Suvarnabhumi: The World's Most Uncomfortable Airport

[Tinkelbell]

quoted.........."Some complain about the sun/heat while others complain about the darkness and dreariness, go figure."

My flight (from US) arrived SUV a/p closed to midnight. Walking through the walkways on the way to the immigration. I was quite sad to see how this infrastructure was being built at the cost of over 2 billion bahts of tax payers. Yet it doesn't look worth half of that exorbitant budget. Rows of plastic chairs in the passenger lounges, everywhere the light was so dim which remindes you of city morgue or a hopital hallway. Comming from new-gleaming-gigantic Incheon a/p (where I had 2 hours overlayed earlier), SUV was a real chocked and let down.

Two weeks later, around early afternoon I was back to SUV again for the flight to China. Having lunch at one of the restaurant near my gate, the sun shone brightly through the glass roof, made the area where passengers were scattering around eating or drinking in cafes feel like they were in a furnace.

SUV still have a long way to go to join the ranks of world class hubs.

[cdnvic]

I remember in 1999 waiting 3 days to get a flight out of Lukla airport when I was waiting out on the tarmac, I mean mud, the plane coming in before mine slammed into the runway destroying itself in the process. It another day to pull the plane off the runway with yaks and locals and push it into a ravine. I really don't think the amenities at this Nepalese aerodrome were superior to those at Suwannabhumi. I don't recall a Starbucks conveniently located 200 feet from where I park my car like here in Thailand.

If you need to bring up airports with mud aprons that use yaks as runway equipment to make us feel better about Suvarnabhumi, doesn't that say something?

[lazeeboy]

I've got ~ 30 arrivals/departures from Suvarnabhumi. Mostly international departures and arrivals, with maybe 8 domestic hops. I flew out the first day. I like just about everything about the new airport, it serves my purposes well. Departing, I spend my time in one of the nice TG lounges (good coffee, plenty of toilets) and then get to the gate area as the aircraft boarding has begun. Upon arrival, I clear immigration/customs and get a taxi home. What's the big deal? It's an airport not my home. Maybe it's not quite as nice as Changi (SIN) but I think it's on par with or better than KUL, NRT, HKG, MUC, DEN (all newish airports, or add-ons in the case of NRT and MUC) and certainly better than older, more established hubs like CDG/LHR/FRA/JFK/ORD/SFO/LAX. Some complain about the sun/heat while others complain about the darkness and dreariness, go figure.

I find it quite comfortable.

I agree...I have about 20 arrivals/departures so far (all international--no domestic connections).... it serves my purposes very well....but it will be nice when a high speed rail link finishes....the premium TG departure Rows A & B (and fast lane immigration desks) are great! I havent tried the Star Gold check-in at Row H? but I heard that particular check-in can get crowded because of all the golds from other Star airlines like United, Luthansa etc...

The five TG business lounges are OK, but it would be nice if they had more internet terminals (and if they changed caterers)....... I havent checked the promised entertainment zones on Concourse G...anyone know if that area has opened??

but the main TG First Class lounge is very nice (plus a stop in the free TG Spa lounge across the hall for complimentary massages is excellent to put you in a relaxed mood for the flight).... (I dont shop at King Power duty free shops, so that doesnt bother me at all)....the other lounges like Cathay Pacific's are fine (although the food is a bit limited if compared to HK's homebase lounges)....even the private lounges like the CIP lounges are fine to kick back with a glss of whisky (you can get in free with a Priority Pass card, which they give you for free with a local Central Dept store Mastercard) ...

I never have a problem with incoming immigration because I just join the Thai line (because I have a PR book now).....if you happen to fly First class, they will put you in the diplomatic line (if there is any line at all at other immigration counters).....baggage claim is still a bit slow, but ALOT better than before....I don't have any problems with the taxis or touts...

I enjoy Bangkok's airport more than Singapore's Changi actually...the lounges at Changi (even First class) are WAAY too crowded.... BKK's experience is about the same for me as HK's airport, but I actually buy things in HK's airport from time to time (and HK's intra-airport tram is great)....KL's airport is OK and their homebase lounge for Malaysia Air is great! (but the distance to the city is ridiculous) .....I rate the top airports in Asia generally higher than the ones in North America or Europe...(lets not even mention the ones in Africa or South America).....

BKK airport has had more than its share of problems, but overall for me its been fine.....departures great! arrivals fast....that's all I want....

nothing wrong with the airport in my opinion ,only flown with bangkok air though ,they have one of the most comfortable departure lounges i,ve been in ,coffee free snacks ,papers,internet,nice seats ..

[danone]

nothing wrong with the airport in my opinion ,only flown with bangkok air though ,they have one of the most comfortable departure lounges i,ve been in ,coffee free snacks ,papers,internet,nice seats ..

yep, they spent a lot of money for their lounges.

other lounges are for biz-class-travellers.

a minority.

for rucksack-tourists, as i am one and my family and friends are, it is not a nice experience to wait in those hard cold chairs in the boarding gates.

one would have to replan the whole passenger functionality for the whole airport.

changi will continue to pocket the airport awards. no chance whatsoever for current suvarnabhumi.

[Johpa]

nothing wrong with the airport in my opinion ,only flown with bangkok air though ,they have one of the most comfortable departure lounges i,ve been in ,coffee free snacks ,papers,internet,nice seats ..

Ah yes, well that is the issue now, public money spent to insure the comfort of the cao nais and their neo-sahib counterparts who are maybe 10% of the passengers using the facility, and yet scarcely pennies spent for the minimal needs and comforts, including restroom facilities, of the other 95% of the traveling public.

[wpcoe]

Ah yes, well that is the issue now, public money spent to insure the comfort of the cao nais and their neo-sahib counterparts who are maybe 10% of the passengers using the facility, and yet scarcely pennies spent for the minimal needs and comforts, including restroom facilities, of the other 95% of the traveling public.

Absolutely. (Ditto for Danone's post above, too.)

I am merely a member of the poor unwashed farang masses who travel without the benefit of an airline elite club membership nor am I entitled entry to the First and Business Class lounges, where the truly worthy people can relax in comfort. I accept my humble plight now with full recognition that we are not to complain about the perceived inadequacies of this marvelous airport built with billions of baht of public funds. Truly this IS Thailand and we are NOT to expect equal treatment and facilities with the extraordinarily gifted travelers who, although in the minority, are entitled to comfort and convenience at an international airport.

My forgiveness is humbly sought for ever even alluding to the lessened comfort and convenience that we mere plebes experience. Perhaps I could donate to some fund to help massage the egos of those that experience enhanced treatment and service at the airport for even breaching the topic and perhaps disturbing your complimentary coffee, snacks and WiFi internet service as you rest in comfortable chairs?

[UnknownPoster]

If you are King Power or a Limo Tout or a AOT Official lining your pockets, then the new airport is just perfect.You think these people care about Thailand and its reputation?

Screw over every single person walking thru the door seems to be the policy.

(OK this is where Bendix steps in, says the Airport is great and anybody that disagrees with him should go home...)

Edited August 27, 2007 by UnknownPoster

[lomatopo]

Ah yes, well that is the issue now, public money spent to insure the comfort of the cao nais and their neo-sahib counterparts who are maybe 10% of the passengers using the facility, and yet scarcely pennies spent for the minimal needs and comforts, including restroom facilities, of the other 95% of the traveling public.

Absolutely. (Ditto for Danone's post above, too.)

I am merely a member of the poor unwashed farang masses who travel without the benefit of an airline elite club membership nor am I entitled entry to the First and Business Class lounges, where the truly worthy people can relax in comfort. I accept my humble plight now with full recognition that we are not to complain about the perceived inadequacies of this marvelous airport built with billions of baht of public funds. Truly this IS Thailand and we are NOT to expect equal treatment and facilities with the extraordinarily gifted travelers who, although in the minority, are entitled to comfort and convenience at an international airport.

My forgiveness is humbly sought for ever even alluding to the lessened comfort and convenience that we mere plebes experience. Perhaps I could donate to some fund to help massage the egos of those that experience enhanced treatment and service at the airport for even breaching the topic and perhaps disturbing your complimentary coffee, snacks and WiFi internet service as you rest in comfortable chairs?

Just about every major carrier in every major airport offers lounge service for first and business class passengers as well as paying members (in some case). This is not unique to Thailand. You could of course purchase a business or first class ticket were you to wish to enjoy lounge facilities. You are always free to complain about anything you want, including the new airport. The fact that some find it adequate, or even outstanding, should not make you feel like you can't voice your complaints, nor should you belittle them for their position.

Most airports are built with public funds for all sorts of travelers, extraordinarily gifted or otherwise. If you have funds to donate those might otherwise be used to purchase a higher class of service ticket?

Even if I couldn't use a lounge (I mostly purchase economy class tickets and then use complimentary, earned upgrades to get into business class and thus have lounge access) I would still like and appreciate the new airport.

[danone]

thats right, it is the individual right and duty of every airline to provide special lounges to its higher class passengers.

but again though: in old changi even as an economy class traveller i got access to comfortable chairs, internet and lounges. and, as said, i can buy a sandwich for what its worth.

the whole point of this discussion is this one: thailand miserably failed in providing a state-of-the-art airport.

all the planners were concerned about was glimmer and prestige with the biggest check-in terminal and the highest control tower and the most expensive this and the silliest that ...

these achievements dont bring me nothing. i want to travel in ease, and suvarnabhumi doesnt allow that. what i like though is the proximity of the car parks, now that is a real plus.

[nothingleftbutfaith]

thats right, it is the individual right and duty of every airline to provide special lounges to its higher class passengers.

but again though: in old changi even as an economy class traveller i got access to comfortable chairs, internet and lounges. and, as said, i can buy a sandwich for what its worth.

the whole point of this discussion is this one: thailand miserably failed in providing a state-of-the-art airport.

all the planners were concerned about was glimmer and prestige with the biggest check-in terminal and the highest control tower and the most expensive this and the silliest that ...

these achievements dont bring me nothing. i want to travel in ease, and suvarnabhumi doesnt allow that. what i like though is the proximity of the car parks, now that is a real plus.

Spot on Danone.

I have travelled in and out of BKK over 40 times since its opening and all I can say is that it is acceptable , at best, if you are lucky enough to travel biz or 1st class ( as I am) .

It is a monument to the ravages of corruption in a country like Thailand, where the money spent should have made this airport , at least , a tad superior to its regional competitors like SIN or HKG. Obviously this did not happen and will never happen as AOT is clearly doing very little to correct the shortcomings of the airport ( at least the ones that can be corrected, as in most cases design flaws simply eliminate the possibility of such improvement).

[trajan]

thats right, it is the individual right and duty of every airline to provide special lounges to its higher class passengers.

but again though: in old changi even as an economy class traveller i got access to comfortable chairs, internet and lounges. and, as said, i can buy a sandwich for what its worth.

have you tried the very comfortable Economy Transit Lounge on Concourse B....they even have napping chaise lounges behind semi-private screens... I tried them once when the main TG Business class lounge was super full....

the whole point of this discussion is this one: thailand miserably failed in providing a state-of-the-art airport.

the title of this thread is "World's Most Uncomfortable Airport".........really? for a regular traveller, that just comes across as an unreasonable complaint (and destroys the credibility of the complainer)....

no one is genuinely claiming the Bangkok airport is "state-of-the-art" in design or efficiency...really did you expect that? if so, you really must be a newcomer to Thailand...., but its reasonably fine for my purposes.... Singapore and Hong Kong airports are much more efficient but nevertheless overall I'd rather live in Thailand (and just visit Hong Kong and Singapore a few times a years as the fancy or business strikes)...

Edited August 28, 2007 by trajan

[chinthee]

thats right, it is the individual right and duty of every airline to provide special lounges to its higher class passengers.

but again though: in old changi even as an economy class traveller i got access to comfortable chairs, internet and lounges. and, as said, i can buy a sandwich for what its worth.

have you tried the very comfortable Economy Transit Lounge on Concourse B....they even have napping chaise lounges behind semi-private screens... I tried them once when the main TG Business class lounge was super full....

That's certainly news to me. I wasn't aware the transit lounge had those. Hong Kong airport has many in the concourses, not just the transit lounge. Really, it wouldn't take so much to retrofit and make the airport better.

[trajan]

That's certainly news to me. I wasn't aware the transit lounge had those. Hong Kong airport has many in the concourses, not just the transit lounge. Really, it wouldn't take so much to retrofit and make the airport better.

really? I wasnt aware that HK had economy lounges (where exactly are those??)...... The new Thai Airways Business/First class lounge in HK is rather nice (and has pretty good food, especially on the first class side if you order ala carte).....you can also hop over to the huge United biz lounge (or smaller First class lounge) down the hallway if your flying Thai.. but really nothing beats OneWorld's Cathay Pacific's Business and First lounges (at the Wing, rather than at the Pier).....

[chinthee]

That's certainly news to me. I wasn't aware the transit lounge had those. Hong Kong airport has many in the concourses, not just the transit lounge. Really, it wouldn't take so much to retrofit and make the airport better.

really? I wasnt aware that HK had economy lounges (where exactly are those??)...... The new Thai Airways Business/First class lounge in HK is rather nice (and has pretty good food, especially on the first class side if you order ala carte).....you can also hop over to the huge United biz lounge (or smaller First class lounge) down the hallway if your flying Thai.. but really nothing beats OneWorld's Cathay Pacific's Business and First lounges (at the Wing, rather than at the Pier).....

Agree with you completely as a former Marco Polo Gold and Current Thai ROP gold. I saw those reclining lounges a few months ago on several corners of the higher gate numbers, can't recall which ones, but not far I thought from the UA main lounge.

[Johpa]

Most airports are built with public funds for all sorts of travelers, extraordinarily gifted or otherwise. If you have funds to donate those might otherwise be used to purchase a higher class of service ticket?

Methinks we have diametrical opinions as to what constitutes an extraordinarily gifted individual.

[Zeid]

this airport thing is just because there was a challenge to open the aiport and all the mumbo jumbo things that went about it, it was a challenge that was nailed.

most new people into thailand love teh airport thing it is great, but the only draw back that it is massive and long to travel in.

all in all i think it is a great airport, even though i like don muang as it is the one i got used to.

[sriracha john]

most new people into thailand love the airport think it is great

All those newly-arrived people that took 3 hours to clear Immigration probably would dispute that.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=139697&hl=

Edited August 28, 2007 by sriracha john

[bkk_mike]

For first time arrivers, finding immigration can be fun. Whenever you get to a place where you have to turn, you are suddenly in the middle of a bunch of shops and/or chairs and columns. (The direction signs are visible, but hardly prominent.) It's almost as if they designed it as an obstacle course if two planes were ever to unload passengers at the same time.

The queues for immigration are very slow? Immigration in the US as a foreigner moves faster, although it's almost certainly faster than Heathrow. (But Heathrow is totally ridiculous for queueing... - if you arrive at check-in 3 hours before your flight, you'll spend the next 2 hours queueing).

The problem, if you're flying economy, is really if you're flying out on Thai, in economy, for the late night flights to Europe. So many planes leaving around the same time means the check-ins in row H are queueing almost out the doors. And, for some reason, the aircon seems to be turned down at night, so it's actually warmer in the terminal then than if you're checking in for a daytime flight.

[Zeid]

most new people into thailand love the airport think it is great

All those newly-arrived people that took 3 hours to clear Immigration probably would dispute that.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=139697&hl=

does not look like a long thread so it did not bother many people.

my familly and friends all travelled through and no one had anything to complain about, again that is our experience. and i never saw frustration on anyone while traveling there.

[sriracha john]

most new people into thailand love the airport think it is great

All those newly-arrived people that took 3 hours to clear Immigration probably would dispute that.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=139697&hl=

does not look like a long thread so it did not bother many people.

You're presuming that all those people that were held up are thaivisa posters?

needless to say, the word of mouth damage they all do when returning to their origins won't help tourism much.

[bkk_mike]

Compared to Heathrow - it's a joy.

But that's mainly an indictment of Heathrow (terminal 3 anyway - which is the one I use most often).

I also think, if you're used to airports in the US, where you have to rent luggage carts, it's also pretty nice. (As a passenger landing from abroad, you're expected to have US currency on your person (!!!?)).

It is far from the worst airport in the world. (My brother works in the oil industry - and some of the places he's been in Africa sound truly dire), but other than the parking, it doesn't seem to be much (if any) of an improvement over Don Muang.

(The kids miss the fact that there's no Burger King land-side for when they see me off, although it could get very expensive if they had the gall to be charging the prices they're charging air-side. - it's higher than Heathrow prices let alone Thai prices, and I thought Heathrow had the most expensive Burger King on the planet.)

[cdnvic]

this airport thing is just because there was a challenge to open the aiport and all the mumbo jumbo things that went about it, it was a challenge that was nailed.

After 42 years they nailed it

[tracer5050]

I kind of like the new airport have flown out of the old airport for years. I at least have a choice of coffee shops . i usally leave arounf 7 am.