We will leave Yangon for Bangkok on a Bangkok Airlines flight that leaves Yangon at 13:50.
We would like to spend the previous night at Lake Inle. Air Bagan has a flight that leaves Heho at 10:20 and arrives at Yangon at 11:15; Air Mandalay has a 9:55 HEH flight that arrives RGN at 11:05.
Is 2.5 hours enough time for this international connection? Is this plan is likely to work? We'd prefer to not spend the night before our Bangkok flight in Yangon, but don't want to spend an anxious morning at Heho wondering if we'll miss our BKK flight.
From previous posts I've gotten the impression that there isn't much difference between Air Bagan and Air Mandalay in terms of reliability, but does anyone suggest one HEH-RGN flight over the other?
Diane
dianepdx
1
anonymous
My first reaction would ... don't do it.
However from memory.. all 3 airlines (Yangon air, Bagan air and Mandalay air) run the morning flight Heho to Yangon... Non stop.. at least during high season... and all 3 around the same time.... (Bagan air is a small jet.. Wasn't the first to take off but the first to arrive)....
I still would question the sanety of this plan.. What if you miss your connection?
2
anonymous
I think you could take the risk as there is more than one flight. If one gets cancelled passengers are often put onto the plane of the other company (at not extra charge).
2.5hrs in Yangon is enough to change planes. Even with an hour delay it should still be easy.
Do you have to connect in Bangkok to another international flight? How much time there?
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3
swebackpacker
You do have short time but as Tools4fools says it's possible.
Important note remember these point!!! PAY THE DEPARTURE TAX THE FIRST THING YOU DO AT THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL
If you go to a long cue to check in the luggage and after a long wait reach the check in counter, they will refuse to check in our luggage if you don’t have paid departure tax. Then you might be in a problem because it takes 20 to 30 minutes to pay the departure tax and then back to cue a second time for luggage check in.
The departure gate closes 20 minutes before departure. In practice you have two hours to take out your luggage from the domestic flight, move over to the International terminal about 500 m, security check, pay the departure tax, check in luggage, pass the passport control and go to the gate.
Luggage domestic flight 15 minutes
Move to next terminal 10 minutes
Security check 5 minutes
Departure Tax 20 minutes
Luggage check in 20 minutes
Passport check 5 minutes
Personally I wouldn’t dare to fly down the same day, but that’s me!
4
cabs985
I wouldn’t chance it! I’ve been to Myanmar 4 times and taken several flights and run into some delays including one delay of 2 (almost 3 days) in Kengtung because of mist and planes could not land. If I recall correctly, we also had a delay upon leaving Heho to fly to Yangon. Yes, they put us on another airline but we had a long wait!
If I had an “extra” day in Yangon, I would go again to Shwedagon and just soak up the atmosphere without having to feel like I must see every bit of the complex. I’d just sit in one or two spots and people watch, watch the “sweepers” sweep in unison later in the day, and perhaps talk to the monks that hang around there. It’s an amazing place and I am in awe every time I go there.
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