No Taxis At The New Airport?

[tuky]

Keeping the taxi pool elsewhere and then a controller calling one up when needed is the way to go, keeps everyone happy.

At DM, the problems that I have noticed are the ordinary folks double and triple parking at the curb rather than the taxis.

But I do always use a limo service anyway, so I just hope that after booking a limo it will pick you up from the curb.

[slimdog]

For anyone who hasn't read it, there is an interesting article in The Bangkok Post today:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Horizons/31Aug2006_hori006.php

A little snippet is:

Arriving passengers exit at level two of the passenger terminal where they can queue for a taxi. Unlike Don Muang, taxis are not allowed to park kerbside at the exit. They park three kilometres always at the remote parking area, next to the bus station.

Similar to most international airports, a taxi supervisor radios a batch of taxis from the remote taxi rank managing the queue from a pool of around 400 authorised taxis.

Limousine counters are located on both the fourth and second floors, but also park at the same location as the public taxis.

Tour groups will exit through immigration and customs on level two, but unlike individual travellers, they will go down one floor to where tour buses will park. Tour companies, car rental and banks will have counters in the foyer of level two.

There is another option for passengers who want to avoid the level two taxi queue or want to travel by bus to the city. They can board a complimentary shuttle bus that takes 10 minutes to transfer from the terminal to the bus station. The taxi ranks and car rental pick-up and drop off areas are next door. Long-term parking lots for up to 10,000 cars are also located across the street from the bus station.

[sabaijai]

For anyone who hasn't read it, there is an interesting article in The Bangkok Post today:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Horizons/31Aug2006_hori006.php

A little snippet is:

Arriving passengers exit at level two of the passenger terminal where they can queue for a taxi. Unlike Don Muang, taxis are not allowed to park kerbside at the exit. They park three kilometres always at the remote parking area, next to the bus station.

Similar to most international airports, a taxi supervisor radios a batch of taxis from the remote taxi rank managing the queue from a pool of around 400 authorised taxis.

Limousine counters are located on both the fourth and second floors, but also park at the same location as the public taxis.

Tour groups will exit through immigration and customs on level two, but unlike individual travellers, they will go down one floor to where tour buses will park. Tour companies, car rental and banks will have counters in the foyer of level two.

There is another option for passengers who want to avoid the level two taxi queue or want to travel by bus to the city. They can board a complimentary shuttle bus that takes 10 minutes to transfer from the terminal to the bus station. The taxi ranks and car rental pick-up and drop off areas are next door. Long-term parking lots for up to 10,000 cars are also located across the street from the bus station.

Encouraging news, if true.

[jdinasia]

That will certainly take a lot of air out of the sails of the folks that are judging the new airport before it opens! (as well as reduce fumes and make the entire place look far better! Yet for some reason I think they will keep screaming about SOMETHING!

Edited August 31, 2006 by jdinasia

[dr_Pat_Pong]

That will certainly take a lot of air out of the sails of the folks that are judging the new airport before it opens! (as well as reduce fumes and make the entire place look far better! Yet for some reason I think they will keep screaming about SOMETHING!

To me, this certainly is something to scream about. Organized chaos.

[jdinasia]

That will certainly take a lot of air out of the sails of the folks that are judging the new airport before it opens! (as well as reduce fumes and make the entire place look far better! Yet for some reason I think they will keep screaming about SOMETHING!

To me, this certainly is something to scream about. Organized chaos.

In Thailand? Organized Chaos? say it isn't so! ... But my good Dr.You sure have toned it down!

[bdenner]

.......

This idea of using a shuttle is crazy, going to need 60+ vehicles an hour 24 hours a day, what a waste of energy

I'm all for having the bus terminal remote, but taxis too?? Crazy!!

...........

Waste of energy????

Surely one bus carrying, lets say, 30 passangers and their luggage over a given distance has got to be more energy efficient than say 15 taxis!

If it is organized well I can’t see any problems other than a small time delay. IMO there will come a time when we will not see any small vehicles at major airport ramps world wide.

[mark lamai]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Horizons/31Aug2006_hori006.php

a few bits from todays bangkok post horizons section.

it seems to say that taxis will be available at the terminal for arrivals.

Arriving passengers exit at level two of the passenger terminal where they can queue for a taxi. Unlike Don Muang, taxis are not allowed to park kerbside at the exit. They park three kilometres always at the remote parking area, next to the bus station.

Similar to most international airports, a taxi supervisor radios a batch of taxis from the remote taxi rank managing the queue from a pool of around 400 authorised taxis.

AoT postponed its decision to raise the Passenger Service Charge from 500 baht to 700 baht until next February, after airlines and travel associations voiced objections at a meeting mid-August. By February, it is quite likely that the passenger fee will be included in the price of the air ticket to streamline the process.

I measured the distance from the expressway entrance at Ploenchit to Suvarnabhumi Airport terminal at 31 km, about five kilometres more than the distance to Don Muang.

However, the taxi fares are likely to double to Suvarnabhumi from around 150 baht to 300 baht for a single trip. Limousine companies that pick up travellers from hotels and residences will probably double the one-way fare from around 600 to 1200 baht.

the distance from the departure terminal to the airside gates through the concourses is considerably longer than passengers encounter at Don Muang.

Travel agents are recommending that their clients allow 30 minutes to walk from the check-in row to the gates on concourse A, B, and 40 minutes through concourses C to G. There are seven concourses leading off the passenger terminal building.

[womble]

.......

This idea of using a shuttle is crazy, going to need 60+ vehicles an hour 24 hours a day, what a waste of energy

I'm all for having the bus terminal remote, but taxis too?? Crazy!!

...........

Waste of energy????

If it is organized well I can’t see any problems other than a small time delay. IMO there will come a time when we will not see any small vehicles at major airport ramps world wide.

Yeah, but lets hope the option is better than waiting for a bus.

It's a wate of energy for whoever is paying the fuel bill of the buses, unless ofcourse they are getting kickbacks from who ever holds the taxi consession from the main terminal.

I think it's a huge inconvenience, it's like staying long term in Heathrow carpark, total nightmare. After a long trip i'd much rather jump in a cab as soon as I have my bags than add asnother 30 minutes on messing around waiting for buses. The less I have to carry or push those bags the better IMHO.

Edited August 31, 2006 by womble

[LaoPo]

Travel agents are recommending that their clients allow 30 minutes to walk from the check-in row to the gates on concourse A, B, and 40 minutes through concourses C to G. There are seven concourses leading off the passenger terminal building.

........at least you're deadly tired and sleep well in the plane....

LaoPo

[womble]

Does anyone know if it has electric walkways?

The sky train stations without them are a pain, and the current airport is very tiring.

[LaoPo]

Does anyone know if it has electric walkways?

Sorry, I don't...but they have electric wheelchairs which you can prebook

LaoPo

[geovalin]

I was yesterday at Suvanapum airport.

No taxi to go back.

The stupid shuttle is a ridiculous normal bus. NO SPACE for the luggages. Yesterday, the few travelers was coming from Hong Kong and Singapore. It means small luggage and not tired people. It's just impossible for travelers coming from Europe or US (tired and big luggage) to even think use these shuttles.

Of course, no taxi at the bus station!!!! Well, the official grand opening is not yet done.

I asked to the staff there and I was told that the taxis will not be allowed to pick up the travelers at the airport but maybe they just don't know (who knows?).

Even if you find a taxi there, the wasted time is 30 minutes because the bus station is NOT in the normal way from airport to highway.

The bus station is not covered by a roof vs the front of the arrival terminal. It means at least 10 minutes in the heat with your tiredness and your luggage.

By the way, this measure (even if the cab comes to pick up you at the terminal after a supervisor call it at the bus station) which is supposed to bring more cleanliness will bring chaos as fakes taxis (or true ones but acting illegally) will propose to bring you to the city quickly (for an exaggerate amount, of course) + crafty persons like you and me will try to catch a taxi at the departure level, we'll fight each other to get a cab and the prices will increase.