No through check-in at NGO?

[LennonG]

my ticket was booked on sq

SIN - NGO (SQ)-Biz
NGO-CTS (NH)-Econ

I was surprise that there is no through check-in service for NGO airport.
I was told to collect my luggage at NGO and re-check-in at the domestic departure counter when i reach NGO.

Anyone have similar experience?

[cowie]

All international to domestic transfers in Japan require you to have your bags examined at the entry port. No check through is possible, regardless of airline.

[lingua101]

All international to domestic transfers in Japan require you to have your bags examined at the entry port. No check through is possible, regardless of airline.

If the bag is tagged to CTS, this is a check through, regardless if you have to collect the bag at the first point of entry if the final leg is domestic sector.

[SQ218]

If the bag is tagged to CTS, this is a check through, regardless if you have to collect the bag at the first point of entry if the final leg is domestic sector.

Looks like, even if check through, baggage still need to be collected at international arrival and re-check in to domestic.

Quote from ANA website

At the International flight departure airport in the applicable country, you can check-in for the ANA Japan domestic sector to which you will be connecting from an international flight operated by an ANA Group carrier.
For customs, you will need to collect your baggage at the international flight arrival airport and check in the baggage again.
* Baggage can be checked in only when it is a same day connection.

https://www.ana.co.jp/en/jp/servicei...n/checkin.html

[cowie]

If the bag is tagged to CTS, this is a check through, regardless if you have to collect the bag at the first point of entry if the final leg is domestic sector.

I apologise for using the term "check through" too loosely. What I meant is that regardless of whether you can get your bags tagged all the way to the final destination, you will still need to retrieve them for customs inspection at the first port of entry into Japan.

We holiday in Japan about twice a year, usually flying into Tokyo on an award ticket and connecting to a secondary airport on a cheap domestic revenue ticket.

I've only ever managed to have my bags tagged all the way through once. On that occasion, I was on a SIN-KUL-NRT-NGO itinerary, on MH/JL and a mix of J and Y.

A very hardworking agent at the MH desk in SIN spent more than 15 minutes typing away at her computer. She looked very pleased with herself when she presented me with all three boarding passes and baggage tags that showed NGO as the final destination.

My luggage still emerged at the carousel at NRT (but I knew this was going to happen, so I waited before going landside).

Why I'm recounting the story: I'd argue that this would, in fact, be confusing for travellers who aren't used to the Japanese system. They would be in for a shock when their bags don't show up at the end of the journey. (Or more likely, be subject to desperate paging over the PA system at the first port of entry.)

Circling back to the OP, don't worry about having to pick up your bags in NGO and re-checking them. It's all within the same terminal.

[ycp81]

If the bag is tagged to CTS, this is a check through, regardless if you have to collect the bag at the first point of entry if the final leg is domestic sector.

This is the standard procedure for most countries when connecting from International to domestic flights. Customs checks are only performed for international arrivals, hence the need to collect and re-check in the bags, despite being tagged to final destination and boarding passes issued. However, there are a few countries that allow check-thru to domestic flights, provided there are customs facilities at the destination airport/terminal and airlines offer the facility to separate international/domestic bags. TK and TG offers such facility to selected destinations in Turkey and Thailand respectively.

[SQ228]

Circling back to the OP, don't worry about having to pick up your bags in NGO and re-checking them. It's all within the same terminal.

Yes I think I'd have to rate NGO as the easiest airport I've ever come across. So logical and thought out in every aspect.

[Buster CT1K]

This is the standard procedure for most countries when connecting from International to domestic flights. Customs checks are only performed for international arrivals, hence the need to collect and re-check in the bags, despite being tagged to final destination and boarding passes issued. However, there are a few countries that allow check-thru to domestic flights, provided there are customs facilities at the destination airport/terminal and airlines offer the facility to separate international/domestic bags. TK and TG offers such facility to selected destinations in Turkey and Thailand respectively.

Europe, of course, is a significant exception.

[lingua101]

I apologise for using the term "check through" too loosely. What I meant is that regardless of whether you can get your bags tagged all the way to the final destination, you will still need to retrieve them for customs inspection at the first port of entry into Japan.

We holiday in Japan about twice a year, usually flying into Tokyo on an award ticket and connecting to a secondary airport on a cheap domestic revenue ticket.

I've only ever managed to have my bags tagged all the way through once. On that occasion, I was on a SIN-KUL-NRT-NGO itinerary, on MH/JL and a mix of J and Y.

A very hardworking agent at the MH desk in SIN spent more than 15 minutes typing away at her computer. She looked very pleased with herself when she presented me with all three boarding passes and baggage tags that showed NGO as the final destination.

My luggage still emerged at the carousel at NRT (but I knew this was going to happen, so I waited before going landside).

Why I'm recounting the story: I'd argue that this would, in fact, be confusing for travellers who aren't used to the Japanese system. They would be in for a shock when their bags don't show up at the end of the journey. (Or more likely, be subject to desperate paging over the PA system at the first port of entry.)

Circling back to the OP, don't worry about having to pick up your bags in NGO and re-checking them. It's all within the same terminal.

I do not fly to Japan very frequently, but I remember that when I fly TG, they will make announcement that unless you fly to Phuket, Chiangmai etc, you need to collect the bag in BKK.

I found the Thai way is very confusing and they should follow Japan/US way that you should collect the luggage at the point of entry.


Just wonder on the Boarding pass. Did the BP get reissued? I remember long time ago, the AA agent will print my SFO-SIN BP ex-AUS, but the SQ agent in SFO reprint the BP using SQ BP and I still seeing this happening nowadays

[lingua101]

This is the standard procedure for most countries when connecting from International to domestic flights. Customs checks are only performed for international arrivals, hence the need to collect and re-check in the bags, despite being tagged to final destination and boarding passes issued. However, there are a few countries that allow check-thru to domestic flights, provided there are customs facilities at the destination airport/terminal and airlines offer the facility to separate international/domestic bags. TK and TG offers such facility to selected destinations in Turkey and Thailand respectively.

Actually I wonder, how they decided who should go through custom and who should not?

[yuuka_miya]

I did SIN-BKK-CNX on TG/WE a few years back.

If memory serves you get a sticker at BKK. At CNX those with the stickers were sent to international arrivals, they wave you through passport control but you still do customs and baggage inspection there. Can't remember if there's any further checks.

Same thing on the way out, clear exit immigration and get sticker at CNX, mix with domestic passengers on CNX-BKK flight, identity check and ushered through transit security at BKK - there's a door for this somewhere, though it might have changed, or it might have been because I was with a group.

Might be for tourism related purposes, to make life easier for Phuket/Chiangmai bound tourists transiting in BKK.

[SilverChris]

I found the Thai way is very confusing and they should follow Japan/US way that you should collect the luggage at the point of entry.

The list of eligible domestic destinations convers the vast majority of international-domestic traffic anyway.

If most travellers benefit from this I don’t see why they should get rid of it and follow the PITA US/Japan way.

[lingua101]

The list of eligible domestic destinations convers the vast majority of international-domestic traffic anyway.

If most travellers benefit from this I don’t see why they should get rid of it and follow the PITA US/Japan way.

assuming I am traveling SIN-BKK-CNX, so I will clear custom in CNX. But BKK-CNX flight is a domestic flight. I just wonder how this is being handled. To be it is quite nightmare as it may end up someone does not go through the proper custom.

[ycp81]

assuming I am traveling SIN-BKK-CNX, so I will clear custom in CNX. But BKK-CNX flight is a domestic flight. I just wonder how this is being handled. To be it is quite nightmare as it may end up someone does not go through the proper custom.

Immigration and carry-on screening is still conducted at BKK. Customs (check-in luggage screening) will be done at CNX. If I am not wrong, the domestic and international luggage will be separated and cone out on different belts in CNX, with the international belt leading to customs check. Passengers with international check-in luggage will be directed to international baggage hall.