Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link Adjusts Strategy To Promote Check-In Services At Makkasan

[webfact]

Airport Link adjusts strategy to promote check-in services at Makkasan

BANGKOK, 28 June 2011 (NNT) – The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link is improving its marketing strategy to encourage more passengers to make use of the check-in services at Makkasan Station after less than 20 users were recorded each day.

Mr Pakorn Tangjetsakao, Acting CEO of SRT Electrified Train Co, Ltd, operator of the Airport Rail Link, revealed that the company had assigned the marketing research unit to modify the current strategy in order to persuade more travelers to check in at Makkasan Station. The low number of service users was found to have been mainly caused by passengers’ wish to carry along their luggage as well as tour agencies’ provision of bag transportation services for their clients.

Therefore, the marketing team has been instructed to adopt special promotions and seek cooperation from tour operators in bringing their tour groups to the check-in counter at Makkasan Station before heading to Suvarnabhumi Airport to board their planes. Later on, if travelers’ behaviors still suggest low demand for the check-in services outside the airport, the company would need to make proper changes in order to save itself from revenue losses.

Check-in counters were officially opened at Makkasan Station on 4 January this year for Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways. However, the latter recently decided to close down its services after finding that the average number of users was only 1-2 people per day. The figure for Thai Airways International is currently 15 people per day on average.

-- NNT 2011-06-28

[sungod]

Closing 3 hours before departure doesn't help

[Soutpeel]

I like the way the failure of this current strategy has been placed squarely on the passengers....

My thoughts

Lack of advertising of the service

Mistrust of the services provided...ie your bags will go "walkie's" at some point in the journey to the airport.

A badly thought out business startegy right from the beginning

[whybother]

I like the way the failure of this current strategy has been placed squarely on the passengers....

My thoughts

Lack of advertising of the service

Mistrust of the services provided...ie your bags will go "walkie's" at some point in the journey to the airport.

A badly thought out business startegy right from the beginning

Actually, I think it simply comes down to access.

It's just as easy (or easier) for people to get a taxi directly to the airport, rather than getting to Makkasan and checking in there.

[whybother]

Closing 3 hours before departure doesn't help

Given that you should be checking in at the airport at least 2 hours before departure, and it takes about 1 hour to get to the airport, 3 hours is about right.

[NoBrainer]

I think that the main reason that passengers will not use the service is fear of theft. I have asked some friends that used the train why they didn't leave the bags at Makassan

and that was the answer.

I remember not so long ago that a female friend of mine was flying from Phuket to Bangkok, and it was the first time she had been on an airplane.

She didn't know any better and left 2 baht gold and some amulets in her check in luggage. Guess what?

When the bag came off the carousel in Don Muang the valuables were gone. Seems that the people running the XRAY machine would see the goods

and put a small sticker on the bag so the people who load them in the plane knew which bags to go through.

Kind of like the overnight buses to up country. Stop along the highway to let someone into the baggage hold and stop again a few hours later the let them out again,

all while the passengers are sleeping.

This is why the City Check In Service will be a flop.

Tourists are far more educated than they were 15 to 20 years ago,

[arkom]

I like the way the failure of this current strategy has been placed squarely on the passengers....

My thoughts

Lack of advertising of the service

Mistrust of the services provided...ie your bags will go "walkie's" at some point in the journey to the airport.

A badly thought out business startegy right from the beginning

Actually, I think it simply comes down to access.

It's just as easy (or easier) for people to get a taxi directly to the airport, rather than getting to Makkasan and checking in there.

Agree with you about this, especially at rush hour when it is a parking lot in front of the station, and there is only one route to access it. They should extend the express line to Phaya Thai as other suggested.

[CrustyJuggler66]

Lack of trust and access like others pointed out. I think our bags would just be eventually vulnerable to some new scam. Those numbers show a serious lack of faith.

[whybother]

Agree with you about this, especially at rush hour when it is a parking lot in front of the station, and there is only one route to access it. They should extend the express line to Phaya Thai as other suggested.

They have extended it to Phaya Thai, but Phaya Thai is not that much easier to get to by taxi, which is what most people will use to get from their home/hotel to the train.

Having express trains running to/from Makkasan AND Phaya Thai actually reduces the service, as now the Makkasan service only runs every half hour.

[hungryhippo]

They have extended it to Phaya Thai, but Phaya Thai is not that much easier to get to by taxi, which is what most people will use to get from their home/hotel to the train.

It is however very convenient to transfer via BTS which I have done on many occasions. I try to go by BTS and Airport link as much as possible as I prefer it to going via taxi.

[whybother]

They have extended it to Phaya Thai, but Phaya Thai is not that much easier to get to by taxi, which is what most people will use to get from their home/hotel to the train.

It is however very convenient to transfer via BTS which I have done on many occasions. I try to go by BTS and Airport link as much as possible as I prefer it to going via taxi.

I would to, but I'd need to use the MRT and with the walk to the MRT, the "security" check, and the walk between the MRT and Makkasan, it loses it's appeal. Having to wait 15-20 minutes for a train doesn't help.

[StrandedBusinessPerson]

Keep your enemies close, and your baggage closer... and always travel light. Even in America, curbside checkin at the airport (when they had it) was a point of scam, and when passing by Makkasan I've not thought differently.

[ToffeEFCpower]

Closing 3 hours before departure doesn't help

Given that you should be checking in at the airport at least 2 hours before departure, and it takes about 1 hour to get to the airport, 3 hours is about right.

[ToffeEFCpower]

Check in 2 hrs prior to departure only applies to cattle class

[Bruce1]

No way I'd check in my bags at Makkasan - fear of theft. Its not just Thailand either - everywhere I go I assume someone will have a go at my bags and never leave anything valuable in them and always put on locks so if anything is slipped into my bag I can prove I had it secured and its been violated.

[NanLaew]

Yes, the train has been mostly fast and convenient but I think I will still be using my helicopter.

[ewienert]

I've tried to make myself use it as much as possible, but the service is getting worse.

A list of improvements that might help, even before the baggage security issues...

1) Make a direct connection between the MRT and Makkasan. Dragging luggage across streets, over curbs, through traffic, and dodging a train while working up a sweat isn't something that a traveler wants to do prior to getting on a flight.

2) Unless traveling by yourself, its probably cheaper to take a taxi directly to the airport than to buy 2 Express train tickets

3) Somehow turn the express train into a benefit. I've taken it about 6 times and my total trip time (apartment at Asoke/Suk to check in counter) usually takes about 60-75 minutes. (10 minute walk to MRT, 5 minute ride to Petchburi, 10 minute walk to Makkasan (noting above), 5 - 25 minute wait for the express train (unlucky timing), 15 minute ride on train, 10 minute walk in terminal to check in counter. Therefore the best it can do is about 60 min door to door. The longest cab ride I've had was about 70min, but usually is in the 30-40 min range.

Potential incentives:

1) Different type of boarding pass or stamp that allowed you an express lane at immigration and security, or a different entrance to departure gates for "train only" passengers.

2) "Family" tickets on the train that don't penalize you for taking it versus a taxi for multiple people. If you checked in together at the ticket counter at Makkasan, everyone can ride for 1 train fare.

3) Go back to every 15 minute departures

[millwall_fan]

I used it on day 2 of operation. Great journey: 15 minutes from Airport to Makkasan. The problems start there. No link tunnel to Petchaburi underground station, you have to dodge the traffic. 1 stop to Asok and then a walk to your hotel. just plain bad planning! On the way back no taxi would take me to Makkasan on the meter, so I walked and its quite a hike from Soi Nana. If the service has now gone down to half-hourly from every 15 minutes, as some posters are suggesting, thats another reason not to take it. I might try the skytrain from Nana BTS to Phaya Thai and then the airport link from there but thats the stopping train. I'll certinaly give it another try, but I don't think I'd check my bags in at Makkasan - in an airport where you can get arrested fro wandering into the wrong shop and where the car park company turned up with guns when they lost the parking project- I'd keep my bags with me as long as possible!!

[exbelg]

LOL, many billions of baht to build the thing 20 users per day use

[whybother]

LOL, many billions of baht to build the thing 20 users per day use

And 30,000 (or something like that) using the city line.

[lifeincnx]

What were they thinking?

Coming from the airport I took the airport link to Phayathai station, transiting to Chitlom station by BTS skytrain WITH LUGGAGE. No escalator ramp just stairs. Going back to the airport I tried the underground hoping for an escalator (they have one) Took BTS skytrain from Chitlom station (carrying luggage as the escalator was closed) to the underground MRT exiting at Petchaburi station. Now the fun starts... from the MRT to airport link you have to exit above ground, cross the train track WITH LUGGAGE BY FOOT on the main road.

And one wonders why there is such low use. Perhaps if the airport link bureaucrats traveled the route themselves instead of by chauffeured limo they would figure out the obvious.

[jfchandler]

HEY!!! SRT marketing guys... Are you listening??? Want to know why no one's using Makkasan check-in compared to the busy City Line???

--the BTS/MRT, taxi and pedestrian access to Makkasan (all three!!!) suck, whereas it's generally better at Phyathai. In particular, the vehicle access out of Makkasan for anyone heading toward the main Sukhumvit area is a mess. And even if you end up installing a pedestrian walkway from Makkasan to the Petchburi MRT Station, it's still going to be a hefty walk for anyone with a lot of luggage. You should have found a way to co-locate the Makkasan ARL Station with the Petchburi MRT Station, but too late now.

--what's the point of a check-in service at Makkasan that only includes THAI Air, and they're only there because someone's telling them they have to be. Besides, who wants to fly THAI Air anyway.

--people don't want to pay extra fare for what was the Express Line from Makkasan, when it provides no particular value that makes it more attractive vs. a passenger heading straight to Phyathai for the much less expensive City Line.

--In general, neither the Phyathai nor Makkasan stations are well-suited for international passengers carrying either a lot of and/or heavy luggage, because of the various fare gates, security checks, stairs and extended walking distances. People in that situation are going to take a taxi to the door at the airport regardless.

There certainly are other reasons as well... But these are among some of the highlights... And no marketing plan you're going to devise is going to resolve those kinds of glaring flaws.

[housepainter]

Thai Immigration Officers just allowed two foreign women to be checked at the desks, in front of the recording camera, you know the one that verifies terrorist or not, to wear trilby hats.

Hats that actually cover their faces; hats that prevent detection and hats that it says should be removed.

How safe do you feel boarding that plane?

They are ferking useless.

[IanVesey]

Sad really isn't it as the one at Kowloon, Hong Kong works really well. It was nice to be able to drop the bags in in the morning and then the hotel allowed us back in about 4 to wash etc before heading to the train again to get to the airport and fly to Bkk. Emirates and many others were at the station. <div>I fly Emirates whenever possible, but i don't think i would use this facility from what all you lot with experience of it say. A pity as plainly the airport link has a potential to do a lot for tourism and something to alleviate the congestion. </div><div>I don't know what you can do about the theft issue. It is a poor Country, but we had a big baggage handler problem in Birmingham, UK a few years ago. </div>

[Disinto]

Closing 3 hours before departure doesn't help

Given that you should be checking in at the airport at least 2 hours before departure, and it takes about 1 hour to get to the airport, 3 hours is about right.

Check-in closes 1 hour before scheduled departure time, which still gives ample time to perform immigration + security check.

Travelling to the airport takes at most 30 minutes from Makkasan.

Closing 3 hours before scheduled departure is therefore a really stupid idea.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Disinto

[thai1234]

Improve access - this suggests things wern't thought through properly when it was built - Im sure no important offiicial was responsible for that.

As the article implies, this is the tourists fault.

The situation can be resolved by adding a 1000 baht toll on any forigner that wishes to enter the airport in a taxi, and encouraging the existing taxi scammers to increase their charges for people leaving the airport.

This will improve airport link passenger numbers, proving the important official made the correct decision, be a bonus for the taxi mafia and provide a whole new opportunity for bags to be 'lost'.

Win win for all involved.

[Sam Drucker]

Closing 3 hours before departure doesn't help

Given that you should be checking in at the airport at least 2 hours before departure, and it takes about 1 hour to get to the airport, 3 hours is about right.

Wrong. 3 hours is excessive to get bags to the airport. If I was carrying baggage, for an international flight (economy) I would get there about 2 hours (max) before departure time. Biggest variable is the que length for departure immigration. For domestic flights, I routinely arrive 1 hour before departure and have plenty of time to spare. Not gonna arrive at Makkasan 3 hours prior just to check the bags there and waste time at the airport.

[siamjimi]

All around this service has been given no real considerations during the planning stages - excuse me - what planning is more like it. If upon traveling by OTHER rail links such as MRT or BTS and a person must carry their bags more than half a kilometer from MRT to this rail line (visa-versa) - if back-packers canot easily navigate the rail to and from destinations - if a person cannot get their bags from ground level to platform without broken elevators and conveyors and exposure to theives - if a person cannot count on the rail system employees to get their bags checked into more than 2 airline companies (Thai and Bangkok Air being the only baggage check-in service available) if a person cannot carry bags on-board the rail and retrieve them once they arrive at the airport to personally ensure they are checked into an airline - then there really are no "Systems" in place for "John-Q-Public" to use. I knew the day they opened the rail link that it was destined to failure because the services really are not "Linked" and user friendly.

[SAffer]

I like the way the failure of this current strategy has been placed squarely on the passengers....

My thoughts

Lack of advertising of the service

Mistrust of the services provided...ie your bags will go "walkie's" at some point in the journey to the airport.

A badly thought out business startegy right from the beginning

Actually, I think it simply comes down to access.

It's just as easy (or easier) for people to get a taxi directly to the airport, rather than getting to Makkasan and checking in there.

I agree... it is really because of access that I personally don't use it. Advertising seems ok to me, because I know about it already... I never really thought that my bags would go missing, but they might, I guess.

I used this service in Hong Kong, and it was great... but here in Bangkok, no way.

Here I need to use a Taxi to get to the BTS... carry my bags onto the train (BTS), which isn't fun because the system is not designed for people with a lot of bags, and then transfer to the ARL... it just doesn't seems attractive to me at all.

I hardly save any money, and I hardly save any time...

[ingvar]

A good opportunity for the bag scavengers to steal stuff from your luggage on its way from makkasan to Suvabum