Why Is It So Hard Getting Out Of Thailand

[cigar7]

I flew out on March 1, 2012 on UA 804 leaving at 7:15 a.m., with an economy ticket. UA actually gave me a free "premium " line pass, I did not ask for it. I went through immigration premium line at about 5:30 a.m. and stood in line about 5 minutes.

My guess is that United gives the premium passes to it's star alliance gold members, but it's just a guess.

[jibberjabberjibberjabber]

It almost seems as if the Thai's don't care, especially when you are leaving and have already spent what ever travelling dollars you planned to spend. Most of the passengers flying out fit one of two categories: 1) one time tourist never to return anyway 2) business person who has no choice as to wheather he is going to return; Both of these categories don't matter to the Thai's. There basically is nothing to be gained by the Thai's to make your departure a pleasant or efficient one.

As the TAT current ad campaign is trying to generate repeat business I seriously doubt this is the reason. I regularly experience similar queues when arriving at US, European and Australian airports, this isn't just a Thai thing although clearly it is undermining the TAT strategy.

I am a business person that uses the airport (flying in economy) 6-8 times per month and have figured a way around the situation, others in a similar position have the opportunty to do the same with a minimal amount of desk research to figure out how.

[ragandboneman]

I am flying out on 13th to Sydney Emirate airlines around 1900 hrs. Anyone know How long the queue is at that time of night in general? Ok I realise that it could be diffrent from day to day. Looks like check in well before 1500 hrs is best thing to do.

I am flying out on 13th to Sydney Emirate airlines around 1900 hrs. Anyone know How long the queue is at that time of night in general? Ok I realise that it could be diffrent from day to day. Looks like check in well before 1500 hrs is best thing to do.

And therein ls the problem, most Airlines don't open their check-in desks until three hours before departures. Would be tight even if you're first in line when check-in opens, why don't they open earlier than this ???

Hope you make you're flight, never departed at this time of night before but will do later this year.

Regards

[bendix]

It almost seems as if the Thai's don't care, especially when you are leaving and have already spent what ever travelling dollars you planned to spend. Most of the passengers flying out fit one of two categories: 1) one time tourist never to return anyway 2) business person who has no choice as to wheather he is going to return; Both of these categories don't matter to the Thai's. There basically is nothing to be gained by the Thai's to make your departure a pleasant or efficient one.

Have you been through the airport while these issues are going on?

I went through yesterday and it is OBVIOUSLY happening because they are doing alterations and construction at the immigration area. It is a temporary problem which will be resolved when the construction is finished.

To suggest it's because Thais don't care that you're leaving is rather asinine.

[bendix]

I am flying out on 13th to Sydney Emirate airlines around 1900 hrs. Anyone know How long the queue is at that time of night in general? Ok I realise that it could be diffrent from day to day. Looks like check in well before 1500 hrs is best thing to do.

I am flying out on 13th to Sydney Emirate airlines around 1900 hrs. Anyone know How long the queue is at that time of night in general? Ok I realise that it could be diffrent from day to day. Looks like check in well before 1500 hrs is best thing to do.

And therein ls the problem, most Airlines don't open their check-in desks until three hours before departures. Would be tight even if you're first in line when check-in opens, why don't they open earlier than this ???

Hope you make you're flight, never departed at this time of night before but will do later this year.

Regards

I went through yesterday. I checked in at 10.30am for a 12.45pm flight. Yes there were queues in immigration but it was no worse than i see everytime I arrive at LHR or HK airports? Unfortunately, I had left my APEC card at home so couldn't fast-track. Notwithstanding the queues, I was through immigration and security in 25 minutes.

Given the whole area is covered with tarpaulin and is obviously going through extenstive alterations and construction, I don't think that is particularly bad given it was peak travel time on a weekend.

[bubba]

I flew out on March 1, 2012 on UA 804 leaving at 7:15 a.m., with an economy ticket. UA actually gave me a free "premium " line pass, I did not ask for it. I went through immigration premium line at about 5:30 a.m. and stood in line about 5 minutes.

My guess is that United gives the premium passes to it's star alliance gold members, but it's just a guess.

That's very nice of UA. TG definitely don't do that for economy passengers, even with a Star Gold card. My worry is that if everyone begins offering fast track passes for economy, that queue will soon become just as bad as all the others.

I'm guessing that maybe the airlines have to pay for these fast track passes, and if so, AOT and/or immigration must be making a tidy sum as a result of their complete failure at the normal immigration queues. That said, it may be worth it to the airlines rather than delaying flights due to hundreds of passengers being stuck with a two hour wait at immigration. This whole thing is a complete train wreck, and must also be costing the airlines a lot in terms of flight delays.

BTW, here are a couple of other discussion boards on the same topic:

Flyertalk (very well read by frequent flyers worldwide):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thailand/1320756-immigration-delays-departing-bkk.html

OrientExpat:

http://www.orientexpat.com/forum/24196-suvarnabhumi-airport-airport-of-smiles/

[theoldgit]

Have you been through the airport while these issues are going on?

I went through yesterday and it is OBVIOUSLY happening because they are doing alterations and construction at the immigration area. It is a temporary problem which will be resolved when the construction is finished.

I think we have all seen the refurbishment work but I don't think that's the root cause of the problem. There are still two Immigration areas and, even at busy times, not all of the desks are staffed, there are separate queues so it's a gamble as to which line you join.

The Immigration Department know how, or at least should do, many people are leaving at any one time, so should staff their desks accordingly.

I went through a couple of weeks ago and only had to wait a few minutes, so there seems to be absolutly no consistency, this in itself makes it very difficult to plan your journey, ie do you go through really early and have to wait land-side for hours on end or go through at a reasonable time?

This issue is being reported in the media as well as international internet forums, it's now turning into an annual problem which seems to too difficult for the Thai authorities to solve.

[bendix]

Let me try to simplify this for you tholdgit.

Usual scenario: no construction. No major queues, barring the usual hassles involved in being an international airport, just like any other.

Current scenario: Major construction: Big queues.

Do you see a trend here? It's not rocket science for chrissakes.

[cdnvic]

Last trip Swampy was fine but YVR was under renovation and it was hellishly slow getting out of there. Same at Seattle a few years ago. Anytime there's construction in the departures area (which will usually speed things up in the future) there's bound to be delays.

[Payboy]

Didn't anyone see this sign?

[theoldgit]

Let me try to simplify this for you tholdgit.

Usual scenario: no construction. No major queues, barring the usual hassles involved in being an international airport, just like any other.

Current scenario: Major construction: Big queues.

Do you see a trend here? It's not rocket science for chrissakes.

You really like trying to put people down in your posts don't you?

Let me try to point out a few things that even you might understand.

Last year no construction work, major or minor, Immigration desks not staffed, massive queues,

This year, massive construction work, plenty of Immigration desks available but again many not staffed.

Sometimes there are massive queues, sometimes there are not, I would suggest that it's got little or nothing to do with the construction work.

You make yourself out to be half intelligent, do you notice a trend here, poor planning maybe? Immigration departments throughout the world monitor flight loads for arrivals and departures, and plan accordingly, except here seemingly.

[Bucko]

Came through Thursday last week- Thai Air to N.Z @1950--10 min check in--20 min Immigration and security--a breeze--2x faster that leaving Lil o'l N.Z---

Bucko

[lomatopo]

I do not believe these latest Immigration delays departing BKK are related to the construction but I do admit that I didn't spend a lot of time trying to figure out what they are doing? The departing Immigration halls, east and west, seem capable of pre-construction staffing levels based on the number of available desks. I guess it is unclear whether these delays are due to staffing problems, not enough, or if they are actually taking longer to clear each departing pax?

There have been delays like this before; I remember some threads from last year, and I did see quite long lines att hat time last year, reaching almost back out to the doors.

IME, security is not the "short-straw", Immigration is. The slow trickle through Immigration means that there are almost no queues at security.

In general it might help if people described their situation and experience in more detail: arriving/departing, time of day, airline, class of service, fast-track or not, east or west hall, etc.

[meom]

I departed on 2 March.

Arrived at the check-in counter at 6.45 am and received my boarding pass at about 7.15

Had to enter immigration through the east side where there was a long queue which went as far as the west side. Jumped the queue somewhere in the middle and from there it took about 30 minutes to reach the immigration area.

Once there it took another 45 minutes to get cleared.

Most noticeable thing was that a lot of passengers had not filled out their departure card properly. Instead of sending them back the customs allowed them to fill out the card at their desk which seemed to cause a lot of delays.

I was expecting another queue at the baggage check area but that one was like empty and took only two minutes.

[JimSiam]

Have you ever wondered why all the live bands here play Hotel California so much?

[canuckamuck]

My parents nearly missed their flight yesterday despite arriving early. They said it was a horrible experience getting through immigration.

[bendix]

Came through Thursday last week- Thai Air to N.Z @1950--10 min check in--20 min Immigration and security--a breeze--2x faster that leaving Lil o'l N.Z---

Bucko

Liar. That cant be true. theoldgit has already explained that there are always massive queues at Swampy, even when other people have clearly pointed out that that is not the case.

[theoldgit]

Came through Thursday last week- Thai Air to N.Z @1950--10 min check in--20 min Immigration and security--a breeze--2x faster that leaving Lil o'l N.Z---

Bucko

Liar. That cant be true. theoldgit has already explained that there are always massive queues at Swampy, even when other people have clearly pointed out that that is not the case.

What I actually said was in my post #41:

Sometimes there are massive queues, sometimes there are not, I would suggest that it's got little or nothing to do with the construction work.

And in post #37 I said

I went through a couple of weeks ago and only had to wait a few minutes, so there seems to be absolutly no consistency, this in itself makes it very difficult to plan your journey, ie do you go through really early and have to wait land-side for hours on end or go through at a reasonable time?

So if you're going to comment on what I say please quote what I actually said, please don't make it up as you go along.

[bendix]

Good grief man, why on earth would I limit my comments to what you actually said? I need real material to play off, not your old-gittish ramblings. Your posts are far too trite to engage with; you can't blame a chap for embellishing them, surely?

[sbk]

Now now boys, lets play nicely in the sandbox.

[bendix]

Now now boys, lets play nicely in the sandbox.

Is it inappropriate that the hair on the back of my neck just stood up when you said that, sbk?

[bendix]

Actually, the other thing which is obviously contributing to the delays is the enhanced security. I usually breeze through the security checkpoint but I noticed they are making people take their shoes off at the moment. That, compounded with construction, is obviously having an impact.

Plus, of course, just to humour oldgit . . . they're all Thais and Thais are useless and everything here is rubbish and I wish I was back home where it's bliss, but then I wouldnt be in Thailand which is full of useless Thais and gives me a reason to complain and feel superior.

Ad nauseum, etc etc . . fade, exit left.

[gk10002000]

Have been through Suv airport 12 times. Never had any sort of hourly long wait. Last six times I have arrived aroun 11 AM and I typically depart at around 1700. EVA flights from Los Angeles. My last trip was Dec 2011. All was pretty routine. Arriving at Passport control was the longest I had ever seen, maybe 25 or so people in each line ahead of me. Not much to do about that. It was high season. Less than one hour from the time I left the plane until I was out the door. I only have carry on so that shortens things a bit.

[bangkokburning]

I have not read all the response but like samran says -

My gf says that two of the three areas are under rennovation.

[monty1412]

Hang on this cant be right.. didn't TOT recently state that they aimed to make Swamp a regional HUB.. surely this is all an exaggeration.. any airport vieing for key HUB status within the region would surely have speedy immigration (both coming and a going)procedures....

Thailand.. again your stated aims and goals fall short in the execution.

Get singapore to manage the airport.. they know how to do it

[Tonto21]

I arrived in BKK last night from the UK. I live in Chiangmai. So pissed off am I about the long lines, getting in/out, I will only fly with airline that have a partnership with one of the carriers that fly in and out of Chiangmai. Easy and stress free, no Q, (last night) at the smaller Immigration point for onward

domestic flights

This time I flew Bangkok Airways and Etihad.

I know that doesn’t help anyone getting off at BKK, but thought I’d mention it.

[bangkokburning]

Does anyone have the numbers on the intake and outflow at Swampy? High season is winding down I am wondering what the numbers look like.

Can anyone tell the board - is anything closed?? Are you shunted to another area for processing or are the three both coming and going open. That would tell us alot.

[dsprtliving]

I usually will chat up a Thai will I'm getting my boarding pass. I'll ask them to take me through the Thai side with them. Has worked every time no problems.

does this really work?? If so then i know exactly what i'm gonna do next time i'm off to the airport with the better half!

[mstribling]

I usually will chat up a Thai will I'm getting my boarding pass. I'll ask them to take me through the Thai side with them. Has worked every time no problems.

does this really work?? If so then i know exactly what i'm gonna do next time i'm off to the airport with the better half!

Sure. Super easy when traveling with my wife. But if I'm alone I just chat up some Thais in line. Ask them if I can go through with them. Maybe well grab a snack or something. Has worked for me every time.

But apparently in this instance there was no lines for Thais only. I can only imagine it was a one time thing.

Try it. You'll get through quickly and make some new friends.

[KKvampire]

No point complaining to immigration about anything, thais don't complain so you can be dam_n sure they aren't going to listen to Falang about ANY complaint