Plane Parks At 'dock' But We Still Have To Take The Bus

[simon43]

Can someone please explain why. For the past 2 weeks I have flown on Thai Air from Phuket to Suvanabhumi. The plane lands, taxis to a parking stand where the docking station is maneovered into position. We all get off the plane but are barred from entering the arrivals terminal via the docking 'arm'. Instead, we have to walk outside of the 'arm', down some steps and onto a bus which then takes us to the arrivals building.

This has happened on both of my journeys from Phuket. Am I right in thinking that the wonderful planners of this new airport decided that they would not provide a direct access route from the docking stations through to the domestic arrivals hall??

Simon

[wileycoyote]

They do it at Heathrow,when all the docking bays are full ,and they are to be used only by waiting boarding passengers.

The exiting passengers get the bus !

Wiley Coyote

[simon43]

Point is that the docking bays were not full! Several were empty and we docked at one, but then had to walk down the docking bay external staircase and get on a bus....

Simon

[H2oDunc]

As a guess I would imagine the docking ports give acess to Internetional arrivals. As you are arriving domestically they have to bus you to the relevant domestic arrivals area

[roietjimmy]

The jetways cost the carriers more money when used. Think you are experiencing another penny wise pound foolish cost cutting attempt. I have had the same experience flying domestic flights. Actually, I prefer it as the bus takes you directly to the domestic exit and you don't have to make the riduclously long walk from the jetway.

[Mid]

wonder where the plane is going next ?

ie , who's getting on next ................

[onethailand]

I have a feeling it is because some people are actually making international connections - so they have to get off at the international terminal in order to make their connections. But some of you are obviously not flying out of the country - thus must be bussed to the domestic arrivals area. Although last time obviously they bussed you to the wrong area

[brahmburgers]

lots of respondants making comments as if logic, common sense and concern for passengers' comfort were part of the equation. Methinks you guys assume much too much about the ways Thais think (or lack thereof).

[ovenman]

I always thought "bus gates" were used in the described situation as a make work proposition. Takes many more staff to run a "bus gate" arrival than it does to simply allow passengers to deplane via a jetway.

[pete_r]

The same happened with me 3 weeks ago, arriving from South Korea. We taxied all the way to the domestic side of the airport, docked on a mobile 'arm' station, only to be directed down the stairs outside the docking 'arm' into buses which took us to the international arrivals.

[sriracha john]

What if people started refusing to leaving the docking arm and refused to go down the stairs and refused the bus???.... but instead started to demand entrance through the walkway into the terminal....

I nominate Simon to lead the charge.... "On to the Terminal".... (shouted with the same vigor of... "Storm the Bastille")

[Krub]

Can someone please explain why. For the past 2 weeks I have flown on Thai Air from Phuket to Suvanabhumi. The plane lands, taxis to a parking stand where the docking station is maneovered into position. We all get off the plane but are barred from entering the arrivals terminal via the docking 'arm'. Instead, we have to walk outside of the 'arm', down some steps and onto a bus which then takes us to the arrivals building.

This has happened on both of my journeys from Phuket. Am I right in thinking that the wonderful planners of this new airport decided that they would not provide a direct access route from the docking stations through to the domestic arrivals hall??

Simon

Thai Airways uses its same airplanes both for domestic and for international routes.

Your plane will be used on an international route after its arrival from Phuket.

They have 2 choices :

-Park it where it should leave at an international spot and bus the arriving domestic passengers.

-Park it at domestic arrival spot and after disembarking move the plan or bus the international departing passengers

They generaly choose not to have to move the aircraft.......

[Ricardo]

On a flight in May, my TG-domestic flight parked at the gate, the hood was extended and door opened, and they then decided to take us all off at the back, onto buses.

The reason given was that it was raining, as we found out when disembarking, and the brand-new airbridge leaked, so was unusable ! I guess the monsoon caught them by surprise ?

Which begs the question, why didn't they know this, before they parked at that gate, and extended the airbridge ? I've since heard that 20% of Swampy-Boom's gates have unusable airbridges ! Not bad - for a standard item of equipment - at any airport !

But as I had a 9-hour connection, thanks to TG's excellent new CNX-BKK flight-schedules, I still had quite a long sit in Arrivals, waiting for the check-in desks to open.

[Shrubbery]

I believe the "docks" as everyone is calling them are actually called "Airbridges".

[Orion76]

Thai Airways does it on some international flights as well, in my experience all flights to and from Ho Chi Minh.

I have been told it's a cost cutting thing, the airport charges the airline money for access to the gate so the airline saves money by using busses.

I stopped flying Thai when going to HCM for this reason, the bus ride is just too uncomfortable when you're tired and just want to get home.

[Acquiesce]

lots of respondants making comments as if logic, common sense and concern for passengers' comfort were part of the equation. Methinks you guys assume much too much about the ways Thais think (or lack thereof).

What awful racist stereotyping drivel.

[candoman89]

lots of respondants making comments as if logic, common sense and concern for passengers' comfort were part of the equation. Methinks you guys assume much too much about the ways Thais think (or lack thereof).

What awful racist stereotyping drivel.

Yes, I agree. Thais are known worldwide for their logic and common sense not to mention decision making abilities. Their concern for passengers' comfort is also well known by the over abundance of toilets in the airport and free washrooms everywhere.

[Losangels]

lots of respondants making comments as if logic, common sense and concern for passengers' comfort were part of the equation. Methinks you guys assume much too much about the ways Thais think (or lack thereof).

What awful racist stereotyping drivel.

Yes, I agree. Thais are known worldwide for their logic and common sense not to mention decision making abilities. Their concern for passengers' comfort is also well known by the over abundance of toilets in the airport and free washrooms everywhere.

[britmaveric]

Maybe couldnt latch on to the jetway? I've had this happen and they are forced to bring out the stairs.

[sriracha john]

lots of respondants making comments as if logic, common sense and concern for passengers' comfort were part of the equation. Methinks you guys assume much too much about the ways Thais think (or lack thereof).

What awful racist stereotyping drivel.

Yes, I agree. Thais are known worldwide for their logic and common sense not to mention decision making abilities. Their concern for passengers' comfort is also well known by the over abundance of toilets in the airport and free washrooms everywhere.