Worst Queues Yet

[redman]

Arrived at airport from Singapore on 12th at around 1520. The immigration lines were down to the shops, no idea why at the time. After an hour it became clear that every second immigration booth was CLOSED. However, each booth which was open had an extra officer. Looked like a training day or whatever. Air con was non existent. Finally got out after 90 minutes, but crowds were still piling up. Many elderly people were looking severley stressed.

I had landed in Singapore 4 days earlier to a 3 person queue which took about 90 seconds to clear.

I just counted my stamps into Thailand for 2008 and I arrived 9 times, so I can hardly be classed as a novice entrant into BKK. Just wonder how serious these people are when they say BKK is competing as the best regional hub? Compared with SIngapore, it is just a joke.

[pampal]

I arrived at 7:30 AM Saturday Morning(Feb14) from Amsterdam, and I also experienced the longest queue I have ever seen at Suwanapoom. The lines stretched to the shops, both Immigration halls were open as were 90 percent of the booths, but I still had to wait over an hour to go thru.

[MJo]

Answer used to be the third immigration hall in the middle. Always no ques and fast to get thru. However it was closed last time, heard it is used for VIP's or maybe 1st class passengers ?

It's all about timing, arriving same time as all the flights from europe or US means long wait even if they have all the booths open. Not to mention if there is training going on. Someone post yesterday that they are starting to use stickers instead of stamps. Maybe related to that...

[IMA_FARANG]

Arrived at airport from Singapore on 12th at around 1520. The immigration lines were down to the shops, no idea why at the time. After an hour it became clear that every second immigration booth was CLOSED. However, each booth which was open had an extra officer. Looked like a training day or whatever. Air con was non existent. Finally got out after 90 minutes, but crowds were still piling up. Many elderly people were looking severley stressed.

I had landed in Singapore 4 days earlier to a 3 person queue which took about 90 seconds to clear.

I just counted my stamps into Thailand for 2008 and I arrived 9 times, so I can hardly be classed as a novice entrant into BKK. Just wonder how serious these people are when they say BKK is competing as the best regional hub? Compared with SIngapore, it is just a joke.

I think many people realise that the first concern of the people who created Swampy-boom was far less in the comfort of the passengers coming through the airport than it was about how much cash they left in the airport shops. Their criteria for "regional hub" status is still how much cash can be brought in from those that pass through the airport.

I'm going to be arriving from Istambul on the 17th about 1330. I'll let everybody on the forum know how the immigration line was then. I've been there before when the place was crowded. I sat down for a breather (I'm in my 60's), and a female customs officer came to me. She took my passport, ticket (to verify return ticket) and boarding pass. She took it through immigration herself, and brought it back to me stamped with a 30 day entry. Told me just to walk through the security guard, everything was completed already.

Some times Thailand can be overwhelming, but every now and then I get reminded of why I still like it.

[onethailand]

Answer used to be the third immigration hall in the middle. Always no ques and fast to get thru. However it was closed last time, heard it is used for VIP's or maybe 1st class passengers ?

It's all about timing, arriving same time as all the flights from europe or US means long wait even if they have all the booths open. Not to mention if there is training going on. Someone post yesterday that they are starting to use stickers instead of stamps. Maybe related to that...

Yes, this is now the fast track hall. I headed there myself only to discover the change of status, so I just went on to the next hall, which had a 10 minute wait.

[londonthai]

After an hour it became clear that every second immigration booth was CLOSED. However, each booth which was open had an extra officer. Looked like a training day or whatever. Air con was non existent. Finally got out after 90 minutes, but crowds were still piling up.

it was training, probably stickers - everybody can understand it.

for thai arriving to heathrow there is 1h wait - training or not training.

for bangkok that long que is very unusual, for London it's a norm

[tw25rw]

After an hour it became clear that every second immigration booth was CLOSED. However, each booth which was open had an extra officer. Looked like a training day or whatever. Air con was non existent. Finally got out after 90 minutes, but crowds were still piling up.

it was training, probably stickers - everybody can understand it.

for thai arriving to heathrow there is 1h wait - training or not training.

for bangkok that long que is very unusual, for London it's a norm

I've waited well over an hour at Schiphol before when they only had 2 lines open despite large airliners coming in from North America.

Only bad queue's I've had at BKK were outbound before i started flying TG bus class.

[theoldgit]

If you want real queues try New York, Miami and the like.

[tw25rw]

The only issue I ever had with the queues at BKK were with people holding a place in the queue for their group members who were loitering away from the queue. So suddenly you go from 2nd in the queue to about 20th.

[Mr Conrad]

I arrived on Tuesday the 10th from Dubai at 13.00 hrs, was in business class so quick off the plane to get a good start.

The queues were not quite to the shops but not far of it, still waited about 40 mins or so to get through, only about half the booths were operating.

So much for the global downturn affecting air travel.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

[tw25rw]

Isn't there 2 immigration areas, adjacent to but not visible from each other? I'm sure I've noticed that sometimes one half looked much busier than the other when walking along behind the desks,

[ovenman]

Just wonder how serious these people are when they say BKK is competing as the best regional hub? Compared with SIngapore, it is just a joke.

Even when the queues aren't that long at Suvarnabhumi immigrations, it's still a joke relative to Singapore immigrations at Changi Airport (which as you point out is the obvious competition for regional hub). The amount of time the average Thai immigrations official takes to process an outbound passenger exiting the kingdom still baffles me, even after 16 years of comings and goings.

[sriracha john]

I understand that for only a million and a half baht, one can get a card that speeds up the check-in process at Imm.

[sriracha john]

Just wonder how serious these people are when they say BKK is competing as the best regional hub? Compared with SIngapore, it is just a joke.

Even when the queues aren't that long at Suvarnabhumi immigrations, it's still a joke relative to Singapore immigrations at Changi Airport (which as you point out is the obvious competition for regional hub). The amount of time the average Thai immigrations official takes to process an outbound passenger exiting the kingdom still baffles me, even after 16 years of comings and goings.

That's easy. They are reading all your stamps in 2009 and in the process verifying that your 1993 entrance and exit from Thailand was conducted within full compliance of the laws then.

[old wanderer]

I have my all time personal best.....

LAX from El Salvador.....from taxing off the runway until I walked out of the Terminal 6 hours....

Some how 1 hour just does not get me stirred up.

[nonthaburial]

I arrived at 1310 yesterday to find the same long lines, decided to move to the next immigration hall which was not much better. I did notice that although the lines were long not every immigration booth was manned. Those that were manned seemed to be used for training purposes. What was frustrating was the fact that the "Thai Passport" booths were manned but not used. I went to a Thai passport booth, showed my work permit and told the little lovely I had a meeting to attend and she let me through. But a real mess thats for sure

[Zpete]

I have arrived at Swampy all hours, neva a problem, 25 mins may be the longest, always at baggage reclaim before bags, no prob.

Quickest was 15 mins off an Air Asia flite from K_LCC, that to land side, hand bags only.

I have, since Swampy opened, used it about 6 times a year, many more times for internal flites.

Great airport, love it, not a rabbit warren like so many others, love the open plan.

[PattayaParent]

If you want real queues try New York, Miami and the like.

Or LAX, I had a 2 hour wait from a flight from Honolulu.

[hagler]

I am in the very fortunate position of having an APEC card so I dont suffer the frustrations of delays at Swampy immigration.

The one thing I have noticed when I was strolling past the poor unfortunates in the normal channels to the express lane is the people who "reserve" places for their friends in the queue and as they get closer to the booth all the "hangers on" appear from other slower moving lines and join them. Now if that took place in the line I was standing in a rather loud complaint would be lodged but people just seem to say nothing.

[ovenman]

If you want real queues try New York, Miami and the like.

Or LAX, I had a 2 hour wait from a flight from Honolulu.

Why would you passing thru US immigrations at LAX upon arrival on a flight from Honolulu?

[sriracha john]

If you want real queues try New York, Miami and the like.

Or LAX, I had a 2 hour wait from a flight from Honolulu.

Why would you passing thru US immigrations at LAX upon arrival on a flight from Honolulu?

It flew west from Hawaii?

[bkk_mike]

After an hour it became clear that every second immigration booth was CLOSED. However, each booth which was open had an extra officer. Looked like a training day or whatever. Air con was non existent. Finally got out after 90 minutes, but crowds were still piling up.

it was training, probably stickers - everybody can understand it.

for thai arriving to heathrow there is 1h wait - training or not training.

for bangkok that long que is very unusual, for London it's a norm

That's Terminal 3. The queue at Terminal 4's a lot better. (It's a reason for picking BA/Qantas if going to London, although god forbid you want to change your tickets with BA, I've flown return to Thailand before now for less than they charged me to change a flight)

[tangoll]

My application for the APEC Travel Card was lodged on 29 Nov 2007. Finally, I received notice from the HK Govt on 13 Feb 2009 that 8 of 17 countries have granted me approval for the card; luckily Thailand is one of the 8 countries, so once I get the card in about two weeks, I can use the express lane. BTW, where is the express lane on inbound immigration for the APEC card?

Actually, my flights into Thailand usually arrive around 11 pm or midnight, so the wait has been minimal, but nice to have a backup in case several jumbo flights all arrive at the same time.