Bangkok Airways Closes Check-In Service At Makkasan Airport-Link Station

[webfact]

Bangkok Airways closes check-in service at Makkasan airport-link station

Domestic airliner Bangkok Airways Co., Ltd. announced today it has closed a check-in service counter at Makkasan Airpost-Link train station due to low volume of daily services activity, according to Permanent Secretary of the Transportation Department Supoj Sublorm.

He said the airliner has considered to shut down its service counter at the check-in point as almost passengers would rather use a check-in service at counters in Suvarnabhumi airport compound which are better convenience and there isn’t any different in distant between the two check-in points.

Mr. Supoj also admitted that the Transportation has been wrongly calculated about number of passengers, which brought in by tour operators, using check-in service at the Makkasan rail-link station, because doing so would only added them extra costs.

Source: http://silomjournal.com/business/angkok-airways-closes-check-in-service-at-makkasan-airport-link-station/

-- silomjournal.com 2011-06-13

[laurentbkk]

Mr. Supoj also admitted that the Transportation has been wrongly calculated about number of passengers,

I dont know why but I am not surprise at all .. More people would use the Express airport train if the price would be cheaper .... if you are 3 persons ,stick to taxi its better ... for a person traveling alone I would agree.

[zakk9]

Little to do with the price of the Airport Link, but a lot to do with the fact that Makkasan Station is placed in the middle of a traffic jam and that you need a taxi to get there, while you can access Phayathai station directly from the BTS station. Any traveler could have predicted this long before the Airport Link opened. It's a pity that they wasted time and money on this station to start with.

[BigBikeBKK]

Don't know about the airport link fast train, but the regular commuter trains on the same line are absolutely packed with commuters going to and from work/school in the city and airport so at least that part of the operation seems to be a success.

[webfact]

Bangkok Airways Closes Check-in at Makkasan Airport Link

Bangkok Airways has closed down its check-in counter at the Makkasan City Air Terminal of the Airport Link due to the low demand.

Transport Ministry Permanent-Secretary Supot Saplom revealed Bangkok Airways has closed down its check-in service counter at the Makkasan City Air Terminal of the Airport Link.

The boutique airline has decided to shut down its check-in facility at the terminal due to the low demand.

Located just 30 kilometers away from Suvarnabhumi Airport, travelers are opting to check-in at the airport directly.

Previously it was expected that tour operators would prefer have their groups check in at the Makkasan terminal but tour operators say that's costing them more money.

However, passengers of Thai Airways International will still be able to check-in and load their luggage at the Makkasan terminal.

The national carrier currently has two check-in counters opened at the terminal, with around ten to 20 passengers using the service per day.

Supot is optimistic the development of the Makkasan Complex will be able to attract more commuters to use the Airport Link.

Under the management of the State Railway of Thailand, the selection process for the complex's investor is expected to begin sometime within this year.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-13

[WhizBang]

Don't know about the airport link fast train, but the regular commuter trains on the same line are absolutely packed with commuters going to and from work/school in the city and airport so at least that part of the operation seems to be a success.

Perhaps they should extend the express train route to include Phaya Thai.

I have used the train only one time when returning from Samui.  I took the city line because it went to Phaya Thai.  I then connected with BTS, which I took to Asoke.  Total cost was 70 baht and about 50 minutes (including waiting) if I recall.  At 3 pm, it was cheaper and most likely faster than a taxi.  Getting off at Makasan and hoofing it to the MRT was not really a viable option, but may have saved me 5 or 10 baht.  In addition to the long hot walk, what put me off was the 'security'  issue with entering the MRT and having to open my luggage for cursory inspection (not for actualy security, you understand).

My feeling is that no one in authority, especially at the time of planning, bothered to think any of this through.  And absolutely no one considered the traveller schlepping luggage around.  Placing the Makasan station in what has to be one of the most congested traffic areas I have ever seen, was a fools choice.  My guess is some bigwig owned the land and made a lucritive deal to get them to use that location.  But no one, obviously, did any kind of a traffic study, nor made any changes to traffic flow to accomodate the station.

Amazing Thailand... indeed.

[whybother]

Perhaps they should extend the express train route to include Phaya Thai.

...

They have.

[jfchandler]

Bangkok Airways Closes Check-in at Makkasan Airport Link

However, passengers of Thai Airways International will still be able to check-in and load their luggage at the Makkasan terminal.

The national carrier currently has two check-in counters opened at the terminal, with around ten to 20 passengers using the service per day.

I'd bet they're getting to that number (10-20 passengers per day) by counting each actual passenger a couple times each...

Wonder how many staff Thai Air is paying to sit around Makkasan all day waiting for passengers who aren't going to come.

They're talking lately about cutting back on their cabin crew staffing to save costs...

Makkasan probably would be next, except that it's a government deal and THAI is really just an arm of the government.

[atyclb]

Another issue is using the MRT and/or BTS to connect with the airport ling. Around rush hours, it is possible to be delayed quite a while waiting for an MRT/BTS with space for your luggage

One hour in a taxi first from Rachada to Airport link (3 MRT stations)

[WhizBang]

 

They have.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4483122

Ok, well, that's news to me.  But if I read it correctly, the trains are staggered, in that not all go to Phaya Thai.

The whole <deleted> thing was never thought out properly.

[whybother]

They have.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4483122

Ok, well, that's news to me. But if I read it correctly, the trains are staggered, in that not all go to Phaya Thai.

The whole <deleted> thing was never thought out properly.

The whole thing was thought out. Makkasan station is just a part of it. The plan is to build a whole heap of hotels and apartments around Makkasan station.

Having said that, the interim solution that is there (at Makkasan) at the moment leaves a lot to be desired. Not just the access to the MRT (which I see as a minor deterrent), but the lack of access for taxi's.

There needs to be more access to other roads in the area, and not just one entry and one exit that they have onto Asoke/Ratchada at the moment.