Thai Airport Reveals More Efficient Service At Suvarnabhumi

[Jai Dee]

Thai airport reveals more efficient service at Suvarnabhumi

Thai Airways Int'l Flying Officer Apinand Sum-na-sre-ra-nee <อภินันทน์ สุมนะเศรณี> revealed that services at the new Suvarnabhumi airport has improved greatly. Coordination between Thai Airways International and Thai Airport Ltd has been running smoothly. Most of the flight schedules, both arrival and departure, have been on time as well. Baggage claims also are on time. Sources at the airport said passengers would not have to wait too long for luggages to arrive at the terminal.

Head Committee at The Thai Airways International reported that at 01.00 am – 18.00 pm. 98 percent of the flight schedules were on time while 2 percent of the flights were delayed at 30 minutes, but none of the flights were delayede for more than an hour. There were no reports of delay on domestic flights.

Thai Airways also said that baggage claims were 90 percent on time while the remaining 10 percent took about 30 minutes before luggages arrive at the terminal.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 October 2006

[Crossy]

I think it's starting to sort itself out

Arrived 10:15 AM tuesday on SQ60 from Singapore, landed 5 minutes early a fact which was totally offset by the slow handling of the airbridges

Off the aircraft straight to immigration counters (we arrived at a gate right next to immigration, I was expecting a long walk), 20 minute queue. I can confirm that they now want to see your boarding pass.

Bags arrived in another 25 mins (mine were last out).

45 minutes after doors opened I was in a taxi (small queue) and on my way to my ever loving, bedroom aircon was on when I got home, but we are now heading in the direction of 'too much information'

[chechoie]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

I don’t know of any other airport immigration that needs to see this pass.

This is not something one would think to keep a hold of once you’ve boarded the plane, I mean that’s why it’s called a boarding pass isn’t it, to get you on the plane, not into the country.

So what happens if you’ve tossed it?

[Isabellla]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

I don’t know of any other airport immigration that needs to see this pass.

This is not something one would think to keep a hold of once you’ve boarded the plane, I mean that’s why it’s called a boarding pass isn’t it, to get you on the plane, not into the country.

So what happens if you’ve tossed it?

Melbourne Airport you need to show also

[george]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

The reason is that some people do their visa runs within the airport (via transit hall). Checking in, pass outbound immigration and just enter the arrivals and enter again through immigration without boarding their flight.

[britmaveric]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

The reason is that some people do their visa runs within the airport (via transit hall). Checking in, pass outbound immigration and just enter the arrivals and enter again through immigration without boarding their flight.

Never thought of that!!

[Plus]

But is it illegal?!?

[chechoie]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

The reason is that some people do their visa runs within the airport (via transit hall). Checking in, pass outbound immigration and just enter the arrivals and enter again through immigration without boarding their flight.

Well, riddle me this Batman.

Two years ago the TW and I where arriving from Singapore.

The wife heads to the Thai Passports Only immigration counter and the immigration officer starts giving her grief over not having her boarding pass.

The wife came and dragged me out of my immigration line to back her up.

She was well pissed off with this official because he could not or would not tell her why he needed to see the boarding pass.

Obviously a Thai doesn’t need to do a visa run.

Or am I missing something here.

Regrads,

Still Confused.

[meemiathai]

I have never heard of or done anything like having to show one's boarding pass to the immigration officer on arrivals anywhere in the world. Most people throw them away once they are on the plane, don't they?

We are not talking about arrivals here, are we?

[oblivious]

I have been asked for my boarding card many times on arrival in both Thailand and the UK, it is now usual.

[ovenman]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

The reason is that some people do their visa runs within the airport (via transit hall). Checking in, pass outbound immigration and just enter the arrivals and enter again through immigration without boarding their flight.

One would think that the allegedly omniscient immigrations computer would be able to detect this condition without an immigrations officer having to look at a boarding pass.

And let me chime in that I have never been asked by inbound immigrations to see a boarding pass in other country apart from Thailand. Even if there are a few other such examples scattered about the world, it's hardly the norm.

[marshbags]

Could it be another precautionary measure for screening purposes re security threats ?

I always save mine anyway as a back up for my luggage, just in case it goes missing as further proof i have actually flown.

I keep it with the tickets given at check in to identify my luggage and always have done.

It,s no problem so long as airlines advise passengers to retain the boarding pass for immigration if this is a requirement.

Imagine how many visitors coming in that aren,t aware of this, have left it on the airline, thrown it away or lost it

Then what are they going to do with the hold ups, especially at peak times.

Stay coolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, all the teething problems will be sorted eventually.

marshbags

[grahamb]

Could it be another precautionary measure for screening purposes re security threats ?

How does the boarding pass help security?

I always keep my boarding passes to make sure my airmiles post but Immigration didn't ask to see it when I arrived at Suvarnabhumi last Friday.

[Soju]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

The reason is that some people do their visa runs within the airport (via transit hall). Checking in, pass outbound immigration and just enter the arrivals and enter again through immigration without boarding their flight.

I was asked for my boarding pass when I arrived last week, but I assumed it was because they were checking the passenger manifest and that my boarding pass would allow them to quickly access the manifest for my particular flight. Of course that was just my gut feeling about why they were asking for it so you may very well be correct.

[meemiathai]

Could it be another precautionary measure for screening purposes re security threats ?

I always save mine anyway as a back up for my luggage, just in case it goes missing as further proof i have actually flown.

I keep it with the tickets given at check in to identify my luggage and always have done.

It,s no problem so long as airlines advise passengers to retain the boarding pass for immigration if this is a requirement.

Imagine how many visitors coming in that aren,t aware of this, have left it on the airline, thrown it away or lost it

Then what are they going to do with the hold ups, especially at peak times.

Stay coolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, all the teething problems will be sorted eventually.

marshbags

Exactly the point. Never been told to do so. Never in Don Muang had to show. Never anywhere in the world. Very wierd. Could someone here please clarify that this does not really happen?

[Soju]

Exactly the point. Never been told to do so. Never in Don Muang had to show. Never anywhere in the world. Very wierd. Could someone here please clarify that this does not really happen?

Yes, I can verify that you are asked to show your boarding pass. I had mine, so I showed it. Don't know what would happen if I'd lost it, or if I was travelling with my Thai wife and gave her my boarding pass to take with her to the Thai immigration line. Don't imagine though it would be too much of a problem. Probably just they'd ask you what flight you came in on. If they have access to the passenger manifest, they should be able to check on that to see that you were on the flight you say you were.

[ovenman]

Exactly the point. Never been told to do so. Never in Don Muang had to show. Never anywhere in the world. Very wierd. Could someone here please clarify that this does not really happen?

It does happen. Inbound immigrations was checking boarding passes consistently for a while at Don Muang, then they backed off from the requirement.

[Northpoint]

Exactly the point. Never been told to do so. Never in Don Muang had to show. Never anywhere in the world. Very wierd. Could someone here please clarify that this does not really happen?

It does happen. Inbound immigrations was checking boarding passes consistently for a while at Don Muang, then they backed off from the requirement.

I went from BKK (Don Muang) to Singapore with Jetstar a couple of weeks ago. A had all sorts of problems with a very officious Singaporean Immigration officer when I told her that I had left my boarding pass on the aircraft. It took a lot of talking and about 15 minutes before I was allowed past the Immigration check-point. That was the first time I hade been asked for my boarding pass when disembarking in 40 years of travelling by air.

[PeaceBlondie]

As someone mentioned, you may need to keep your boarding pass in case your FF mileage isn't recorded. THAI would not give me credit for flying from Vienna to BKK without the pass, so I lost the miles. Reasoning with them (like, you know I was in Vienna that morning, and in BKK that evening....) didn't help. My baggage was left in Vienna, and I had no visa to return with....bad day in Bangkok, coming "home" without FF miles, without my big suitcase, and with a VOA stamp..."but Khun Officer, I'm not a backpacker, really!"

It's easy to keep those little boarding pass stubs in your wallet.

[manjara]

...

It's easy to keep those little boarding pass stubs in your wallet.

I always keep my boarding pass, but, whenever BKK airport staff ask for it I always say I lost it.

It's such a stupid thing to ask for and can't possibly be a requirement for entry into the country. At Don Muang they usually asked for it as you were exiting the gangway from the plane!

My idea is that it should be as much hassle as possible for the staff to get the boarding pass out of me. I don't delay too long, if a queue forms behind me then I will 'find' the stub pretty quickly. Usually when it happens, and people start piling up, they just wave you through. At that point ask a further question about why it was needed and won't it be a problem later on.

Beleive me, if it involves argument and challenging people, Thais will pretty soon avoid doing it.

People power can beat this nonsense!

[marshbags]

Could it be another precautionary measure for screening purposes re security threats ?

How does the boarding pass help security?

I always keep my boarding passes to make sure my airmiles post but Immigration didn't ask to see it when I arrived at Suvarnabhumi last Friday.

How about cross checking your whereabouts in the airport after landing and.............................

Making sure all the passengers of a certain flight are accounted for and that you have actually left

the airport via the offficial channels.

In this case the Immigration check point.

eg 340 passengers on the flight = 340 boarding passes ticked off the manifest.

It doesn,t take much effort for a rogue passenger to be left wandering about and what they could possibly get up to.

It really is amazing how much harm they could cause in this sort of situation if left unchecked.

Regarding the new airport of course i,m not yet familiar with the arrival set up.

At the old D.Muang you could go up into departures via stairs and stay there for days unchallenged.

( In Transit )

Again i,m only offering another reason as to why maybe they want the boarding pass

Let us not forget the enviroment we all move about in these days.

marshbags

P.S.

Crossy in post 2 and Oblivious post 10 mentioned / confirmed they asked for boarding passes by the way, so as with visa applications always allow for the inconsistencies just in case.

Edited October 5, 2006 by marshbags

[meemiathai]

Well next time I will bring my birth certificate with me just in case. And better not throw away the newspapers they give out on the planes.

Does anyone know if I have to keep a spoon or a fork from the plane?

[STEELINOX]

"reported that at 01.00 am – 18.00 pm. 98 percent of the flight schedules were on time" So then it would be accurate to say that those numbers plummet after 18:00 which is if you note "happy hour!"

Thanks,

Randy

[IMA_FARANG]

Why would immigration want to see your boarding pass, any ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this and cannot imagine why this would be required.

I don’t know of any other airport immigration that needs to see this pass.

This is not something one would think to keep a hold of once you’ve boarded the plane, I mean that’s why it’s called a boarding pass isn’t it, to get you on the plane, not into the country.

So what happens if you’ve tossed it?

I was asked for boarding pass stub on arrival also. Immigration officer (female) just compared the flight number on it to what I had put down on my entrance card. Then she also looked at a list and told me that flight would be at carousel 10 for baggage pickup. By the time I arrived at #10, bags were already arriving. Less that 15 min after exiting plane, but then it was a 6 in the morning and not much arrival traffic at that time.

On another subject...took a taxi yesterday due to heavy rain. Anyhow, there was a sign in the taxi saying any cab leaving from the new airport willl have to pay the 50 baht surcharge. Also (as before) anyone using the tollway is going to have to pay the toll fee. Sign says passenger must pay.

Edited October 6, 2006 by IMA_FARANG

[guardian]

Ok, here's another version why the boarding pass might be required. Last month, my flight arrived in Don Muang Terminal 1. I was one of the first few passengers exiting the plane and I usually walk briskly. When exiting the plane and nearing immigration, there was no information as yet on whether to turn right or left for my particular flight. I decided to turn left, which would have directed me towards Terminal 2.

I usually show my passport, boarding pass, arrival card and ticket just so that I don't waste time with the officer demanding me to show this or that. Imagine my frustration, waiting behind a couple of passengers to be told that I cannot use this immigration and that I have to go to the immigration on terminal 1 as that was where my flight landed. So, probably they were using the boarding pass then to see whether you are in the right terminal or not. I don't see such a reason with the new airport.

Guardian