Huge queues at THAI counter at Bangkok airport

[RafPinto]

6 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Actually to add on, I doubt Thailand even has enough staff, if it did manage to get back 10 million + tourists out of nowhere. Starts at airports but the problem is in almost every industry and staying for years.

 

People need to make more babies, ASAP, and stop the woke stuff with fakeness on over population, there is shortages upcoming next. Otherwise it will be transhuman robots ruling over us with the elite.

 

My new bar will do free barfines if you intend to make a baby.

Or bring in "BritmanToo".
He get's it sorted quickly.

[Iamfalang]

this is why I tell my kids.

 

work smart, not hard, and buy a private jet.

 

they tell me they have a private jet in SIM City, Grand Theft Auto I, II, III, IV, V, VI....

 

make me proud, kids.   make me proud.  

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

Is there anything that works right in this country anymore? everything seems to be either too hard, too slow, not working too many changes or no information...

Have you seen the news of the past few months of UK airports ???

 

Not enough check in staff, not enough security, not enough baggage handlers ?

People unable to deplane (not enough ground staff)...  people abandoning their bags at the airport after waiting so long... 

 

It's all the combination of Covid and Low Air fares.... 

 

Loads of people have been laid off after furlough.. (in the UK), many of those who haven’t have not returned to work because they have Covid-19 - skeleton crews are operating. 

 

Cheap flights mean the airports are not getting the same amount of money to employ staff. 

Bags are being carried through security casing massive bottle necks. 

Check-in bags may not make a flight or may take an age to arrive on the carousel. 

 

Its almost the perfect storm. 

 

What happened in Suvarnabumi ? - perfect storm????  Someone didn’t predict the number of flights, capacity of flights vs amount of check-in staff needed ???

 

 

I’ve been in and out of the airport numerous times over the past few months - its never bene crazy busy at the article suggest.

 

Additionally, was this lady ‘over reacting’ somewhat ?? ’the stress gave her a migraine’ I sense an element of melodrama.....

 

 

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

Well, there are some things in life to be thankful for. During the two years of the pandemic I feel I've become too old now to enjoy international travel so the positive is that I miss out on the airport queues that are happening all over the world. The NE to Bangkok is as much as I want to endure.

But anyone know how Dubai is coping with things? They usually run everything like clockwork so I imagine that is still the case and they aren't asking people to show up to spend longer at the airport than on their planes.

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

it's prohibited items in outgoing passenger's hand luggage that's causing most problems.

Yes, an ever lasting gift from the religion of peace

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Well, there are some things in life to be thankful for. During the two years of the pandemic I feel I've become too old now to enjoy international travel so the positive is that I miss out on the airport queues that are happening all over the world. The NE to Bangkok is as much as I want to endure.

But anyone know how Dubai is coping with things? They usually run everything like clockwork so I imagine that is still the case and they aren't asking people to show up to spend longer at the airport than on their planes.

Can’t answer about Dubai... But Qatar Airways transferred my bags within 40mins a couple of weeks ago. 

 

I was supposed to have a 1hr 15 min layover. flight from BKK was 30 mins late. 

I walked off one flight, straight onto another.  Wheels touching tarmac to bum on seat of next flight 35ms. Gate staff assured me that my check-in bag would make it (I figured BS, no chance), I was surprised to see my baggage upon arrival. 

 

It can be done and it can be done well (any business), but when staff are entitled and want to go on strike for more pay (i.e. UK) after being paid for 2 years while not working, or while ineffective people are employed in positions of decision making because of their connections etc then we will continue to see these sorts of failures. 

 

Dubai Airport?... I imagine its very busy, but as always runs like clockwork.

[phetphet]

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

5 hours ahead recommended, what a farce. Call in more workers or get the CEO and upper muckey mucks to man a counter....

Staff cuts for bankruptcy and surge in numbers travelling have probably combined to cause these delays.

[Peterphuket]

7 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Same issue in Amsterdam, people have to wait like 4+ hours to checkin, rows starting outside, now forced to only have 1 piece of luggage as everyone wants hand luggage costing much more time for security screening procedures too. The entire reason in general being shortage of workers they laid off before covid + paying bad.

 

Will contribute together with higher energy cost to very little tourism recovery, I suspect. Unless Chinese all go with mass tours again, I don't miss them.

 

People might think covid is over but all the ripple effects just start to take place now, and long from over. Personally hope TH focuses on ganja hemp products and more + only '10-15 million' tourists a year forever. Way better, very few liked it during the outmost peaks in 2015-2016 etc with hitting like '40 million'. 

Even the numbers might be arrivals in reality, whatever the real number is, it was too much at the peak years.

In the Netherlands, I'll understand pay peanuts, get monkeys but in Thailand there must be enough people for a security job, and they always get paid peanuts.

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

How is there a Thai check-in?  Wouldn't Thai and foreign passengers check-in at the same place?

2 years ago it was true with Thai at Honk Kong airport, Thai allowed, foreigners get a middle finger.

I'll still waiting for my money back....

[PETERTHEEATER]

I checked in (with wife) at Swampy Thai Airlines desk at 2150 on 31 MAY 22 for TG 910 to LHR. The queue at the Thai check-in was hundreds. It soon became clear that Thai are operating an 'any checkin desk for any Thai flight' policy. Then started the up and down queue shuffle until, after 90 minutes we got to the front. Only six desks manned. Check in itself uneventful  and efficient.

Security flagged my carry-on for inspection. Female security office nearly 6 feet tall (!) made me open the case and  she pulledout a tube of toothpaste in unopened carton. Clearly the object seen on their X-Ray scanner. Made me open the carton and unscrew the cap when she checked the contents as 'OK'

As usual, bottled drinks are not permitted and security will confiscate them so that the rip-off shops airside can charge double for replacements.

Flight was delayed almost an hour with no explanation. Eventually departed close to 0200. Arrived LHR fifty minutes late then when into the holding pattern for twenty minutes queing for a landing slot.

Assigned a distant gate so fifteen minute walk to Immigration only to find that for 'UK Passports only' there was a queue of hundreds crawling in the laid out up-and-down single lane.Took ninety odd minutes to get to an actual IO desk where the very pleasant officer welcomed us back to UK ????

Baggage carousel was near empty and I grabbed two of my five pieces off the belt. Then spent several rounds on foot looking for the missing items all of which I located in baggage which had been pulled off the belt and tossed in heaps

Prepared myself for hassle at Customs but the 'Green' exit was unmanned and clear and we breezed through......

I can remember when International air travel was a pleasure yet now it is a PITA and I am too old.????

[The Fugitive]

7 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

I checked in (with wife) at Swampy Thai Airlines desk at 2150 on 31 MAY 22 for TG 910 to LHR. The queue at the Thai check-in was hundreds. It soon became clear that Thai are operating an 'any checkin desk for any Thai flight' policy. Then started the up and down queue shuffle until, after 90 minutes we got to the front. Only six desks manned. Check in itself uneventful  and efficient.

Security flagged my carry-on for inspection. Female security office nearly 6 feet tall (!) made me open the case and  she pulledout a tube of toothpaste in unopened carton. Clearly the object seen on their X-Ray scanner. Made me open the carton and unscrew the cap when she checked the contents as 'OK'

As usual, bottled drinks are not permitted and security will confiscate them so that the rip-off shops airside can charge double for replacements.

Flight was delayed almost an hour with no explanation. Eventually departed close to 0200. Arrived LHR fifty minutes late then when into the holding pattern for twenty minutes queing for a landing slot.

Assigned a distant gate so fifteen minute walk to Immigration only to find that for 'UK Passports only' there was a queue of hundreds crawling in the laid out up-and-down single lane.Took ninety odd minutes to get to an actual IO desk where the very pleasant officer welcomed us back to UK ????

Baggage carousel was near empty and I grabbed two of my five pieces off the belt. Then spent several rounds on foot looking for the missing items all of which I located in baggage which had been pulled off the belt and tossed in heaps

Prepared myself for hassle at Customs but the 'Green' exit was unmanned and clear and we breezed through......

I can remember when International air travel was a pleasure yet now it is a PITA and I am too old.????

Thanks for the factual and balanced report. As regards toothpaste, I never chanced taking any in my carry on bag, always put it in the hold. I found out that it is OK, the clue is in the name 'paste' and not liquid. Interestingly, it appears that X-Ray cannot tell the difference though? Or maybe it can and they've changed some settings (or their procedures).  

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

That's good to know. Does check-in at Changi Airport accept Thailand's Mor Prom app for vaccination verification? (Singapore will be my stopover on the way to Oz, but I'm planning to check out the city too.)

No, you need to get your vaccination status verified online before you arrive.

https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/STO1/VCP

Enter your details, upload the QR code of your third vaccine shot, then you will be emailed a letter confirming your vaccination status that you present to immigration in Singapore.

[SatEng]

In February I flew to Singapore for a meeting - TG403 out and TG 410 back on both occasions

In February it was still a travel lane system and only this flight per day - there were only 10 passengers on the lane there and back

Same flight this week and the plane was completely full - also long queues at Singapore for the other flights

It seems it is recovering quicker than people thought and catching out the airlines and airports with lack of staff

 

 

[DFPhuket]

In the past 6 weeks I've flown internationally from Phuket and back to South Africa (Qatar), Ho Chi Minh City (Singapore Air) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian). The check in was normal for all outbound flights, and the returns were also the same as pre-Covid - well Johannesburg was slow but it's always been that way. 

 

I've also flew Phuket/Bangkok with only carry on luggage and was able to do online check in and go straight through security without stopping at the desk with Thai Smile and Bangkok Airways - so no concerns about carry on bag weights. The only airline that seems to require everyone to stop at the desk for domestic flights (even if you don't have checked bags) is VietJet. I think that's so they can weigh carry ons and charge you if you're over 7 kg. While they are often the cheapest, I'll pay a few hundred baht more to avoid the hassle. 

 

 

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/01/ba-and-easyjet-cancel-more-than-150-flights-as-travel-chaos-continues

 

We do chaos, disorder and bad service much  better in UK! Especially  Manchester  Airport!

This was the sight that greeted me at Heathrow when I arrived a couple of weeks ago.  Took 90 minutes to get through and I am a UK citizen and flew business class!  It was horrendous and I got told off for taking a photo of it by security!

 

Would be waaaay more efficient at Suvarnabhumi - I'll be able to compare next week when I come back.

 

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

showed the full extent of the misery facing outbound travellers

All desperate to escape the Covid-19 paranoia of the Thai Government to "pastures new"???

Edited June 4, 2022 by Burma Bill
additional information

[josephbloggs]

8 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

This is bad news. Flying out in September. I don't care about THAI, as, due to very bad experience, I won't ever fly with them again, but, I guess, I'll bite the bullet and prepare on spending half a day at the airport, one way or another. Wondering how this even works, do they open check-in 5 or 6 hours before a flight now?

Thai Air check-in is open all the time.

[StayinThailand2much]

5 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Thai Air check-in is open all the time.

Interesting. Before the pandemic, airlines usually just let you check-in 2 or 2.5 hours before departure. But of course, that wouldn't make sense these days.

Edited June 4, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[The Hammer2021]

11 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

All desperate to escape the Covid-19 paranoia of the Thai Government to "pastures new"???

Probably  not -

[PJ71]

8 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Great to see they're getting full pax loads at last

Only due to reduction in flights.

[Robin]

Probably no-one dares to post anything about the lines at Immigration

[PETERTHEEATER]

26 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

This was the sight that greeted me at Heathrow when I arrived a couple of weeks ago.  Took 90 minutes to get through and I am a UK citizen and flew business class!  It was horrendous and I got told off for taking a photo of it by security!

 

Would be waaaay more efficient at Suvarnabhumi - I'll be able to compare next week when I come back.

 

What youre image shows is the second 'queue' room. Prior to that is another laid out in the 'up and down' lane pattern giving a total potential queue length of hundreds! The door (top right) of your image is the 'exit' leading into a third room with yet more 'up and 'down' control before reaching the 'end' for release to the frustrating 'robot machines' or manned IO desks. Incidentally, when I went through there were a dozen or so IO Desks but only four manned!

[Orinoco]

8 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

The guy's saying check with your airline in advance. As you say though, will security be in agreement? Reading about my home airport (Ringway, Manchester U.K.) it's prohibited items in outgoing passenger's hand luggage that's causing most problems.

Bs, It's under staffing.

[josephbloggs]

56 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

What youre image shows is the second 'queue' room. Prior to that is another laid out in the 'up and down' lane pattern giving a total potential queue length of hundreds! The door (top right) of your image is the 'exit' leading into a third room with yet more 'up and 'down' control before reaching the 'end' for release to the frustrating 'robot machines' or manned IO desks. Incidentally, when I went through there were a dozen or so IO Desks but only four manned!

Yep. I hadn't arrived in terminal 2 before. Already done the horrendous up and down, thought I was nearly there then turned the corner and saw that! 

[peter zwart]

10 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Same issue in Amsterdam, people have to wait like 4+ hours to checkin, rows starting outside, now forced to only have 1 piece of luggage as everyone wants hand luggage costing much more time for security screening procedures too. The entire reason in general being shortage of workers they laid off before covid + paying bad.

 

Will contribute together with higher energy cost to very little tourism recovery, I suspect. Unless Chinese all go with mass tours again, I don't miss them.

 

People might think covid is over but all the ripple effects just start to take place now, and long from over. Personally hope TH focuses on ganja hemp products and more + only '10-15 million' tourists a year forever. Way better, very few liked it during the outmost peaks in 2015-2016 etc with hitting like '40 million'. 

Even the numbers might be arrivals in reality, whatever the real number is, it was too much at the peak years.

And that all because this Covid nonsense. Still can not believe it. The World has lost it.

[dj230]

One look at airplane tickets and you could tell it was going to be extremely busy, plane tickets marked up 5-10x higher. 
 

a one way $600 plane ticket turned to $5000 (economy) to Canada from bangkok 

[LukKrueng]

12 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Damn, I was planning to take a few for my hiking holidays in Oz and NZ (where there are no sockets). Guess, instead of relying on my phone, I'll have to buy a couple old-school maps there. - Welcome to the early 1990s...

 

Power banks were no issue before the pandemic. Why now?

Just flew 1 domestic to BKK and international from there late last month. No problem with my power bank

[LukKrueng]

2 hours ago, dj230 said:

One look at airplane tickets and you could tell it was going to be extremely busy, plane tickets marked up 5-10x higher. 
 

a one way $600 plane ticket turned to $5000 (economy) to Canada from bangkok 

Ummmm, actually increasing prices by x5 - X10 would reduce travelers and solve long queues IMO...

[tjintx]

12 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

That's good. But has security check staff at Suvarnabhumi read the article, too? Also, how to know how many I can take with me? Just one, or is two or three still okay?

TSA in the US simply states the restrictions in-cabin to 100 Watts per Hour (WH).   I have two pretty solid batteries at 10,000 mAh and 13,000 mAh and that only equates to 37WH and 48.1WH respectively.   I suspect most batteries that folks buy are under the restriction.

 

Source:  Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours | Transportation Security Administration (tsa.gov)

Edited June 4, 2022 by tjintx

[GrandPapillon]

Thailand not ready for a return to international tourism,

 

I assume all these people were mostly Thai, too happy to leave their "COVID prison" of the last 6 months to "normal" countries ????

 

not looking good for the summer, soon we will be wishing for a return to COVID ban on international travel ????