Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport named 5th best airport by Skytrax

[webfact]

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport named 5th best airport by Skytrax



BANGKOK, 18 March 2015 (NNT) - Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport was ranked the fifth best airport in the category of airports with 40-50 million passengers per year, in the annual Skytrax World Airport Awards 2015, according to General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport Prapon Pattamakitsakul.

Mr. Prapon said Suvarnabhumi was ranked after Seoul’s Incheon Airport, Kuala Lumpur Airport, Madrid Airport, and San Francisco Airport in the same category. Apart from this, Suvarnabhumi was also named the 10th Best Airport Staff in Asia and given the 47th place among the World’s Top 100 Airports. Announcing the honor, Mr. Prapon expressed his thanks to all staff and the organization for their efforts to deliver the best services.

The rankings were based on more than thirteen million surveys completed online by passengers of 112 nationalities through www.worldairportsurvey.com and answering phone questionnaires between May 2014 and January 2015.

The World Airport Awards are the most prestigious accolades for the airport industry voted by customers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.

Apart from SKYTRAX awards, Suvarnabhumi was also honored in other world rankings such as the 6th Best Airport in the World by smarttravelasia.com . It is one of the top ten Asia’s most-suitable-to-sleep Airports by Sleepinginairports.net. The latter is given owing to convenient facilities for waiting passengers in Suvarnabhumi Airport.

-- NNT 2015-03-18

[ChrisY1]

The headline's decieving.........

[LuckyLew]

IMO opinion there are too many irrelevant surveys and too many categories within these irrelevant surveys

They should just concentrate on the 47th in the world ... pretty poor IMO

[Toknarok]

47th in the World? I would hardly call that an honour.

[SABloke]

IMO opinion there are too many irrelevant surveys and too many categories within these irrelevant surveys

They should just concentrate on the 47th in the world ... pretty poor IMO

47th out of 800+ is pretty good IMO

[geriatrickid]

Skytrax requires payment for "services". It is a for profit company that "sells" rankings.

That being said, I like BKK. It is better than any large airport in north America and much of Europe.

[Strangebrew]

I like swampy because it is roomy high ceilings are nice but you can keep the Chinese out even better. Only downside is some Thai's are so rude Just because it in there country they feel there should be first in line. Other than that no half bad. Like SFO is connected by transportation with Bart being SFO's link. worke at SFO and McCarran airport the later is under going some Major changes which is nice.

[whybother]

Best Airports : 40-50 million passengers

1 Seoul Incheon ICN

2 Kuala Lumpur KUL

3 Madrid MAD

4 San Francisco SFO

5 Bangkok Suvarnabhumi BKK

6 Charlotte/Douglas CLT

7 Las Vegas LAS

8 Phoenix Sky Harbor PHX

9 Miami International MIA

On last year's stats, there were 10 airports in the 40-50 million passenger range.

Edited March 18, 2015 by whybother

[DLock]

"10th Best Airport Staff in Asia"

Yeah, I probably would have left that accolade out.

Thats a long way down the list.

[mojorison]

Yeah 47 out of 100 sounds about right. A bare pass.

[Deez]

Skytrax requires payment for "services". It is a for profit company that "sells" rankings.

That being said, I like BKK. It is better than any large airport in north America and much of Europe.

What exactly do you like about it? The under staffed immigration or the over priced monopoly "duty free" shops.

[mojorison]

IMO opinion there are too many irrelevant surveys and too many categories within these irrelevant surveys

They should just concentrate on the 47th in the world ... pretty poor IMO

47th out of 800+ is pretty good IMO

Yes, but let's not include 200 meter dirt farmyard landing strips shall we? As a national figurehead, it is a very average airport... and like all things Thai, just gets more and more run down by the day. "Oh look, there is a broken blue tile... I'll just put this pink one there and three inches of grout in the gap, just because I am too shagged to get the right tile and cut it to the correct size..." Maintenance... what's that?? LULZ.

[rebelplatoon]

Must have been on red nose day...

[asdecas]

Suwannaphum may be better than many N American and European airports - most of which are showing their age and lack of capacity in a changed environment - but in my opinion Thailand's main airport comes nowhere near the best in Asia.

A random list of six criticisms:

- Overpriced F&B

- Monopoly duty free supplier

- Vast distances to walk to gates

- Immigration bottlenecks much of the time

- STILL no conveniently-accessed Internet (registration required - why?)

- In general, trading on an outdated and obsolete image of Thailand, unsuitable to 2015.

Pass, at best

[F4UCorsair]

Who were the other 4......or 46? Every other airport!

My intention is not to bag Thailand, but Suvarnabhumi is a long way down the list for me. Skytrax being a for profit company could explain the rating.

There are far too many ratings in the airline business, and it seems if an airline doesn't make the cut they find an organization where they do, so ratings are worthless to me.

[whybother]

Suwannaphum may be better than many N American and European airports - most of which are showing their age and lack of capacity in a changed environment - but in my opinion Thailand's main airport comes nowhere near the best in Asia.

A random list of six criticisms:

- Overpriced F&B

- Monopoly duty free supplier

- Vast distances to walk to gates

- Immigration bottlenecks much of the time

- STILL no conveniently-accessed Internet (registration required - why?)

- In general, trading on an outdated and obsolete image of Thailand, unsuitable to 2015.

Pass, at best

F&B in most airports, especially airside, is overpriced.

One of the best airports in the world, Changi, requires passport registration for wi-fi access.

It's a big airport. How do you propose that they bring all the gates closer to the main terminal?

[bkkheat]

The airport I think is actually good.

I travel a lot and i never get any grief here, I think Sydney is the worst in the world and you get greeted by the worst customs officers in the world too just trying to fine as many people as possible.

[Prbkk]

wow, 1 positive post to 10 negative,

?why, oh why, do you whiners hang about,

you really must be lots of fun at parties

oh yeah, now i get to see all the bashers show their stuff xx

It's all legitimate criticism. BKK aims to be the best but falls short. With some relatively minor changes it could become a much better experience and help Thailand become a tourism and transport/logistics hub. It's not rocket science/brain surgery but at the moment it's poorly managed. Silly tv shows are not going to change anything, particualarly when the very slick show on Dubai is running concurrently...chalk and cheese.

[Prbkk]

The airport I think is actually good.

I travel a lot and i never get any grief here, I think Sydney is the worst in the world and you get greeted by the worst customs officers in the world too just trying to fine as many people as possible.

Sydney customs ....absolute pits ( and especially when dealing with people from other cultures). Bangkok customs is ok.

[Larry001]

I have traveled extensively and certainly put Bkk up there with the best, in all areas. Sometimes, l am sitting in a coffee lounge 15 mins after entering the airport. Completed, check in, security and immigration as well as walking 400 meters. Likewise when entering Thailand.

[Larry001]

wow, 1 positive post to 10 negative,

?why, oh why, do you whiners hang about,

you really must be lots of fun at parties

oh yeah, now i get to see all the bashers show their stuff xx

Could not agree with you more Oby. So many sad farangs comment on Thai visa. They are either ultra negative or just plain stupid (thinking they are funny). These poor losers in life. Now wait for the bombardment of criticism l will receive, but never see, because l do not spend my day on Thai Visa, nor do l return to an article.

[Ricardo]

It's a big airport. How do you propose that they bring all the gates closer to the main terminal?

I have a 1.2 km walk/hobble ( I use a walking-stick), from my Domestic-arrival to my International-departure, so a moving-walkway would be nice !

They have them for passengers arriving, just not for people departing, no doubt part of their unsubtle scheme to force you to go up to the top-floor, and walk past all those wonderful Duty-Free shops !

[mojorison]

wow, 1 positive post to 10 negative,

?why, oh why, do you whiners hang about,

you really must be lots of fun at parties

oh yeah, now i get to see all the bashers show their stuff xx

Could not agree with you more Oby. So many sad farangs comment on Thai visa. They are either ultra negative or just plain stupid (thinking they are funny). These poor losers in life. Now wait for the bombardment of criticism l will receive, but never see, because l do not spend my day on Thai Visa, nor do l return to an article.

TLDR

[emilymat]

The next survey will be that Swampy is No1 in best airports in Bangkok. Then this whole nonsense can be put to bed as top spot will have been achieved.

[3SoiDogNight]

I liked Don Mueang much better.

The terminal building at Suvarnabhumi is not suitable for the hot climate of Thailand. The high ceilings and long distances are unnecessary. The over-sized shopping mall is unnecessary. With all that glass, there is too many metal bars that obstructs us aviation photographers from getting good photos of aircraft.

My favorite major airports in Asia is Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong Chap Lok Kok and Singapore Changi - despite the fact that I hate Singapore.

I really do miss Kai Tak - the old airport in Hong Kong.

Best airport to land at in Asia is Lukla, Nepal.

[Baerboxer]

Suwannaphum may be better than many N American and European airports - most of which are showing their age and lack of capacity in a changed environment - but in my opinion Thailand's main airport comes nowhere near the best in Asia.

A random list of six criticisms:

- Overpriced F&B

- Monopoly duty free supplier

- Vast distances to walk to gates

- Immigration bottlenecks much of the time

- STILL no conveniently-accessed Internet (registration required - why?)

- In general, trading on an outdated and obsolete image of Thailand, unsuitable to 2015.

Pass, at best

All down to personal choices and experiences. I'm a regular traveler and have only really experienced lengthy immigration queues on 3 occasions. 2 exiting and 1 incoming. Other than that, no real delay and many very quick. Baggage time can be sometimes slower than the best but certainly usually ok, and much quicker than many in Europe.

KL was number 2? I like the friendly and efficient immigration there, and your're usually out quickly. But the check-in is average at best, and the facilities very ordinary. Security is really lapse - even after MH370.

[Baerboxer]

I liked Don Mueang much better.

The terminal building at Suvarnabhumi is not suitable for the hot climate of Thailand. The high ceilings and long distances are unnecessary. The over-sized shopping mall is unnecessary. With all that glass, there is too many metal bars that obstructs us aviation photographers from getting good photos of aircraft.

My favorite major airports in Asia is Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong Chap Lok Kok and Singapore Changi - despite the fact that I hate Singapore.

I really do miss Kai Tak - the old airport in Hong Kong.

Best airport to land at in Asia is Lukla, Nepal.

HK - a long walk, get on train, followed by a long walk. Shopping pretty average. Flew CP business class last time. Lounge very good though. (No fast track at immigration for Business Class though).

[The manic]

It sure beats Heathrow. However, last time I left 8 weeks ago passport control was very slow and the absence of information staff was very frustrating in the massive long gantries and corridors leading to the gates. The information staff who were available only had hand drawn maps of the place. The distance between the furthest gates and passport on control on arrival is also very long. The queues at passport control are very frustrating especially when officials are only operating 50% of the available booths. After 6 to 12 hours on a flight waiting in line for over an hour is a poor start to a visit to any country. But it is still better than Heathrow.

[wotsdermatter]

Just read the latest Skytrax report/list and Suvarnabhumi Airport does not even get a sniff into the list of the top 30 so where does the number 5th come from? Also, as a handicapped person, the airport is far from being the friendliest for people in wheelchairs. Tried a few times to get the wheelchair into a toilet and there is a small step, only an inch or so high but that prevents me from entering by myself because the door is not easily opened as it must be pushed open. Then it immediately slams shut while trying to negotiate the step. The joints between the floor sections are not good either. They cause the wheelchair to bump and jump along creating spinal and leg pain - had back operations, two hip replacements, and right knee replacement and no feeling in feet. Long distances from check-in to gate another problem as is trying to get into and out of the airport through departures. Whoever thought of putting in that horrendous barrier should be shot. Must admit though, at least the taxi is closer to the door than they can get in China where the taxi can not get within about 100 feet of the door as they are not allowed to drive that close. At least most airports worldwide allow that because of the luggage being large and some do not even provide free trolleys. (Toronto is an example where you pay CAD2:00 and then get nothing back when finished.)

[hanno]

The airport I think is actually good.

I travel a lot and i never get any grief here, I think Sydney is the worst in the world and you get greeted by the worst customs officers in the world too just trying to fine as many people as possible.

I still have nightmares about Sydney. Immigration took 2 hours and waiting for a taxi 1.5 hours. Compared to that, Swampy is a breeze,

I see all these complaints about immigration at Swampy; I cannot say I have experienced that and I fly in and out at least once a month. I do agree that the walks can be loooooooong and the Duty Free is a rip-off but who the heck shops at airport duty free shops anyway?