Cannot get a taxi anymore at 3rd Floor at Suvarnabhumi

[Lakegeneve]

You most certainly can still get a taxi at the departure level. I have done it twice since they put the fence up. Just turn the turnstyle 1/4 turn and walk right through with your bags.

At first glance it appears you can not go through. The first time I walked out of the door and the drivers were flagging me over. When I went across they showed me how to do it.

For me it is not about saving 50 baht in lieu of going to the arrival level. I live in Pattaya and always pay 900 + 60 tolls at the departure level.

The last times I was at the 4th floor departures area, there were guards at every turnstile. During my last two visits, I stopped and watched the scene, and in nearly every case, the guard turned away people seeking to go past the turnstile and catch a taxi. Where there no guards when you went past the turnstiles?

And again to all those posting comments that we 4th floor taxi grabbers are cheap skates who don't want to pay 50 baht - that is not the point. The point is (1) it is far faster than going down and queuing for one, (2) I can select the driver and car that I wish, and (3) I like the idea of providing fares to taxis so that they do not have an unpaid return to the city. I have read elsewhere that many people are already finding it more difficult to find a taxi to the airport now. Not just any taxi can go downstairs and queue - they have to have an airport permit. And I think we can all imagine what is involved in getting said permits and that there is a great deal of money to be made by those who issue them.

Oh, and I often tip more than the 50 baht airport fee to a driver who has a decent car, isn't drunk or methed out, and drives safely and professionally. We all should.

So you like circumventing the rules . Try taking an "illegal " taxi in the rest of the world and see what happens . Those guys in the official line have queued and taken their place in the line for passengers, the drivers on the departures floor are bypassing this and seeing their fellow,drivers off for money. What you condone is not only,illegal it immoral .

Excuse as to how much you tip and that you are not a cheap Charlie are just a smoke screen to your illegal activities . I hope,you are caught .

This is one of the more silly and ignorant posts on this thread. You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. No pax can be "caught"....that is patently laughable.

1) Firstly, all the taxis at Level 4 dropping of pax in the taxi area are legal DLT registered taxis, otherwise they would not be allowed there by airport security,

2) Secondly, there is nothing unlawful for a passenger to take a taxi anywhere in the airport. There is no rule that one must take a taxi from the AOT stand. There are regulations relating to taxis but not pax,

3) Thirdly, as had been pointed out many times. Taxis CHOOSE to wait for a fare from the AOT stand. At any given time there are 2-4k taxis waiting 2kms away at the AOT taxi car park before they proceed in turn over to airport. They can be waiting for 2-4 hrs in some instances. That is 2-4 hrs that they are not on the road. That is their choice. Many of them do it in the knowledge that they can obtain a higher non metered fare back into the city with an unsuspecting pax.

4) Pax have choice too, as many posters have stated, taking a taxi from L4 is their choice based on time, safety and comfort considerations. The 3 very sensible reasons that bubba gave.

Using the term immoral in relation to taxi usage .......mmmm! A lack of perspective I would suggest!

[negreanu]

So you like circumventing the rules . Try taking an "illegal " taxi in the rest of the world and see what happens . Those guys in the official line have queued and taken their place in the line for passengers, the drivers on the departures floor are bypassing this and seeing their fellow,drivers off for money. What you condone is not only,illegal it immoral .

Excuse as to how much you tip and that you are not a cheap Charlie are just a smoke screen to your illegal activities . I hope,you are caught .

I'll pick my own driver and vehicle thanks not from the official rank thats for sure.

Hey you pay 50THB more and for that you can get a drunk driver for your early morning arrival and a car that hasn't been serviced and very little brake pads left. And while you are at it since your paying 50THB more you can queue up and wait!

Yeh right.....

Barriers have never stopped me and never will since they implemented them. Even security has kinda given up stopping people last 6 or so times i walked through.

Edited March 17, 2014 by negreanu

[apiwan]

Update. Arrived 17th March on etihad at 18.15.

Gate D .from plane the up ramp is in front of you.

I'm not kidding there was not a solitary person waiting in immigration queue.

I was number 3. 4 mins cleared immigration.

Bag wait 30 mins.

Up to 4th floor quick fag and old security guard sitting next to gate. With turnstile at the angle you can pass straight through.

Had a chat with him said airport been this quiet for about a month.

And it was eieeryly quiet.

Told me a heartbroken fallang jumped off there about 2 weeks ago.dead.

Although my flight was pretty full I have never seen it that quiet.

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[NanLaew]

I don't queue, I don't tip, and I could have my own private but I don't want as they are exactly the same monkeys as the taxi, what's wrong ?

Stupid rules or laws are made to be broken as must as possible. I am the one who choose the drive that I want, and nobody will ever force me to ride a cab that I didn't choose.

Were you the d!ckhead at the taxi rank in Changi last month cocking up the whole taxi conga line because you wanted one of them white Merc cabs ONLY?

[steven100]

To be quite honest ..... I detest having to get a bangkok taxi anywhere ...

Clapped out pieces of junk that shouldn't be road worthy

Inside smells like the garbage tip down Samut Phrakan way

Drivers who can't speak one scrap of english ( although this could be a blessing in disguise )

Drivers who want to drive like fangio

so now ..... i just get the driver to come and pick me up

[bangsaenguy]

Its not about B50 its about not waiting in a pointless shambolic 'queue' for 30+ minutes.

If it's not about the money, book a limo inside. Time dilemna solved

[negreanu]

not really it takes longer waiting for the Limo than it does to go upstairs....

[steven100]

I fly in & out of Bangkok every few weeks. You can still get a taxi upstairs ... just cross the road and walk through the gate next to the turnstiles ...

no big deal ...

[planemad]

As steven100 reported, no big deal. Came through tonight, thought I would chance it, so went to 4th floor and the guard just waved us through. I had thought the gate was a turnstile device, but no, swings both ways! So no problem. First taxi driver however wanted 500 baht to go to Bang Na, Thai wife just laughed at him and the next taxi took us for 215, plus tip of course (more than the the 50 baht surcharge!). Driver told us only gate 8 or 9 allowed people through. So for us, back to normal and very thankful for that.

Be safe.

KS

[teemuj]

Just arrived the other day to take a flight out and it was so bloody full of taxis waiting for passengers that we had difficulties of finding a place to park for unloading, and then to negotiate through the waiting taxis to the gate. And the drivers were busy shouting at potential passengers and blocking the gate so it was a hassle to get through. When are they going to fix this uncontrolled mess?

[Bkungbank]

Tip of the gate 1 where easily excess to main taxi stop as you can see some taxi also stop in front of the tip one.

[Lakegeneve]

Tip of the gate 1 where easily excess to main taxi stop as you can see some taxi also stop in front of the tip one.

Even with 3 posts and using Google translate I find it difficult to interpret exactly what you are trying to say.

Do you wish to try again?

[moe666]

The problem with these new barriers is good luck getting a taxi to swampy from downtown who will now use the meter. It is now 400 baht as I cannot be guaranteed a return fare. Thank you AOT

[moe666]

Just arrived the other day to take a flight out and it was so bloody full of taxis waiting for passengers that we had difficulties of finding a place to park for unloading, and then to negotiate through the waiting taxis to the gate. And the drivers were busy shouting at potential passengers and blocking the gate so it was a hassle to get through. When are they going to fix this uncontrolled mess?

Find this post hard to believe especially if in a private car.

[Harry2]

Its not about B50 its about not waiting in a pointless shambolic 'queue' for 30+ minutes.

If it's not about the money, book a limo inside. Time dilemna solved

Clearly the poster was referring to the B50 charge, paying 3 or 4 times the amount for a limo would be a nonsense. Some people really cannot grasp a simple point.

[teemuj]

Just arrived the other day to take a flight out and it was so bloody full of taxis waiting for passengers that we had difficulties of finding a place to park for unloading, and then to negotiate through the waiting taxis to the gate. And the drivers were busy shouting at potential passengers and blocking the gate so it was a hassle to get through. When are they going to fix this uncontrolled mess?

Find this post hard to believe especially if in a private car.

Taxi's two at a row, leaving just one lane for the first section of taxi drop off area for taxi's to past. Real difficult to find a place to park close to the gate we wanted, and bunch of drivers blocking access to the turnstile totally ignorant of the passengers trying to get through as they were too busy trying to woo customers. I really hope they would use the turnstiles what they are sued for and block access altogether, and fine any waiting taxi.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Still can get a cab from there. Seems to depend on the day. But there was a little whistle nazi trying to push the cabs along.

[CWMcMurray]

Flew back in last month on the 18th... No problem getting a cab on the 3rd floor

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[ding]

I'll probably get stick but if you cannot afford the 50 Baht Airport Surcharge or whatever it is now, then you really shouldn't be in Thailand.

Nothing to do with manipulation as suggested earlier. Perhaps these same manipulators would like to cover the fee that London Taxi Drivers pay to pick up at Heathrow ??

Principle is identical.

Again again - IT'S NOT THE 50B... IT'S THE FOOLISH WAIT WHERE PEOPLE SHOVE AND PUSH IN FRONT OF YOU.

[ding]

As steven100 reported, no big deal. Came through tonight, thought I would chance it, so went to 4th floor and the guard just waved us through. I had thought the gate was a turnstile device, but no, swings both ways! So no problem. First taxi driver however wanted 500 baht to go to Bang Na, Thai wife just laughed at him and the next taxi took us for 215, plus tip of course (more than the the 50 baht surcharge!). Driver told us only gate 8 or 9 allowed people through. So for us, back to normal and very thankful for that.

Be safe

We always tipped more than the 50B surcharge as well.

:cheers:

[CWMcMurray]

I'll probably get stick but if you cannot afford the 50 Baht Airport Surcharge or whatever it is now, then you really shouldn't be in Thailand.

Nothing to do with manipulation as suggested earlier. Perhaps these same manipulators would like to cover the fee that London Taxi Drivers pay to pick up at Heathrow ??

Principle is identical.

Again again - IT'S NOT THE 50B... IT'S THE FOOLISH WAIT WHERE PEOPLE SHOVE AND PUSH IN FRONT OF YOU.

For me , it's the fact that I live so close to the airport... Actual meter was under 70THB

Considering how long those guys in the taxi stand wait to get a fair and then only get 70thb ... Even with the extra 50thb , they are not happy to get me...

But if going to the 3rd floor , the driver is happy for any paying fair, so they are happy with taking me home

So win/win for all

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[theoldgit]

Offensive post removed.

[bangsaenguy]

I'll probably get stick but if you cannot afford the 50 Baht Airport Surcharge or whatever it is now, then you really shouldn't be in Thailand.

Nothing to do with manipulation as suggested earlier. Perhaps these same manipulators would like to cover the fee that London Taxi Drivers pay to pick up at Heathrow ??

Principle is identical.

Again again - IT'S NOT THE 50B... IT'S THE FOOLISH WAIT WHERE PEOPLE SHOVE AND PUSH IN FRONT OF YOU.

Then AOT is your answer.

http://suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/115-limousine

[Lakegeneve]

Supposedly a new computerised system will be introduce in a month that is going to finally rid the airport of the taxi mafia and drivers cherry picking fares. Unlikely but let's wait and see if it is introduced.

Such a system would have the potential to make it much easier to also lodge a complaint against a driver post trip.Note that people will be allowed to take a taxi from departure level as they have been

Taxi queues at Suvarnabhumi airport will be computerised within a month to end the influence of the "mafia" controlling cab operations there, chief of the 11th Military Circle Maj Gen Nirundorn Samutsakorn said on Wednesday. Cabs will also be able to pick up passengers at the departure level on the fourth floor, but not park there. Airport taxis and drivers would be required to register in a computer system at the airport, then the cab queues would be managed by a card system. All drivers would have to accept that the passengers they get, and the destination, would depend on the luck of the draw.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Lakegeneve

[thaicookingchef]

Don't worry we will all be able to take a taxi on departure floor just as we always did.

TIT <3

[Lakegeneve]

Don't worry we will all be able to take a taxi on departure floor just as we always did.

Good to see that you read the bold text

Cabs will also be able to pick up passengers at the departure level on the fourth floor,

[impulse]

Don't worry we will all be able to take a taxi on departure floor just as we always did.

Problem with that?- If everyone can do it, it's going to be worse than waiting in line downstairs.

The only reason it's fast and convenient right now is that it's against the rules and the vast majority of people don't do it (or even know about it).

Edited June 23, 2014 by impulse

[apiwan]

Just came through swampy this morning.

Had priority pass straight to counter.

But there was no Q's at the normal channel anyway.

Still quiet at the flyers but a little bit more action than March.

Went to 3rd floor had a cigarette then walked through turnstile.

It revolves both ways. This one did anyway.

Security bloke waved me through.

First cab 500 too much traffic.

Second cab meter on no problems.

Taxi guy said he's going to be a security guy for 400 a day. Better than driving a cab at the moment.

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[bubba]

Just for fun, I decided to try the 4th floor (Departures) taxis on Tuesday night. Yes, the turnstiles revolve both ways now, so it's easy to get out. There was no guard. The only problem is that there were far more people trying to get taxis than there were available taxis. Probably would have been faster at the normal queue downstairs.

[Lakegeneve]

Just for fun, I decided to try the 4th floor (Departures) taxis on Tuesday night. Yes, the turnstiles revolve both ways now, so it's easy to get out. There was no guard. The only problem is that there were far more people trying to get taxis than there were available taxis. Probably would have been faster at the normal queue downstairs.

Interesting, what time was it exactly? That 6-8pm period can result in what you describe as there are many pax returning to BKK and it is prior to the late evening outbound long haul peak (so less arriving taxis dropping off pax).

My main priority about using departures is to ensure that I get a nice new taxi rather than the lottery of whichever taxi is next in line downstairs (the time issue is not as relevant anymore given the improvements to the AOT stand in the last 2 years).