Why Is It So Hard Getting Out Of Thailand

[NanLaew]

They are doing reconstruction on the outbound Immigration and security areas. If one listens, they have a recording in Thai and English that says as much with apologies for the inconvenience. I think the message says the work will be completed mid-2012.

The people who post they experience no delays are handily departing at the times between bottlenecks so that is just luck on their part. Anyone posting advice based on air travel completed over 12 months ago is wasting bandwidth. The ones that post that Changi is the dogs <deleted> haven't passed through that carpeted bus station when they have their reconstruction projects either.

There are 2 separate stories on CNNGo; one with the 10 best airports and the other with the 10 worst. Unfortunately, Suvarnabhumi does not feature in either so much ado about bugger all IMHO.

[bendix]

They are doing reconstruction on the outbound Immigration and security areas. If one listens, they have a recording in Thai and English that says as much with apologies for the inconvenience. I think the message says the work will be completed mid-2012.

The people who post they experience no delays are handily departing at the times between bottlenecks so that is just luck on their part. Anyone posting advice based on air travel completed over 12 months ago is wasting bandwidth. The ones that post that Changi is the dogs <deleted> haven't passed through that carpeted bus station when they have their reconstruction projects either.

There are 2 separate stories on CNNGo; one with the 10 best airports and the other with the 10 worst. Unfortunately, Suvarnabhumi does not feature in either so much ado about bugger all IMHO.

Finally, a common sense post on this thread, clearly outlining the reasons for the delays at the moment.

Great line about Changi too . .I never understand why people rave about it so much. The carpeted bus station line is spot on - low ceilings and 1980s decor. Awful place.

[sbk]

Never gone through Immigration at Narita but I must say the high tech toilets in the women's restrooms make it my favorite airport

Leaving the US is easy, no Immigration (difficult for foreigners tho, apparently they are supposed to locate some machine to have their passports stamped) but entering is a different story. Huge queues at San Francisco at least.

[lomatopo]

They are doing reconstruction on the outbound Immigration and security areas. If one listens, they have a recording in Thai and English that says as much with apologies for the inconvenience. I think the message says the work will be completed mid-2012.

The people who post they experience no delays are handily departing at the times between bottlenecks so that is just luck on their part. Anyone posting advice based on air travel completed over 12 months ago is wasting bandwidth. The ones that post that Changi is the dogs <deleted> haven't passed through that carpeted bus station when they have their reconstruction projects either.

There are 2 separate stories on CNNGo; one with the 10 best airports and the other with the 10 worst. Unfortunately, Suvarnabhumi does not feature in either so much ado about bugger all IMHO.

Finally, a common sense post on this thread, clearly outlining the reasons for the delays at the moment.

Great line about Changi too . .I never understand why people rave about it so much. The carpeted bus station line is spot on - low ceilings and 1980s decor. Awful place.

I was at the airport yesterday ~ 15:00 and observed the Immigration lines snaking out of both the east and west immigration areas; they are using temporary queuing barriers to get people into a manageable line prior to entering the actual Immigration area. Looking into these areas lines looked to be 50 or 60 deep, once you could get into a line. It is easy to imagine a wait time of 60 or more minutes, based on what I saw.

To me it looks like they still have the same number of Immigration desks as they had prior to the construction efforts taking place between the two pre-existing immigration areas. Perhaps this construction will allow them to expand their current staffing to accommodate increased processing time and/or volume at peak departure times?

There are two Premium Lane entrances, for those pax/airlines who offer this option, and one Air Crew entrance. Here you clear security before Immigration.

IME, security is not the limiting factor. Once you get through Immigration there are at least four lanes and each rarely has more than a single pax. Security clearance times are sub two minutes, or as long as it takes you to get your notebook out, remove stuff for the WTMD. I have not seen any FBS'es at SBIA to date.

I did not hear any recordings apologizing for delays but I was only there for ~ 15 minutes.

[theoldgit]

Interesting headline article in one of today's English language newspapers here in Thailand where the Immigration Department attempt to deflect criticism over the current debacle at Suvarnabhumi.

They blame the steady increase in numbers which has left them overwhelmed, they again mention the shortage of Immigration Officers as the result of officers being promoted, maybe this is why there are a large numbers of desks unstaffed.

They don't blame, or even mention, the refurbishment in the terminal, maybe they regard it as a given, or maybe it's irelevent.

[terryq]

There we have it then ..All those tourists using the airport so Its the foreigners fault.

No change there then.

[Pikiss]

Arrived Sunday March 11 at 6:30 a.m. to catch a 8:45 Thai Airways flight to Kuala Lumpur. Thai airways check-in area was packed, took 45 mins to get to counter.

After check-in there was a huge queue line to get to the actual departure immigration area which of course was packed. I think it would have taken at least 45 mins to get to immigration area and then some 30-45min more to get thru security and passport check.

Would most likely have missed my flight but luckily had the Fast Track ticket that I had purchased separately before hand.

Observation I made while agonising in Thai Airways check in line: personnel walked around carrying signs to different already boarding flights looking for people who had not checked in. Those were picked from the line, whisked thru check in and propably also thru immigration to catch the flights. So why try to be nice and come 3-4 hours early when u can have your personal Fast Track provided absolutely free by the airline.. Made me very frustrated.

[NanLaew]

Had a 23:59 departure from BKK last Monday night. I already took the late afternoon flight down from Udon since their last flight is always late and would have seen me in the 22:00 check-in scrum. So after verifying that KLM check-in would open around 9pm, I slung my bag in left luggage and popped into town. Arrived back at 20:30, pulled the bags and went to Row P where there was a huge scrum outside the check-in desks as Air France/KLM have installed 5 machines for people to check themselves in. Luckily, I had done an online check-in so got in 10 minute queue for bag drop. Traveling coach so no Fast-Track options and headed for the smaller West Immigration Hall first which already had a conga line to get in. The gray-suited girls outside said that Immigration 2 (East and bigger) was a better option. The conga line outside was much longer but moved quicker and it took 45 minutes between checking in and clearing security after Immigration. This left me with about 1.5 hours of lounge time to kill before boarding. The departure was delayed 20 minutes for 3 passengers who must have got stuck in the mill as it must have been a nightmare from 22:00 onwards.

So I reckon checking in 3 hours before your flight while the current staff or desk shortages are happening is a safe bet during the peak hours. You may get away with the standard 2-hour check-in out of the bottlenecks but why risk it?

[stoneyboy]

I left yesterday lunch time at 12.30 and it only took me 30 minutes to get through,that said my flight to Muscat wasn't until 18.00 so I had lots of time to kill any way,the problem I find is with the airlines they don't open the check in desks early enough,I used Oman airs online check in and it caused hell and all problems when I tried to board seems I was the only one with this web check in ticket.

[NanLaew]

I left yesterday lunch time at 12.30 and it only took me 30 minutes to get through,that said my flight to Muscat wasn't until 18.00 so I had lots of time to kill any way,the problem I find is with the airlines they don't open the check in desks early enough,I used Oman airs online check in and it caused hell and all problems when I tried to board seems I was the only one with this web check in ticket.

LOL... looks like you almost came unstuck there by doing things the smart way online!

KLM and Air France check-in does open 3 hours before departure. However, their check-in staff are purely for bag-drop only since they installed these 5 automated check-in machines just outside Row P. There must have been about 60 or 70 people lining up to struggle with this automated check in where they insert their passport, credit card or booking reference to get their boarding passes. Only after they get their boarding passes can they go to the check-in desks for bag drop. There was a couple of ground staff helping passengers at the machines but they were also busy redirecting passengers who, unaware of the machines and having not checked in online, were wandering into the bag drop queue and buggering up the system. Recommendation for KL and AF is to check in online and print your boarding passes beforehand and STILL check in 3 hours before departure, then turn left out of Row P and get in the Immigration #2 line where there's about 12 Immigration desks. The other Immigration area is closer to your gates but only had 6 Immigration desks available.

Come late March, KL and AF flights will become morning arrivals and departures from BKK so that should get them out of the late night bottleneck.

[merlin1]

I flew out of BKK yesterday (Tuesday) at 8 a.m. Bad scene! It was my first time flying out of Suvarnabhumi. I know that Immigration has been a focus of a lot of frustration but that turned out to be less of a problem. It was packed of course, but lines moved quickly, no doubt because a lot of people were on the verge of missing their flight. I was through the immigration control line in about 20-30 mins.

The real problem was with Thai Airways. It took an hour to check in my bag and get the boarding pass. Two lines -- one with the express check-in boarding pass and one without. I started off in the general without boarding pass line which was massive and barely moving. Then I changed my mind and did the express check in with the electronic passport reader. The trouble is this much shorter line had only one desk and one employee taking care of it. It may have only been 20-30 people long, but it wasn't moving at all. It got so bad that we had Thai people actually complaining to Thai employees about what was going on. You don't see that very often. So it may well have turned out that the faster check in line was actually slower than if you didn't bother to scan your passport yourself. But I can't say. for sure. It was close. And it shouldn't be!

It was all just so comically mismanaged I still can't believe it. As others have mentioned, they fly by the seat of their pants here, with employees wandering about with the flight numbers on signs pulling people out of the crowd who are about to their flight so they can be whisked through the various desks. It's so Thai! I am really fond of Thailand and Thai people and respect they have a different way of doing things. They are hard working but it seems to me the problem is with management. This ineptitude forces the workers to work frantically at deadlines and forces customers to get anxious and uncomfortable (standing in lines for hours) while they wonder if they are going to miss their flight. As a result you have no time for eating or buying last minute gifts once you're through security.

I have visited Thailand 4 times over the years, but never remember this level of chaos and mismanagement at Don Meung. Maybe there were fewer people flying back then, but it's all relative. Thailand and Suvarnabhumi is supposed to be world class now. Sorry, it's not even close. It's really a disaster. I hope they can fix it with the renovations but I'm not hopeful. Thais do not manage things well, at least from a Western point of view. Oh well, maybe the flip side of Thailand's bad organization is that joyful sponaneous approach that we Westerners like so much about this place and its generous people.

This won't dissuade me from returning to Thailand. Maybe I wil try to come earlier -- but it's hard when international flights mostly leave early in the morning. But I wonder if I'll end up just standing in lines for that extra hour.

As an aside, I can't believe how ugly this new airport. It's dark and gloomy feeling. Way too much concrete. They love concrete in this country but every material has a good usage and less good usage. Using this much concrete to build an airport is ridiculous in the 21st century. Maybe they are trying to bring back 70s brutalism.

[colinp]

Come late March, KL and AF flights will become morning arrivals and departures from BKK so that should get them out of the late night bottleneck.

Won't they just create a morning bottleneck? I know Oman, Gulf and Qatar all arrive in the morning and believe that BA also arrives then. I've flown in and out of Suvarnabhumi 10 times in the last 2 years and I've arrived at many different times but I couldn't say what time is best. I've arrived with Gulf 4 times at around 07.30, sometimes its taken over an hour other times a few minutes.

[spongeman]

KL. Hong Kong, Sydney, never had any problems there, and its not like they are small places either.

Why d'ont they pop over to see how these things are done ?

[mstribling]

I'm sitting at D8 now. Piece of cake this AM. No problems at all.

[BoonToong]

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arrived at 5.10 am this morning for a 7.15 am flight. When I first arrived at the airport at that early hour, I was feeling pessimistic because I could see that the airport was extremely busy.

but.........................................

I got through immigration and security in about 12 (yes12) minutes!

There were staff inside the hall managing the line (snaked single file within the hall). These staff were proactive and were guiding people assertively and efficiently.

Out of the 20 possible positions that could have been manned by immigration officers, 15 were actually manned, but that's ok since things were moving along so quickly. My actual processing at immigration took less than 1 minute.

Great credit to whoever got things sorted; hope it continued throughout the day, every day.

[mackayae]

Start spreading the news,

I'm leaving today,

right through immigration,

Thailand, Thailand.

Great news. Hope it stays like that. Leaving next week for a short vacation.

[Crossy]

Not going to help everyone but..

My two grand-daughters flew out on Thursday night accompanied by their other grandparents all are British. The girls are 3 and 4.

I dropped them off at the airport at 9.30 PM for a midnight flight, we had already checked in and disposed of the bags at the Makkasan ITCI but due to remaining in the pub too long they missed the train, so I drove them to the airport.

Anyway, spoke to then on Sunday. There had been massive queues (the people at the ITCI we recommending 2-3 hours even when already checked-in) but due to having small children they got fast-tracked and were in the duty free area in 20 minutes.

Obviously the little angels melted the hearts of the riot police. Or, more likely, they remembered the little horrors from last year and wanted rid of them as quickly as possible

[saengsureeya]

Monday 19-3-2012 7.30 a.m...............15 whopping seconds to pass immigration 2 (outbound)

Tuesday 20-3-2012 7.15 p.m................1.5 minute to pass immigration 2 (inbound)

More staff, airport hostesses and extra security showing people where to go and what to do.

Keep up the good work guys!

[smilingjim]

Monday evening (19th March).Arrived at the airport 11pm - 3 and a half hours before our flight.

Spent longer at dropping off our bags for online check in than going through immigration and security.

Only a a short queue and the snake system in operation.

5 minutes to go through immigration. The lady was quick, efficient and evn smiled. Took about 20 seconds!

Only 2 minutes to go through security.

This was such a pleasant surpise and I hope it contiues in the future.

Hats off to whoever has broght about these changes.

Took a lot longer to clear immigration at Manchester airport.

Only 3 staff to cope with our flight (new A380)!

[theoldgit]

Monday 19-3-2012 7.30 a.m...............15 whopping seconds to pass immigration 2 (outbound)

Tuesday 20-3-2012 7.15 p.m................1.5 minute to pass immigration 2 (inbound)

More staff, airport hostesses and extra security showing people where to go and what to do.

Keep up the good work guys!

Whilst I applaud the effort that has gone into solving this debacle, it's a shame that the various authorities waited until there was a complaint from the airlines last week before they, apparently, made any effort to address the issues.

It seems to me that the numerous complaints from customers have been ignored as have the justifiable complaints from the IO's on the shop floor.

Anyway, as saengsureeya says, keep up the good work guys.

[NanLaew]

^ Oh come on now, "...job well done.... BUT....."

Even when the authorities have reacted positively and seem to be making a difference, someone has to piss on their parade by saying they should have been proactive. This is Thailand <deleted>!

Anyway, any more of this customer service and there will be at least one less whining thread started on TV.

But somehow I doubt it.

[theoldgit]

^^^

For somebody who usually makes such balanced and well thought out posts I'm surprised at your take on mine.

I wasn't "pissing on their parade at all" it's their job to be proactive, Thailand or not, this is a major international airport and they have been made a laughing stock by their lack of action. They have watched the debacle build up and done nothing, they have seen all the complaints from their customers and done nothing, it's only when the carriers started complaining because passengers were missing flights and a number of flights were delayed that they have done anything at all, and how long did it take them?

Some of their excuses really beggar belief, I could not believe their excuse that they was a shortage of IO's was because officers had been transferred or promoted, I certainly wouldn't allow officers to be transferred until they had been replaced if it was going to affect the delivery of the service.