Suvarnabhumi A Disappointment

[peter991]

Source

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport has already earned an infamous name after only six months of operation. Problems such as cracked runways, sanitation problems and safety have plagued the USD$3 billion airport since it opened in September 2006, and to deal with this, the Bangkok Government has decided to reopen the quirky and much-loved Don Muang Airport.

Known for its random golf course between its runways, Don Muang Airport has run quickly and efficiently since it opened almost a century ago. It was thought that after such a long stint as one of Asia’s busiest hubs, Don Muang would take a break and go into retirement with the entry of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Suvarnabhumi Airport was expected to not only replace Don Muang’s role in the Asian aviation market but also expand on this reputation to make Bangkok the pre-eminent air hub of Southeast Asia.

Instead of doing this, Suvarnabhumi has drawn Don Muang back out of retirement to service many of Thailand’s domestic flights after complaints of overcrowding and to clear the airport to repair the cracks in the runway. Since then, only two LCCs have volunteered to move their operations back to Don Muang, along only with the support of Thai Airways who has moved some of their domestic flights back to the old airport.

This has caused much debate with many reasons flying through the air, almost all disagreeing with such a move by the government. One such persistent argument is the fact that travellers flying from international destinations may be difficulties making their transfers to domestic flights if they were all moved over to Don Muang. This is particularly relevant for a city that is notorious for its traffic jams.

As Thai Airways President Apinan Sumanaseni said: “There is a problem at Suvarnabhumi now because there are many passengers who want to make connections between international and domestic flights.” Such a problem has prompted Thai Airways to adjust its schedules to try to accommodate for passengers who did not want their flights to be moved from Suvarnabhumi.

Added to these problems is the fact that the new airport is nearing its 45 million passenger capacity – last year, more than 42 million people flew through Bangkok. This, along with the predicted complications from connections between the two airports, may mean that the government will most likely have to expand the Suvarnabhumi main terminal and create a low cost terminal quickly, swiftly and effectively. Actually, with a predicted expansion of 100 million passengers a year, the Thai Government better get cracking.

Peter

[jbowman1993]

[hkt83100]

One such persistent argument is the fact that travellers flying from international destinations may be difficulties making their transfers to domestic flights if they were all moved over to Don Muang. This is particularly relevant for a city that is notorious for its traffic jams.

My first flight from Germany to Viet Nam was Stuttgart-Paris-Saigon, arriving in Paris Orly, departing from Le Bourget. No problem there in the worst days of Paris traffic. It should work in Bangkok, too. Anyway, I am happy to fly from DMK again

[Khun Yak]

To me the greatest disappointment with the new airport is the even increased unefficiency of the immigration officers, which I remember quite anoing from Don Muang already but at the new airport they really do everything to get everybody angry.

The immigration area seemed to be as busy as I remember it from my last visit to LOS via Don Muang but this time (last weekend) they even topped that.

Having about 20 people in front of you usually means a waiting time of max 10 Minutes at any reasonable or even security alerted immigration - at Suvarnabhumi it means you have to wait at least 20 Minutes. The Officers now take so much time, reading through every single page of each and every passport, maybe trying to find some interesting recent journeys, it takes ages until you can finally claim your baggage which is circleing on the belt for at least 20 times already.

This anoyed me most about the airport that is btw nothing special in its appearance despite sometimes still looking like a construction site or not offering any standard you wouldn't find anywhere else.

I simply couldn't see any advantage so far.

KY

[brahmburgers]

I've designed a simple and relatively cheap plan for draining SUV swamp as much as the lay of the land allows. This post is mainly addressed to AOT, and I'm offering my design for free to them. Of course, it's too late to revamp the drainage system at SUV without breaking up the existing system - but if AOT ever plan building/expansion in the existing swamp (or another), my plan would probably be better (and cheaper) than others - and certainly would work a lot better than the existing system that's in place. It even has a provision for cleaning-out the drainage conduits. The main material (and main expense) needed for my system (other than the tarmac itself) is crushed rock, 3 feet deep.

I don't have a pedigree as an engineer, as am only a retired building contractor from California. AOT is welcome to contact me.

[Coolmen]

That Airport is a mess and build by the corrupt former government and the best thing to do close it down and make a funpark out of it, the only problem the very few toilets there, another sample of mai pen rai - returning from a trip to KL the difference are fantastic. KL my passport stamped within 15 seconds - with a 90 Day stay - effective Train to the City while his neighbors going forward the land of smile going backwards. Sad to say it but it looks like to retire to either Malaysia or Manila are the better option.