Getting taxi at arrival floor.

[kingalfred]

Anyone often get the taxi at the arrival level? Wait for taxi when they drop off for departure and get a metered taxi with no hassle?

[bubba]

No hassle at all at the departure level. AOT has officially permitted taxi pickups at the departures level, and no waiting since there are always plenty of them there to choose from. Never had one try not to use the meter, no 50 baht surcharge and most are grateful to have a fare back into the city.

[Thongkorn]

I go upstairs and get one that's dropping off some one, usually they are better and polite, also cheaper because they will use the meter.

[Tim16]

I thought one way turnstiles had been built to stop access to taxi's dropping people off at departures?

[thehelmsman]

I thought one way turnstiles had been built to stop access to taxi's dropping people off at departures?

They turn both ways hahhhaa have had the Security standing close by as I walk across to taxis

[siam2007]

KINGALFRED is talking about the "departure level", even he says "arrival level".

yes you can still do that despite those revolving gates, as long as you don't have huge luggage or are extremely obese (in which case you will be stuck and the security will probably take pictures of you with their Smartphones and post it on facebook for all Thai and Farang people to see).

you can sneak through those gates, the security will not physically hold you back. At least they didn't when I engaged in this kind of lawlessness in February.

I intend to continue my lawless behaviour when I come back from my usual Songkran-escape in late April

[bubba]

It's not "lawlessness". AOT officially stated last July that taxis at the departures level would be permitted to pick up arriving passengers so long as they had incoming fares and they are not permitted to wait to solicit passengers.

[Chalard Mahk Mar]

No taxis at Swampy last night. Queues going back inside the building it was that bad.

Not a good image at all

[siam2007]

It's not "lawlessness". AOT officially stated last July that taxis at the departures level would be permitted to pick up arriving passengers so long as they had incoming fares and they are not permitted to wait to solicit passengers.

I didn't know that but good to hear and will make me even more confident to continue to do it that way in the future. It worked perfectly again about 10 days ago when returning from my Songkhran escape.

But if it is not illegal, I wonder why they installed those revolving gates at the first place, plus a sign telling you DO NOT ENTER (same sign as on the roads when you are not allowed to enter a road)

[bubba]

Taking a taxi from Level 4 departures was never "illegal". It was just that at one point, AOT decided not to allow taxis to collect passengers there, presumably to protect the airport taxi queue. That is when they installed the turnstiles, and for a while, guards were there to turn people away. That lasted for a couple of months, the idea was abandoned, and then in July AOT came out and said taking taxis from Level 4 was OK. The turnstiles are still there, some of them now rotate both ways, it is easy to get past the ones that don't, and there is no guard preventing you from passing them. No idea why they don't just remove the turnstiles.

Chelard: so are you saying there were no taxis at all at the downstairs taxi queue? Or at the departures level?

[aussiep]

At Swampy on Friday 1st May you could just walk through turnstiles and get a Taxi.

But can't take a airport trolley through.

Putting the meter on was no problem.

aussiep

[Chicog]

No taxis downstairs? I wonder if it's because they can't see the point of waiting all that time for passengers because selfish people are abusing the system and they see other drivers getting two fares back to back?

Flame away, I don't care.

[FireMedic]

I do this all the time. I notice more and more wanna be mafiosos waving you into waiting taxis. Of course, I NEVER use a waiting taxi anywhere. I kindly refuse walk pass the loudmouth, and hail a passing one....much to the dismay of the loudmouth (Where you go? Where you go? Come this taxi...come this taxi)

[dabhand]

Have always supported the ground floor taxi stand. Never considered going to departures level and taking one of the arriving taxis.

That is, until now. The new system, to my mind, has resulted in a far less efficient pickup. Previously, under the old system, I would rarely have to queue to catch a taxi. That was over a number of years with, on average, monthly arrivals. Over the last few months with the new system, there has always been a queue and, frustratingly, once reaching the ticket dispensing machines, there is usually a delay in the ticket coming out due to a 'Waiting' message being displayed.

Anyway, had an unusual experience last time around.

My last arrival, at around 2.30pm on 29th May, after suffering huge immigration queues (both halls were chock-a-block, mainly with Chinese tour groups). I exited to find the usual taxi queue. Eventually reached the machine and, yes, another wait for the ticket. Received my ticket, lane 25, and headed off to the taxi that was waiting there. Showed the ticket to the diver and entered the taxi. About 10/15 minutes later, on the motorway to Pattaya, the taxi divers' phone rings. He answers and, with my limited knowledge of Thai I could pick out that there was some issue with the lane number. He pulls over to the side of the motorway and asks to see my ticket again. He then compares that with his ticket. He has number 21!! Oh dear!! He is still on his mobile and the discussion is getting rather heated.

Anyway, he finished the call and explained to me that it was clearly his fault and, as a result, he is banned from using the Airport queue system for 15 days!! I can see the logic of some penalty as I am sure there must have been a bit of confusion back at the airport when the taxi for lane 25 and the passenger for lane 21 must have suffered delays/confusion due to my taxi driver!!

He was not a happy chappie - but all down to him!!

[siam2007]

Have always supported the ground floor taxi stand. Never considered going to departures level and taking one of the arriving taxis.

That is, until now. The new system, to my mind, has resulted in a far less efficient pickup. Previously, under the old system, I would rarely have to queue to catch a taxi. That was over a number of years with, on average, monthly arrivals. Over the last few months with the new system, there has always been a queue and, frustratingly, once reaching the ticket dispensing machines, there is usually a delay in the ticket coming out due to a 'Waiting' message being displayed.

Anyway, had an unusual experience last time around.

My last arrival, at around 2.30pm on 29th May, after suffering huge immigration queues (both halls were chock-a-block, mainly with Chinese tour groups). I exited to find the usual taxi queue. Eventually reached the machine and, yes, another wait for the ticket. Received my ticket, lane 25, and headed off to the taxi that was waiting there. Showed the ticket to the diver and entered the taxi. About 10/15 minutes later, on the motorway to Pattaya, the taxi divers' phone rings. He answers and, with my limited knowledge of Thai I could pick out that there was some issue with the lane number. He pulls over to the side of the motorway and asks to see my ticket again. He then compares that with his ticket. He has number 21!! Oh dear!! He is still on his mobile and the discussion is getting rather heated.

Anyway, he finished the call and explained to me that it was clearly his fault and, as a result, he is banned from using the Airport queue system for 15 days!! I can see the logic of some penalty as I am sure there must have been a bit of confusion back at the airport when the taxi for lane 25 and the passenger for lane 21 must have suffered delays/confusion due to my taxi driver!!

He was not a happy chappie - but all down to him!!

Weird indeed.

But I am not surprised about anything anymore in this country.

Lucky you had no bad experiences at arrival level Taxi stand, but I am now tired of it (plus the queues).

As I do not live too far from Swampy, every driver sobs and complains that he had to wait 2 hrs to get a ride and then it is only worth 200 Baht to go to my district.

So now I always go to departure level, even when I have heavy luggage, and use a Cab that has dropped a PAX there. another member in this topic wrote that it is actually not illegal to do this, and since then I am even more confident to do it that way....