Suvarnabhumi Airport Urges Travelers To Check In 3-4 Hours Before Departure

[khunkeith]

Isnt the advice anywhere in the world at least 2 hours?

I had to do a lot of flying for my job. After 9/11 the advisory was to check in 2 hours early for domestic flights (USA) and 3 hours early for international. The only problems I had were in making a connection from a domestic flight to an international flight. Like flying from Washington DC to Chicago and then picking up the international flight to Asia. Short layovers could be a problem if there were lines at immigration. I have found that, the waiting for security usually takes longer than immigration though and that can hardly be blamed on the airport. It's the idiots that don't remove their liquids from their carry on bags, wearing a lot of jewelery that sets off the detectors, don't take off belts or watches, or, have other suspicious items in the carry on. That irritates me more than the lines at immigration. Good grief, it's been 10 years + since 9/11. Are passengers really that stupid?

[bangkoksimon]

I realize that the article is about the Songkran period but I just want to relate my departure story of last Tuesday.

Arrived at the airport 3 hours before departure time.

Checked in with Air Asia. No line. - 2 minutes.

Went through immigration. - 3 minutes.

Went through security - 3 minutes.

Walked around inside the airport for 2.5 hours.

thanks for a helpful reply to the tread

[bangkoksimon]

They keep saying "Check in early" but say nothing about getting to Immigration early. Its NOT the check in that is the problem.

In my cases the check in was the problem. Long long queues when flying to Delhi, Yangon & Hanoi last month. Yangon was a mess and my colleague had to wait more than an hour to get to the check-in desk and dump her luggage. (Another reason to travel light :-)

For all three flights... Departure: Immigration & Security Check less than 15 Minutes, Arrival incl. baggage claim, fastest 15 mins. and not longer than 35 mins.

And they really do try to work on the negative image on the immigration booth. More thank you's and smiles than I got in past years.

Sometimes you need to remember that they have not the easiest job (look at some of their "customers") and being friendly to them and greet them with a wai does wonders.

so travel with carry on luggage and no delays then ? sounds the way to go

[PoodMaiDai]

They keep saying "Check in early" but say nothing about getting to Immigration early. Its NOT the check in that is the problem.

In my cases the check in was the problem. Long long queues when flying to Delhi, Yangon & Hanoi last month. Yangon was a mess and my colleague had to wait more than an hour to get to the check-in desk and dump her luggage. (Another reason to travel light :-)

For all three flights... Departure: Immigration & Security Check less than 15 Minutes, Arrival incl. baggage claim, fastest 15 mins. and not longer than 35 mins.

And they really do try to work on the negative image on the immigration booth. More thank you's and smiles than I got in past years.

Sometimes you need to remember that they have not the easiest job (look at some of their "customers") and being friendly to them and greet them with a wai does wonders.

so travel with carry on luggage and no delays then ? sounds the way to go

You still have to pass through immigration. Doesn't matter if you carry on or have 20 bags.

[khunkeith]

They keep saying "Check in early" but say nothing about getting to Immigration early. Its NOT the check in that is the problem.

In my cases the check in was the problem. Long long queues when flying to Delhi, Yangon & Hanoi last month. Yangon was a mess and my colleague had to wait more than an hour to get to the check-in desk and dump her luggage. (Another reason to travel light :-)

For all three flights... Departure: Immigration & Security Check less than 15 Minutes, Arrival incl. baggage claim, fastest 15 mins. and not longer than 35 mins.

And they really do try to work on the negative image on the immigration booth. More thank you's and smiles than I got in past years.

Sometimes you need to remember that they have not the easiest job (look at some of their "customers") and being friendly to them and greet them with a wai does wonders.

so travel with carry on luggage and no delays then ? sounds the way to go

You still have to pass through immigration. Doesn't matter if you carry on or have 20 bags.

Immigration would go faster if people were ready. If someone does not have their arrival card ready, the immigration officer should send them away to fill it out correctly and then they have to stand in line again. I see that all the time when standing in line. card not filled out correctly or completely. I have learned not to stand in line behind Indians at immigration. They seem to never fill them out correctly. Or, fill out one for a family of 5 and then have to fill out the other 4 while at the desk. Once I get to the desk, it takes a minute or so. But, how may times, when waiting in line, do you see someone standing there for 5 minutes or more?

[Thai at Heart]

Have no issue arriving 4 hours before, but what use is that if the check in only opens 2 to 2.5 hours before?

Of course, if this is to ease congestion in domestic not a bad idea, but then they should also encourage as many people as possible to do internet check in also.

Beyond that why don't they just go and buy some passport readers and get a better computer system so that they don't need to tap in half of the information they are doing manually at the moment?

Edited April 8, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[khunron13]

Arrived Sunday 2 hours early for a 1340 flight. 10 minute wait/check-in for Bangkok Air, then 5 minutes to get through Immigration. YMMV!

Edited April 8, 2012 by khunron13

[khunkeith]

Have no issue arriving 4 hours before, but what use is that if the check in only opens 2 to 2.5 hours before?

Of course, if this is to ease congestion in domestic not a bad idea, but then they should also encourage as many people as possible to do internet check in also.

Beyond that why don't they just go and buy some passport readers and get a better computer system so that they don't need to tap in half of the information they are doing manually at the moment?

I like to get to the airport early and, even better if I am the first in line when the ticket counters open. I can usually get a better pick of seat then. I hate those long flights on a wide body jet with the 3-5-3 or the 2-5-2 seating and, having to sit in the middle of the 5 for hours and hours. I also like to sit at the emergency exit row and have the extra leg room and, getting to the check in early, I can usually get the seat I want. Getting a popular seat also pretty much makes sure I won't be sitting next to some drunk farang that has spent his last day in Thailand at a beer bar until the last possible minute and has not showered or changed all day.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[lovetotravel]

Seems it's not just Thailand. Watching BBC now about the 3 hour wait for arriving passengers at LHR!

[bangkoksimon]

Flew out on the 12th April back in on the 19th, it took no more than 5 mins both ways to clear Immigration for both myself going through the foreigner section and my Thai wife going through the Thai section so looks like the problems have cleared up, only travelled with hand luggage but the checkin counters didn't look any busier than normal so all seems to be OK now.