Suvarnabhumi Not Among The World’s Best

[Thaising]

Despite its advantage as the world’s newest airport, the gleaming Suvarnabhumi Airport was not counted among the best in the latest major global passenger poll.

However, rival regional airports including Singapore Changi and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) continue to remain high on the list of top 10 Airports of the Year for 2007.

The survey conducted by the UKbased aviation research organisation Skytrax placed Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) first, followed by Seoul Incheon Airport and Changi tied for second place (see table).

KLIA rose to fifth place from sixth last year, according to 7.8 million detailed passenger surveys covering 170 airports conducted over an 11-month period.

The absence of Suvarnabhumi in the Skytrax list did not surprise the aviation industry in light of service-quality complaints that have plagued the 155-billionbaht airport since it opened in September last year.

‘‘Suvarnabhumi Airport itself is not too bad to get it into the top-ten list, but the problem that is holding it back is the poor airport management that hassles passengers,’’ said one 30-year veteran of Thailand’s airline business.

Long immigration lines, poor signage and a shortage of toilets are among some the critical problems that have not been effectively dealt with and continue to prevent the airport management from meeting a goal to create high quality passenger service standards.

‘‘Fixing problems at Suvarnabhumi are painfully slow as senior AoT (Airports of Thailand Plc) officials are too occupied protecting themselves from scandals involving irregularities and alleged corruption cases rather than being able to devote themselves to solve day-to-day works like fixing problems at the airport,’’ he noted.

Meanwhile, the airport’s rivals are constantly challenging themselves to provide better services. Suvarnabhumi ‘‘needs a lot of catching up’’, he added.

Passengers participating in the Skytrax survey said they wanted easy use and short waiting times.

‘‘Travellers expect security processing to incur some delays,’’ said Skytrax chief executive Edward Plaisted. ‘‘But they are disappointed — and often annoyed — if the security facilities are inadequate.

‘‘Waiting in line for 30 minutes to find that only half of the available security scanners were open was a frequently stated complaint.’’

Poor services caused London Heathrow Airport to fall from 45th to 103rd in the rankings, while Frankfurt dropped to 94th from 48th.

The survey covers more than 40 categories of product and service quality, including terminal cleanliness, staff efficiency and courtesy, terminal signage and walking distances. Shopping, dining options and internet services are also taken into account. Security processing and immigration waiting times also featured prominently in the survey.

Hong Kong has taken the Best Airport title many times in the past. Its return to the top this year is a testimony to its quality services, efficient delivery and consistency, said Mr Plaisted.

[Payboy]

Suvarnabhumi Not Among The World’s Best

but its first among the world's worst - so there!

[technocracy]

Where's the table?

Heathrow 103rd . . . well there's a suprise!

A quick google:

1 Hong Kong Int'l Airport 2

2 Seoul Incheon Airport 5

Singapore Changi Airport 1

4 Munich Airport 3

5 Kuala Lumpur Int'l Airport 6

6 Zurich Airport 8

7 Amsterdam Schiphol Airport 11

8 Vancouver Int'l Airport 15

9 Kansai Int'l Airport 4

10 Madrid Barajas Airport 22

The numbers on the right are last years position - not suprised that Schiphol is in the top 10 - although I can't say I was overly impressed by Zurich the last time I visited.

Edited August 10, 2007 by technocracy

[wintermute]

No surprise there. It's great vindication that an official international publication's opinions were pretty much in line with my own. Now posters like Bendix can take a flying leap off the "thai can do no wrong" bandwagon.

[Payboy]

.... although I can't say I was overly impressed by Zurich the last time I visited.

depends on which terminal you used - the new one is quite impressive and functional

[technocracy]

.... although I can't say I was overly impressed by Zurich the last time I visited.

depends on which terminal you used - the new one is quite impressive and functional

Well that answers that question then . . . I didn't go in any new terminal!

[jumnien]

Don't take polls too seriously.

[samtam]

No surprise here then. But Thais of whichever social standing aren't particularly bothered. The thing's built, the graft is paid, it sorta kinda works, mai pen rai. Next golden goose to line pockets.....

Originally I thought it was surprising that there's no pride in these things in Thailand, but it all comes down to those who can, getting their cut, those doing their labouring, getting their daily wage, and then life moves on.

There's only pride in one thing, and that's fine, except it does mask many other inadequacies.

[Payboy]

.... although I can't say I was overly impressed by Zurich the last time I visited.

depends on which terminal you used - the new one is quite impressive and functional

Well that answers that question then . . . I didn't go in any new terminal!

it's the one to which you need to take a train and it's in the middle of the airport - nicely planned and very efficient..

[jumnien]

Not so long ago Thailand attracted adventure tourists who saw Bangkok as a gateway to all of Southeast Asia. Now the typical traveller seems more concerned about the quality of the fixtures in the lavatories and lighting. Times change quickly.

[bendix]

I'd be interested to see the full list but i havent been able to find it. The OP is very vague - is the airport actually included in this year's survey at all?

[technocracy]

Not so long ago Thailand attracted adventure tourists who saw Bangkok as a gateway to all of Southeast Asia. Now the typical traveller seems more concerned about the quality of the fixtures in the lavatories and lighting. Times change quickly.

Since when did the 'adventure' start at the airport?

These so call 'adventure tourists' would of previously used Don Muang which in my humble opinion was far more welcoming and far less daunting for the first time visit than Suvarnabhumi!

[Thaising]

I'd be interested to see the full list but i havent been able to find it. The OP is very vague - is the airport actually included in this year's survey at all?

Quote from bangkok post http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=120769

[Spee]

Suvarnabhumi Not Among The World’s Best

but its first among the world's worst - so there!

Must not get out much .... eh?

I can think of plenty as bad or worse, many in America & Europe where the facilities were ill-equipped to accommodate the new mandates of the large new "security" bureacracy.

The main airport in Burcharest Romania (OTP) is no picnic. Decent enough airport but half the "taxis" are extortion artists. A pre-arranged hired driver is almost mandatory to prevent hassles, getting ripped off, or driven into the gyspy section of town and robbed of everything.

Althought it's hopefully improved, Zurich (ZRH) was an absolute dump during renovations a few years ago. The LHR T1 and T3 zoos are well documented. Even AMS is a nice airport, but sometimes it is a 20-30 minute walk to a gate. Sometimes it is another 20-30 minutes to take off after pushing out from the gate.

Try sitting in a communal waiting area in Bahrain or Riyadh next to 1000 very malodorous human beings, knowing full well that as the only honkey in the joint no one gives two shats about you. I won't even get started on the taxi rides which can be a life threatening experience in and of themselves.

LAX, BOS, JFK and ORD are complete zoos, always chaotic even in the quiet times. At good luck trying to predict driving there on time during any rush-hour time. JFK and ORD do have mass transit which helps if you can catch that. And don't even get me started about the costs. Even many biz lounges charge for food & drink. Or one can always pay $15 USD for some nasty grease-burger and fries, and $5 and up for anything with alcohol. Immigration? Fuggettaboutit! Could take 10 minutes. Could take an hour.

NRT is a nice enough airport, but it is a 60-90 minute bus or train ride costing about (2000-4000 Yen) to get to where most people are going (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kanto Plain area). I have to be at Yokohama station at 7am to catch an 11am flight at Narita, and that's not to mention the 50,000 other people going through the train station at that hour. Same with immigration in and out. Could take minutes or hours going in and going out. If you want to go to Haneda or other major airport, plan on an expensive taxi ride or being smashed like a sardine into a sweaty train with 100's of other people.

As others have said ... the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Suv is here. It ain't goin' anywhere. It may not be all it's cracked up to be (no pun intended), but it's not all that bad either. Deal with it.

[dee123]

suvarnabhumi is a monster!

[jumnien]

Not so long ago Thailand attracted adventure tourists who saw Bangkok as a gateway to all of Southeast Asia. Now the typical traveller seems more concerned about the quality of the fixtures in the lavatories and lighting. Times change quickly.

Since when did the 'adventure' start at the airport?

These so call 'adventure tourists' would of previously used Don Muang which in my humble opinion was far more welcoming and far less daunting for the first time visit than Suvarnabhumi!

I'm sorry but if an adventure traveller can't handle Suwannabhumi airport, I really think he's going to have a tough time with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, let alone Nepal and India. People are becoming prima donnas I'm afraid.

[think_too_mut]

Suvarnabhumi has made it! Like Singapore or Hong Kong! Your bags are waiting on you!

But, by holding you up 50 minutes at the immigration counter.

My bag was even offloaded from the conveyer.

[wileycoyote]

Perhaps it might be worthwhile of making a Checklist of 5 points that could lead to improvement

Wiley Coyote

[KireB]

suvarnabhumi is a monster!

BS! It's a beautiful airport that just needs a finishing touch! This will happen when the management of AOT will have covered their behinds from accusations and malversations due to assumed corruptive behaviour! TIT!

[think_too_mut]

suvarnabhumi is a monster!

BS! It's a beautiful airport that just needs a finishing touch! This will happen when the management of AOT will have covered their behinds from accusations and malversations due to assumed corruptive behaviour! TIT!

That's wishful thinkig. Set aside with Singapore and Hong Kong, Suvarnabhumi is a toddler. With no prospect (not within 2-4 years term) to grow up.

Perhaps, never.

My dear poor BKK, so inferior that I am, as a foreigner, ashamed of it's airport. Shoddy service, touts and cheats right after the visitors enter the country.

There is only one chance to make the first impression.

[bendix]

I'd be interested to see the full list but i havent been able to find it. The OP is very vague - is the airport actually included in this year's survey at all?

Quote from bangkok post http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=120769

yes, i can read the freakin article, but let me ask again. Where did Suvarnabhumi rank? The article tells us nothing and, google as i might, i can see no full list. The article doesnt include a list and doesnt say where Bkk is placed.

So . . was it included in the rankings or not? In fact was it even surveyed, given its new status?

Edited August 10, 2007 by bendix

[moonhunt]

They may have nice new building there.

But I will be more concerned about people who manage it.

Like how long I have to wait in the line for immigration.

Or how they treat with people coming from different world.

Restroom and other things...

I can stand worse thing.

But bad treatment from immigration/customs? And long waiting? And all those solicitating people bothering me while walking out of airport? And ripping off people by unpredictable price for taxi and others ?

That's what I'm disappointed from BKK...

I think for those matters, I think BKK may not make into the top list unless they change their mind-set for how to manage Airport...

Bad facilities can be served better if people manage it efficiently...

It seems to me that people in BKK has their own mind for how to serve people from different world, and they are not consistent from that manner.

Probably leaning toward their own convenience and stick into their job security more than customer's convenience.

[tuky]

Suvarnabhumi Not Among The World’s Best

but its first among the world's worst - so there!

Must not get out much .... eh?

I can think of plenty as bad or worse, many in America & Europe where the facilities were ill-equipped to accommodate the new mandates of the large new "security" bureacracy.

The main airport in Burcharest Romania (OTP) is no picnic. Decent enough airport but half the "taxis" are extortion artists. A pre-arranged hired driver is almost mandatory to prevent hassles, getting ripped off, or driven into the gyspy section of town and robbed of everything.

Althought it's hopefully improved, Zurich (ZRH) was an absolute dump during renovations a few years ago. The LHR T1 and T3 zoos are well documented. Even AMS is a nice airport, but sometimes it is a 20-30 minute walk to a gate. Sometimes it is another 20-30 minutes to take off after pushing out from the gate.

Try sitting in a communal waiting area in Bahrain or Riyadh next to 1000 very malodorous human beings, knowing full well that as the only honkey in the joint no one gives two shats about you. I won't even get started on the taxi rides which can be a life threatening experience in and of themselves.

LAX, BOS, JFK and ORD are complete zoos, always chaotic even in the quiet times. At good luck trying to predict driving there on time during any rush-hour time. JFK and ORD do have mass transit which helps if you can catch that. And don't even get me started about the costs. Even many biz lounges charge for food & drink. Or one can always pay $15 USD for some nasty grease-burger and fries, and $5 and up for anything with alcohol. Immigration? Fuggettaboutit! Could take 10 minutes. Could take an hour.

NRT is a nice enough airport, but it is a 60-90 minute bus or train ride costing about (2000-4000 Yen) to get to where most people are going (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kanto Plain area). I have to be at Yokohama station at 7am to catch an 11am flight at Narita, and that's not to mention the 50,000 other people going through the train station at that hour. Same with immigration in and out. Could take minutes or hours going in and going out. If you want to go to Haneda or other major airport, plan on an expensive taxi ride or being smashed like a sardine into a sweaty train with 100's of other people.

As others have said ... the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Suv is here. It ain't goin' anywhere. It may not be all it's cracked up to be (no pun intended), but it's not all that bad either. Deal with it.

I agree mate, there are some shockers around. I don't care what the airport is like I am always just happy that I am home.

You soon get over the the long walk, long wait and the touts and before you know it you have forgotten the airport and are marveling at other stuff...mmmm breasts

[jingjingna]

London Heathrow is the worst in my opinion. Suvanarbhumi isn't fantastic either but who cares?

[chinthee]

Ok, here is the definitive int'l trip airport report, including taxis and all other elements (except outgoing immigration & baggage claim on arrival) This report also contains an in-depth look at First/Bus. Class travel on Thai in last paragraph. Departure from BKK Thurs. 9 August and arrival to BKK Sat. 11 Aug. Now, given these departure and arrival times, and given the class and airline of travel I would guess that this is just about as good as it gets at BKK.

Departure from BKK. Early 6:30AM departure. I usually drive and park in short term parking for short trips, but decided to test taxis once again to dispel any myths. Hailed a nice newer Toyota taxi (as most are) in my small residential soi off Sathorn after at most a 2 minute wait. 200Baht + 65 tolls + 100 tip (nice chat with driver). Check in was a snap with Thai Royal Silk class dedicated seated check-in, and dedicated immigration desks. (for this reason I can't report on regular immigration lines leaving BKK). The walk to the gate from immigration was as follows: 10 mins. To security checkpoint. 5 mins in security, 2 mins to gate. Total 17 mins to gate. The departure gate was E5, so this is not too far.

Arrival back to BKK. Early again 6:30AM arrival at gate F5. 8 minute walk to immigration. 4 people in my immigration line. Went through quickly, but saw lines starting to form for other foreigners. I had no check in baggage, so can't comment on that, but did want to check the AOT limo touts INSIDE customs at baggage claim. So, I strolled over to the busiest baggage turnstile looking for the nice lady with the clipboard. Shock. Nowhere to be found. So, I proceeded to customs, when I saw the HUGE round counter with a yellow banner spanning its circumference. In big black block letters it says TAXI. In much smaller type is says AOT Airport Limousine. But for all intents and purposes, this conveys the impression that this is the airport, tourism authority-sanctioned taxi information booth where one can get a "public taxi." Very misleading. Worse, the smiling ladies behind the counter were calling out to me in unison, Taxi, sir???, (sort of reminded me of walking past the tourist beer bars "where you go?") and at the same time, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted another clipboard lady attempting an intercept path, and I did a fancy juke and sidestep move as I said "no thanks."

So, I go through customs, and wonder what will await me outside the door. Well, to my surprise, the first thing that greets me is ANOTHER big AOT yellow banner counter "TAXI," with further catcalls from the girls. I continued walking intent on counting how many times and from whom I get hit up. After that it wasn't too bad. There was another lady with a green badged jacket of some sort, must be some sort of official taxi service, she tried, I gave her a quick left hook and she fell to the wayside. Finally, as I approached the escalator to go down to the public taxis there was a plain-clothed joker who attempted to step into my path, but rather than say anything, he just flipped his wrist and I caught a flash of some white paper in his hand, which I believe either said "taxi" or perhaps was a dirty picture. In any event, I took out his knees, then hurdled over the top of him, and continued downstairs. The public taxi counter was virtually EMPTY. (AOT grabbed most of them?) I told them quickly in Thai where I wanted to go and had my no-nonsense face on. I was quickly taken to a taxi, where the driver mumbled a few words and promptly flicked on the meter. He must have done 120 the whole way and I was home in 17 minutes! 200 fare + 50 airport tax + 50 tip for the fast ride. Anyway, they appear to have cleaned up a lot of the rogue taxis (or at least reduced them to deaf mutes holding cards), but at the same time, put big reinforcements of AOT touts in their place with big counters. If you can find the public taxis, no problems to report, and no long lines.

All-in-all, a very efficient trip out of and into BKK. No complaints at all, personally. Though, while I was breezing through the taxi stand, there was some farang family trying to work out the taxi situation, and not sure if they were being given any stories or not, but can't personally testify to any problems myself. I will say that this AOT taxi crap is shameless. I feel sorry for the first time travelers coming into BKK. They will mostly probably fall for the dual effort both inside and outside customs, as it is well organized and insistent. It appears almost like the TAT tourism authority-sanctioned information stand for taxis into the city. NOT GOOD.

Thai Airways Royal Silk class travel. I haven't discussed this much before, because it seems like some pretentious posters get their jollys by touting how proud they are to be traveling first and business class. Big f'ing deal. If someone else is paying (company expense), sure fly this way. If you're paying, unless it's a long haul flight, flying to a critical meeting, treating yourself & partner to a nice holiday, or redeye like I just took, it's wasted money.

Anyway, I've flown a number of times in and out of Suvarnabhumi on Thai, and on all classes of service. This week, I flew Royal Silk on a two class aircraft. I will say that if you are based in Thailand, and you do fly business class or higher, Thai is the absolute best service. Apart from being the first drop-off door at the airport, you get the dedicated check-in section, where you actually sit in a civilized private club setting, getting through check-in is a snap. Next, a few paces away, two private immigration officers await your VIP immigration check-out. Again, a snap. The best part of all this, is because you can count on a rapid check in and immigration experience, you don't have to arrive for your flight so early. I arrived only an hour before flight time, and still had time to wolf down some snacks and morning coffee in the club. Finally, not more than a few steps from there, you are descending the escalator to the Royal Orchid Club. The club is very nice, and though this club has the best location of any airport I've seen, the refreshments on offer and other facets fall short of my calling it the best club in Asia. In my opinion, the Pier, Cathay Pacific club in Hong Kong still has that distinction, hands down, with its private bars, good wines served by white-coated barmen, etc.. (no wines ever in Thai clubs) Anyway, what makes the Thai club so good is its fantastic location directly after your VIP check in and immigration treatment. Now, for ROP and Star Alliance Gold members, you can use the club, obviously, even if flying economy class, and there are also dedicated gold card check-in counters, but they are just regular counters, and not close to the First/Bus. Class section. However, after checking in there, and passing through normal immigration, you can easily walk back to the club. Of course, the other advantage of traveling this way is the early boarding, and for First/bus class, first disembarkation upon landing. I have to report that early boarding works very well for Thai. In other airlines, or at other remote airports, where they are not Thai staff, it can sometimes be spotty, but at BKK, it works well. In fact, rather than announce boarding for premium customers first, a staff member just quietly walks around with a nameboard leading all the premium passengers to board first. This works better than announcing boarding, because the barbarian hoards immediately crowd the gate and it gets ugly. As for priority baggage handling, the last few times I've checked in luggage, it continues to be spotty. Sometimes your bags are first off the plane, sometimes not.

In conclusion, things are getting better at BKK. It's mostly running pretty well. It's still not in the top 3 airports in Asia, and maybe never will reach 3rd, because of design errors (long walks - no trains), and public taxi placement/deception.

Oh, BTW, I'm going to post this in a couple of threads because there are multiple threads running on this. And, in response to whether the airport belongs in the top 10 world rankings?? No way. But it works adequately, and it's new and modern.

[Thaising]

I'd be interested to see the full list but i havent been able to find it. The OP is very vague - is the airport actually included in this year's survey at all?

Quote from bangkok post http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=120769

yes, i can read the freakin article, but let me ask again. Where did Suvarnabhumi rank? The article tells us nothing and, google as i might, i can see no full list. The article doesnt include a list and doesnt say where Bkk is placed.

So . . was it included in the rankings or not? In fact was it even surveyed, given its new status?

I suppose Suvarnabhumi airport was eliminated during the preliminary round, therefore nothing much was mention by skytrax, that’s why Bangkok post came out with their story on why the newest airport wasn't selected on the skytrax list. If you have any doubt on the survey, why not wrote to skytrax for further information to satisfy your quest.

[bendix]

Or, could it be that as a new airport it wasnt even surveyed because it hasnt been open long enough. I've googled the lists and nowhere does it show the airport as being ranked, yet the whole tenor of this thread is that the airport is so crap it doesnt justify a place in the list.

[Thaising]

Or, could it be that as a new airport it wasnt even surveyed because it hasnt been open long enough. I've googled the lists and nowhere does it show the airport as being ranked, yet the whole tenor of this thread is that the airport is so crap it doesnt justify a place in the list.

Well if this is the case, sing whatever you like

[jumnien]

When I moved here to Thailand, not so long ago, farmers were plowing the rice field behind water buffalo, then they started with stand-behind tractors, then most recently some, but not most, have moved to sit down tractors. This is Thailand, who expects this lovely country to have one of the ten top airports in the world?

[Mid]

Or, could it be that as a new airport it wasnt even surveyed because it hasnt been open long enough. I've googled the lists and nowhere does it show the airport as being ranked, yet the whole tenor of this thread is that the airport is so crap it doesnt justify a place in the list.

spanner is the works alert ..................

THAI Received Best First Class Lounge Award from Skytrax

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited received the Best First Class Lounge Award 2007 from Skytrax’s 2006/7 World Airline Survey. Mr. Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax survey organization, said, “THAI’s new Royal First Class Lounge at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has the most extensive choice of options to satisfy passenger demand, and combines these facilities with exclusive staff service attention to offer what our respondents name as the world’s Best.”

In addition, Skytrax awarded THAI second place under the Best Airline of the Year 2007 category, up from fourth place in 2006.

snip

etravelblackboard.com

it's not too much of a leap , to assume that since a lounge contained with-in the airport received an award , that the airport it's self was included in the judging and to steal your words ...........the airport is so crap it doesnt justify a place in the list