Many changes to air port since new opened?

[Travel2003]

I will be using Don M for the first time (domestic with Air Asia) since they moved to the new one.

Will I see many differences, or is it basically the same as before?

[lovelaos]

Oh, you will see many differences. The carpets are older, the seating is older, the decor is older, the toilets .............

Oh and don't expect wi-fi or any of that modern stuff either (unless flying with nok air, even then it's painfully slow)

On a good note, there is a huge variety of hugely expensive American fast food crap in departure.

Do you smoke? YOU CAN'T!!

Want to top-up your mobile in order to use your own wi-fi? YOU CAN'T!!! They don't sell top-up cards in the 7-11 there.

Have a pleasant flight

[infernalman7]

My friend said there's a ASEAN queue at the immigration. That's probably the only new thing I know.

Oh and the toilets are refurbed.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I thought DMK was pretty nice, perhaps lacking in eateries, but can't have everything. Parking is really bad, tho, there in T-1. So I park at T-2 upstairs.

FYI, got to T-2 parking at 0630 hrs a couple days back and had to park way up, Fl 5, I think it was, already jam packed. Might be some longer term parkers there, too, as it's still FREE.

Mac

[8OA8]

Just keep in mind whether it be a Domestic or International flight, you are going to be using the International Terminal. Signposting has not been updated and can cause confusion.

Parking a car is not simple, when the basement parking is full you end up in the currently Free parking building that is located a long way from the departure terminal.

Edited November 17, 2013 by 8OA8

[theoldgit]

Nice long queue for taxis from the rank.

[hanno]

Used it for the first last week since Swampy opened. It looks very worn but it is OK. Not much in the way of shopping and finding a beer was hard.

The taxi queue was massive so I took the airport bus to Mo Chit and hailed a cab there.

[orchis]

A1 bus to Mochit BTS Chatuchak MRT easy and quick, 30 thb.

Krispy Kreme.

[Travel2003]

Just back again from a roundtrip, via Don M.

Reading through the replies to my OP, I experienced basically the same.

The air port is more or less run down.

Interesting to observe all the eating opportunities by the gates.

Packed with people, which made me think, God help us if all these people should in the future be going via Swampy.

It was strange to walk around at this airport, as it made me think about all the times I used to pass through here internationally and domestically.

As soon as I was out waiting for taxi, lot of bad memories surfaced about how many hours in my life I have spent in total waiting for taxi at this airport.

[Deserted]

Hard to believe that less than ten years ago it was Thailand's main airport. Looks more like a museum now.

[Travel2003]

Hard to believe that less than ten years ago it was Thailand's main airport. Looks more like a museum now.

True that.

[Hedghog]

Easiest way to get a taxi at DM.

Use the sky bridge,exit for railway station or Amari Hotel.

Flag one down on the main road.

[transam]

Can I get a Whopper with cheese there ?.............. ................

[Ace of Pop]

Can I get a Whopper with cheese there ?.............. ................

Yes My Mrs brings Me back a Burger King one via Nok Air every Friday.!!

[transam]

Yes My Mrs brings Me back a Burger King one via Nok Air every Friday.!!

I don't like them cold..............

[Genericnic]

Hard to believe that less than ten years ago it was Thailand's main airport. Looks more like a museum now.

I remember my first visit to DM years ago. Had much more character then. Now it is just an aged ghost of those times.

David

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

An AOT rep told me online tonight that the A1 bus to DM is no longer running, nor is the former A2 bus.

But I see a member above reported using the A1 bus back in November...

Can anyone advise on the status of the A1 bus these days?

[Genericnic]

An AOT rep told me online tonight that the A1 bus to DM is no longer running, nor is the former A2 bus.

But I see a member above reported using the A1 bus back in November...

Can anyone advise on the status of the A1 bus these days?

According to the AOT website (http://donmueangairportthai.com/en/381-public-transport), the A1 still seems to be running.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

An AOT rep told me online tonight that the A1 bus to DM is no longer running, nor is the former A2 bus.

But I see a member above reported using the A1 bus back in November...

Can anyone advise on the status of the A1 bus these days?

According to the AOT website (http://donmueangairportthai.com/en/381-public-transport), the A1 still seems to be running.

Yes I saw that beforehand, and pointed it out to the AOT rep I was chatting with online...

And she still insisted that the A1 service is NOT operating anymore. Dunno whom to believe...

[Jay Sata]

I have to agree with all the above.

However there is another side to DM.

They have turned it in to a nice quite executive airport if you are a pilot and you fly your own aircraft.

Hangar parking to limo in around 20 minutes.Next time you fly check out all the small private aircraft.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

An AOT rep told me online tonight that the A1 bus to DM is no longer running, nor is the former A2 bus.

But I see a member above reported using the A1 bus back in November...

Can anyone advise on the status of the A1 bus these days?

According to the AOT website (http://donmueangairportthai.com/en/381-public-transport), the A1 still seems to be running.

Yes I saw that beforehand, and pointed it out to the AOT rep I was chatting with online...

And she still insisted that the A1 service is NOT operating anymore. Dunno whom to believe...

Sorry for the confusion on the issue.

The Chat Operator at AOT did tell me, after hours, that the A1 service had been discontinued.

But today, during business hours, I called the AOT-DM general manager's office, and after getting bounced around a couple times, finally did get supposedly pertinent staff to tell me that the A1 bus is still operating between Mochit and DM. They seemed to say running from about 7:20 am until about 11 pm.

But trying to get simple information out of AOT a pretty sobering experience. After getting sent to the office that supposedly deals with transit, I get put on hold and it sounds like 5 people are having an argument/debate in the background for a good long while about whom to ask or what the correct answer is.

Not to mention the AOT chat rep being wrong in the first place about the A1 line having been canceled. Unless she was perhaps thinking/confused about the old AE lines that used to operate...

Again, sorry for the confusion.

[Prbkk]

Oh, you will see many differences. The carpets are older, the seating is older, the decor is older, the toilets .............

Oh and don't expect wi-fi or any of that modern stuff either (unless flying with nok air, even then it's painfully slow)

On a good note, there is a huge variety of hugely expensive American fast food crap in departure.

Do you smoke? YOU CAN'T!!

Want to top-up your mobile in order to use your own wi-fi? YOU CAN'T!!! They don't sell top-up cards in the 7-11 there.

Have a pleasant flight

BTW, you CAN smoke. There is a well-used smoking room. I only vape but others were puffing away. This was my first time in this airport for 7 years. I really loved it. 20-25 minutes from sukhumvit, early morning, no queue at all at immigration , time for a chat with the immigration lady!!, love the old style like it was in the old days here and Kai Tak. Not a plastic, could be anywhere type place. Loved the short taxi, no wait . Loved the low fare. No Olympic length walk through duty free. This airport is a winner.

[chrisinth]

Oh, you will see many differences. The carpets are older, the seating is older, the decor is older, the toilets .............

Oh and don't expect wi-fi or any of that modern stuff either (unless flying with nok air, even then it's painfully slow)

On a good note, there is a huge variety of hugely expensive American fast food crap in departure.

Do you smoke? YOU CAN'T!!

Want to top-up your mobile in order to use your own wi-fi? YOU CAN'T!!! They don't sell top-up cards in the 7-11 there.

Have a pleasant flight

BTW, you CAN smoke. There is a well-used smoking room. I only vape but others were puffing away. This was my first time in this airport for 7 years. I really loved it. 20-25 minutes from sukhumvit, early morning, no queue at all at immigration , time for a chat with the immigration lady!!, love the old style like it was in the old days here and Kai Tak. Not a plastic, could be anywhere type place. Loved the short taxi, no wait . Loved the low fare. No Olympic length walk through duty free. This airport is a winner.

Where is the smoking room at Don Muang? The only place (once through the scanners) I was able to find was the glassed-in area behind Burger Kings, but that was changed about 9 months ago.

I use DM approx. twice a fortnight (in & out) and have been doing this for the last couple of years, still to find the smoking room.............

[Thanyaburi Mac]

FYI, I saw an A1 bus there yesterday afternoon, 25 January 2014.

FYI II, hadn't been down to DMK since November, then parked for free at T2. Yesterday found they have "auto parking meters" but do have a gofur to assist the less technologically inclined folks. baht 30 for three hours, baht 40 for four.

Mac