Phuket airport GM addresses hours-long queues

[snoop1130]

Phuket airport GM addresses hours-long queues

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET:-- Phuket International Airport General Manager Petch Chancharoen told The Phuket News today (Feb 6) that Airports of Thailand (AoT) are in the process of resolving long departure queues, which they say have been brought on due to a shortage of immigration officials, after claims from some passengers that they waited over three hours in queues yesterday (Feb 5).

 

“The first solution to the long queues is that we are going to extend the shifts of our current immigration officials. For example, someone who usually finishes their shift at 9pm may have to extend their shift until 10pm so that there are always officials working.

 

“We are preparing to welcome many tourists during the Chinese New Year. For this period, we will hopefully transfer over 200 staff temporarily from Suvarnabhumi Airport. That is about 200 in total, for every department,” said Mr Petch.

 

Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-airport-gm-addresses-hours-long-queues-65868.php#5wHrsvYjdLmEwlrC.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-2-6

[darksidedog]

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“We are preparing to welcome many tourists during the Chinese New Year. For this period, we will hopefully transfer over 200 staff temporarily from Suvarnabhumi Airport. That is about 200 in total, for every department,” said Mr Petch.

I praise the Lord I am not traveling through Suvarnabhumi in the next two weeks then!

Queues there can be awful at the best of times too. Nick half their staff at the busiest week of the year and I do not seeing things being pleasant! Or swift!

[edwinchester]

If only 'high season' didn't creep up unnoticed every year.

[the guest]

Have you been to Heathrow (London) lately, the queues there are just as bad !

[Deli]

Efficiency is an unknown word to these guys. 

[darksidedog]

21 minutes ago, the guest said:

Have you been to Heathrow (London) lately, the queues there are just as bad !

Actually, I flew into Heathrow on Christmas Eve. Much to my pleasant surprise, I was through immigration in less than 10 minutes. They have introduced an electronic system for UK passport holders, so extremely efficient. The queue for the ROTW wasn't too bad either. Probably less than half an hour.

The problem in Thailand is that they don't seem to pay enough attention to key periods when multiple flights arrive in a short space of time. Whenever there are horrible queues you will note many of the immigration desks are unattended, while Heathrow had every single one open.

[1337markus]

He should blame it on TAT for attracting tourists here when we dont have the infrastructure.

[steelepulse]

I have cut down on my travels outside of TH due to the heavy traffic getting to the airport, and the long immigration queues once at the airport.  

 

I always wonder why only half of immigration counters are open and then as to why each IO feels they need to keep you hostage for 3-4 minutes per pax while they thumb through the passport.  To rub salt into the wounds, I normally see quite a few IO's hanging out over on the side checking their phones and BS's with each other.  Surely they can't always be on a break every time I arrive at the airport.

[sebastion]

How hard is it to employ some rubber stampers?

The nepotism is so rife in all government departments they dont have enough family and friends to give these jobs too so they never have enough staff.

 

They never bring outsiders in to these jobs because they might not be up to speed on the "rackets" in place.

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[terry Meltham]

45 minutes ago, the guest said:

Have you been to Heathrow (London) lately, the queues there are just as bad !

Not so last December through terminal 3 in 15 mins

[eddie61]

I queued 1 hr and 45 minutes last week at immigration coming back in. No fun at all..... god knows what it will be like during CNY.

[madmitch]

“For this, I request a bit of time to resolve this issue. But I would like to note that passengers spend an average of only 45 seconds at the counter each,” he said.

 

Maybe at the Thai counter but I'd guess that a pretty low estimate for most international passengers.

 

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

we will hopefully transfer over 200 staff temporarily from Suvarnabhumi Airport. That is about 200 in total, for every department,” said Mr Petch.

So it's not just Immigration staff, they are bringing cover for all departments. That could mean an extra 20 people working in the staff canteen!

 

[huuwi]

oh where are the wonderfull times when you get true the immigration counter in a couple minutes with 200.-baht sticking in your passport.

forgot, to many complains from all this foreigners about bribery.

enjoy your 2-3 hours waiting for your stamp.

Edited February 7, 2018 by huuwi

[orchis]

actually the shortage is due to staff only showing up to register workplace presence (clocking in), then going off to make a second salary somewhere else.

[klauskunkel]

And here I thought he was going to actually address the queues:

 

Hello, Hours-long Queues of Foreign People,

we brought you some buckets for your immediate needs, and later we will have a sideline show of Thai dance to your left and right to pass the time faster, followed by some BINGO: the winner can go to the front of the queue! Enjoy.

[Psimbo]

"We will create more space on the third floor of the International terminal where people can relax, with restaurants to eat."
 

Ahh- so it's about causing delays to maximise profits. That was a foolish comment!

[NamKangMan]

 

"we will hopefully transfer over 200 staff temporarily from Suvarnabhumi Airport." - 190 of which will be "managers" having a free holiday on Phuket, whilst supervising only 10 "workers." 

[ChrisY1]

On 2/7/2018 at 8:12 AM, the guest said:

Have you been to Heathrow (London) lately, the queues there are just as bad !

But that's the UK....always behind and going downhill rapidly.

[Guest]

I just came through the Phuket immigration. It took 5 minutes for me. Super fast service this time. Lots of counters open. I didn't count, but I'd say about 10. 

 

 

[steelepulse]

9 hours ago, oilinki said:

I just came through the Phuket immigration. It took 5 minutes for me. Super fast service this time. Lots of counters open. I didn't count, but I'd say about 10. 

 

 

Nice, you got very lucky.  A few days before I fly, I check flights arriving an hour before my scheduled arrival time to determine if I want to risk a long queue, or spend the extra money for fast track.  

[merijn]

10 hours ago, oilinki said:

I just came through the Phuket immigration. It took 5 minutes for me. Super fast service this time. Lots of counters open. I didn't count, but I'd say about 10. 

 

 

How late was that ?

If people would include the time of the day with their experience this would be very beneficial.

 

[1337markus]

10 hours ago, oilinki said:

I just came through the Phuket immigration. It took 5 minutes for me. Super fast service this time. Lots of counters open. I didn't count, but I'd say about 10. 

 

 

Singapore and Dubai airports undercuts this super fast service consistently every day. And if you want to quote a developing nation, Conakry airport, Guinea, West Africa has banished country entry form (TM6 equivalent)  and the fingerprinting process, took me 30 seconds to clear immigration.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, merijn said:

How late was that ?

If people would include the time of the day with their experience this would be very beneficial.

 

Landing to Phuket was around 19:00. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, 1337markus said:

Singapore and Dubai airports undercuts this super fast service consistently every day. And if you want to quote a developing nation, Conakry airport, Guinea, West Africa has banished country entry form (TM6 equivalent)  and the fingerprinting process, took me 30 seconds to clear immigration.

Kind of funny as both going inside to Singapore and going out took 2-4 times longer in Singapore than in Thailand. 

 

I was a bit worried when reading the news of long queues and was relieved to get through so fast.

 

This round went to Phuket. 

 

The new international terminal looks nice. 

 

 

 

[the guest]

On 2018-02-07 at 8:40 AM, darksidedog said:

Actually, I flew into Heathrow on Christmas Eve. Much to my pleasant surprise, I was through immigration in less than 10 minutes. They have introduced an electronic system for UK passport holders, so extremely efficient. The queue for the ROTW wasn't too bad either. Probably less than half an hour.

The problem in Thailand is that they don't seem to pay enough attention to key periods when multiple flights arrive in a short space of time. Whenever there are horrible queues you will note many of the immigration desks are unattended, while Heathrow had every single one open.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/25/british-airways-attacks-home-office-dreadful-immigration-queues/