Government Speeds Up Measures To Ease Suvarnabhumi Airport Congestion

[Nisa]

When I flew into Thailand a couple of weeks ago, the jetliner I was on had to circle the airport for about 45 minutes.

The time was around 11:30 p.m.

I was wondering if perhaps there was that much traffic in the sky coming in, or if there were a limited amount of runways available due to maintenance

of the ones in dis-repair.

I think your incident probably refers to an incident that was reported here. Be happy you were not diverted to another airport. I forget the details but some emergency repair needed to be made that shut down the only open runway for about an hour.

[hellodolly]

Good news. Let's just hope it works!

What works they are just speeding up the talking about it.

[hellodolly]

"Airport fees, as collected by AoT, for take-off and landing, and for aircraft parking will be reduced 95 per cent during such period."

95% reduction! I can see congestion at that time as it will soon be peak time...

I doubt it will make a big difference many of the flights coming in now would have to change their departure times to unfavorable times at the point of departure.

[Crazy chef 1]

nice, make some more noise at 2-5 am when people are sleeping

and who as a tourist when to depart or arrive so early in the morning ?

why not use more during the day? it is SUPER quiet now and it is almost 3 pm local time near swampie, where you can see and hear take off the planes...

[Crazy chef 1]

As an tourist I would find it just perfect-straight from the pub into the plane and 10 h later get up(ok -a little hangover) at the destination.would work perfectly for me

[JimAnderson]

I recently read a statement written by an individual who writes for many Asian periodicals, in regards to Thailand and it's multiple issues with half-assed projects, such as the varied issues over the last four or five years, concerning Suvarnabhumi's multiple issues. He wrote, "The issue here is simply, 'Do it right the first time and you won't have to struggle with major issues such as this Thaksin catastrophe.' "

This is so true, because the patching up of inferior work, is never as good as having done it right in the first place. But, Thailand is so deeply intrenched in corruption that nothing....quite literally NOTHING....no project at all in Thailand is without its major flaws. Thailand NEVER does it right the first time. That's yet another reason Thailand remains a 3rd world country and can never match itself to the likes of Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, or others of its surrounding neighbors.

Thailand, it seems, is just an on-going ASEAN embarrassment.

Jeeem

[crazydrummerpauly]

Been flying in and out of swampy for 4 years - never been badly delayed - way better than crummy Heathrow (not surprising since H'throw just grew under endless pressures over decades rather than being planned from the outset, and it shows) - so why all the negativity about transits through swampy ?

[techboy]

IMO The worst part of Swampy is immigration

I have been in many airports around the world

Swampy is by far the slowest

Just awful

Get these people trained properly

and no training them on the job during peek arrival time is not the answer

I have never seen trainee badges on anyone behind the counters. How do you tell? Hmm. Around the world you say? Me too and I think that you are wrong about Sv. being slowest immigration. Try Cairo or Buenos Aires and let me hear you say that.

[crazydrummerpauly]

I recently read a statement written by an individual who writes for many Asian periodicals, in regards to Thailand and it's multiple issues with half-assed projects, such as the varied issues over the last four or five years, concerning Suvarnabhumi's multiple issues. He wrote, "The issue here is simply, 'Do it right the first time and you won't have to struggle with major issues such as this Thaksin catastrophe.' "

This is so true, because the patching up of inferior work, is never as good as having done it right in the first place. But, Thailand is so deeply intrenched in corruption that nothing....quite literally NOTHING....no project at all in Thailand is without its major flaws. Thailand NEVER does it right the first time. That's yet another reason Thailand remains a 3rd world country and can never match itself to the likes of Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, or others of its surrounding neighbors.

Thailand, it seems, is just an on-going ASEAN embarrassment.

Jeeem

With its infrastructure, institutions, wealth per capita, level of employment, and gross national product, it is plain inaccurate to keep calling it a 'third world country' as a catch-all criticism.

[atyclb]

"in accordance with international standards for both departing and arriving passengers."

Not bashing but analytically speaking, the education system and vast majority of society is simply not at international standard.

Arriving in KL immigration took less than a minute with the officer. No paperwork for passenger, computerized, automated and amazing

[jethro69]

I can't understand the trouble at all. Flying in and out since swampy is existing, 6-8 times a year, and I can't share the experiences which I can read all the times here.

Most times I try to be there around 8-9 (most int. flights leave beween 11-1:30), so I spend the remaining time in Thai lounge, get pissed on their account. Check in & immigration @ that time is managable in 20 min or less.

Once I arrived @10:30 and immigration and security check took me around 45min, but for all the planes leaving in that time span it's quite normal.

For emergencys I still hold my VIP tickets for in and out. Don't show them when you're escorted by the VIP service, so you still have'm ;-)

[Woodcaulk]

Well I don't know what <deleted> airport you guys are all flying into????....But I have flown in and out of the POS they call Swampy 4 times in the last month and each and every flight was delayed by 30 min - 1hr circling the airport because that closed for repair runway that Yingluck claimed would cause no delays sure as hell did cause delays!!!....As for the Immigration lines I've gotten thru them in under 20 min. every time.

[moe666]

IMO The worst part of Swampy is immigration

I have been in many airports around the world

Swampy is by far the slowest

Just awful

Get these people trained properly

and no training them on the job during peek arrival time is not the answer

No problem 2 weeks ago and the immigration folks were just fine. Only about 3 to 4 people in line at each station and more than three quarters of stations manned.I have been to many airports myself and the officers are on a par with others I have been processed by.

[salty]

Good to hear they seem to have got their act together at Immigration in and out.

[HerbalEd]

How many times have we heard this story.

Give it another 5 years and it will still be the same TIT

And how many times have we seen anti-Thai attitude like yours?

[KhaoNiaw]

Came through last Monday about midday. Immigration was really quick. The Thai national lines were very quiet, so they were sending foreign nationals through them too.

[kimamey]

Increase flights between 02:00 & 05:00? I am sure the neighbours will be delighted.

from 1949 until 1971 I lived in Brentford (suburb of London) on the flight path into Heathrow. Yes the noise was hoorrendous but very soon you became inured to it. TV/Radio & conversation slightly louder but became normal life.

Then in the 90's The CAA & FAA ruled that airlines were required to fit "hush kits" on the engines of jet aircraft which made the noise more tolerable. Since then more fuel efficient and considerably more quiet engines have been developed and on approach to landing planes glide and are far less obtrusive then ever before. Perhaps a moments thought before commenting would not go amiss.

I'm not sure how many neighbours there are near to the airport. That's one of the disadvantages that Heathrow and other UK airports have as there is much less room than in other countries so they are much closer to residential areas. There has also been criticism of Heathrow because it seem so much more cramped but this is also because of the lack of room and the fact that Heathrow is an old airport and has been built and rebuilt over many years and so hasn't got just one large terminal.

You are right about the various measures that have been taken over the years to reduce the noise from aircraft but I don't think Katipo was being too serious.

I'm actually flying out on 2nd August at 02.30 so I'll tell them to keep the noise down.

[theoldgit]

We flew out early evening on Thursday, thought it was going to be a long wait at Immigration as the new area was solid before you even got to go down the stairs to the new immigration area, turned to be an American school teacher with a party of late teen pupils, she had decided that narrowest point of the area was the best way to check the names on her list, preventing others getting to the immigration desks.

Once in the immigration area I noted that there were separate areas for Thai and foreign passport holders again, the Thai lines were nearly empty whilst the foreign passport area was packed.

As I was travelling with my girlfriend I was automatically directed to the Thai area where there was an IO dealing with foreign passport holders whilst their partners went through the automated process.

My Scoot flight left on time.

On our return last night, delay of about five minutes in a holding pattern, flight landed on schedule.

Long trek to Immigration, the first immigration area was packed so we walked to the second area which was almost deserted, so straight through.

All in all a pretty good experience.