was travelling with stayed on in Thailand as his girlfriend came over for 10 days so james left them to it - as you would!! he will join james next week. Think there may be a fight at heathrow between me and james girlfriend to see who gets to him first - ha ha!!!

Well it has been lovely chatting to you but a large basket of ironing is calling out to me and it wont take no for an answer!! ha ha.

Take care

Caroline

Bye, take care

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My latest travels: Shikoku Pilgrimage