About The Aot Limo Service And Arrivals Etc

[nostrel]

TRAVELLER'S Tales

Limo service the preserve of a few

DON ROSS

No one shouted it from the rooftops, in contrast to the blast of advertisements touting other improvements Suvarnabhumi offers Thailand-bound traveller. Yet there was a subtle change to how the new airport's limousine works.

We have lost a few options in the move from Don Muang where Thai Airways International competed against various limousine companies for our patronage. While the choice drove fares down, at least during the off peak hours, competition has not been carried over to the new airport.

Airports of Thailand decided to run its own exclusive limousine service apparently leasing cars and drivers from six car rental firms in the city.

Ousted limousine services sent their staff to the new airport on stand by during the first couple of weeks. They held up small cards claiming they were offering a service on behalf of the national airline THAI.

If you bothered to ask them where their counter was located, they innocently told you, "It is still under construction."

The official limousine service has its counter next to the three car rental companies - Budget, Avis and Hertz. While the AOT decided customers can now enjoy a choice of international car rental firms it felt, for reasons that remain a mystery, passengers do not need the same kind of choice when it comes to limousines.

For those travellers, who appreciate the extra legroom in one of those London taxis, the importer apparently has not been included in the list of firms that supply cars to the AOT limousine service.

So far there were mixed reactions to the service with some passengers claiming the 800 baht to a downtown hotel is value for money, while others point out that it far too expensive for a 30-km transfer that at most costs 160 baht using a standard taxi willing to run on a meter.

The obvious downside to the AOT's monopoly is we cannot take our business elsewhere if we are not happy with the service.

I felt like taking my business elsewhere last week when the AOT limousine failed to make it to my house for a pick up at 5am to catch the 6.45am THAI flight to Nakhon Panom. A pre-paid 1,600-baht voucher had been issued for the ride, but that does not appear to guarantee a ring at your front door at dawn. You can spend 30 minutes doing the crossword puzzle in the newspaper pretending you haven't got a care in the world or you can call the service and bellow "where the .... are you."

Completing the crossword puzzle is perhaps the most productive response if you don't mind missing the flight, but in my case, I had a back up plan - wake up son number two for a formula 1 style transfer to hit the check-in counters 30 minutes later. At that time in the morning, completing the 52-km transfer is achievable, but as most of the domestic flights depart from gates at the far end of concourse, it requires a fast canter to give you five minutes spare in the holding area.

As the AOT operates it as a monopoly there was not even a hint of an apology, although I must be grateful. At least it refunded the 1,600-baht fare. Its excuse department offers a choice. I could opt for excuse one, which ran something like "the booking was not transferred when the night shift staff took over" or there was excuse two proffered a day later by a jaded manager who said, "The driver refused to go to Rangsit - it was too far."

This probably is a strong hint that anyone living in the northern suburbs of the city should take their business elsewhere, or travel at a more convenient time for the drivers.

However, AOT in its wisdom has decided that we cannot take our business elsewhere if we want the security of using the official limousine service.

This is particularly significant for female business travellers, who may have to depart this city at odd hours and do not wish to place their safety in the hands of an unknown taxi driver or an unregistered limousine service.

In the past, many of these travellers, often holding Star Alliance or THAI gold cards, used the THAI limousine service believing the airline could guarantee their safety to and from their homes or hotels. They also could count on a complaint mechanism linked to their FFP status with the airline.

AOT will have to a much better job of monitoring and managing its limousine service to gain the confidence of today's business travellers.

There are still plenty of taxi touts hanging around the arrivals hall, many of them there to take advantage of the confusion and probably a few believing they were not treated fairly by the AOT.

If they offered a service at Don Muang they may have cause to complain, but in the meantime, their presence is a reminder that a security scare could be just around the corner.

Don Muang's arrival hall was only segregated after two Japanese tourists were abducted, raped and killed by vagrant taxi drivers.

History should serve as a warning for the new airport's management. The chaotic atmosphere of the arrivals hall's foyer is a recipe for disaster.

As of last week, the airport was adorned with makeshift signs pointing passengers to the taxi ranks on the ground floor, an indicator that the AOT is not taking this service very seriously. Passengers have to contend with a very crowded foyer when they exit from baggage area and if they see the small typed out signs pointing to the taxis, they may doubt their authenticity.

Suvarnabhumi's arrival hall is chaotic, possibly due to a design flaw that appears to have lopped off about 10 to 15 metres of floor space. It could force the AOT to dismantle booths, mainly shops that are taking up around five metres of walking space and serving no useful purpose in an arrivals hall.

As one local architect commented, "the hall has no sense of arrival or the destination."

"We can remember the Grand Central in New York and the train station halls of Europe. Where is the sense of journey and destination in Suvarnabhumi?"

He asked how a renowned designer, who put his trademark on airports around the world, could give us such a narrow arrivals hall that is remarkably akin to a "suburban mall or a BTS train station." Is it called cutting corners?

Don Ross can be reached through this email address: [email protected]

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source:bangkok post

[1Lucky]

The apparent AOT desire to maximise their revenues for their expensive limo service by obscuring the public taxi service and allowing massive of touts to tout for limo service seems pretty amateurish and generally lets down much which is positive about the new airport. As for the limited space in the arrivals area - architecturally this is not necessarily a problem - it would just require the removal of the numerous limosine and food stall stands that have been erected at the arrivals exists. But maybe they are important for revenues too. It seem a shame as there is much that is nice about the new airport. Even more so when the skytrain link their is finally completed

[pmarlin]

The apparent AOT desire to maximise their revenues for their expensive limo service by obscuring the public taxi service and allowing massive of touts to tout for limo service seems pretty amateurish and generally lets down much which is positive about the new airport. As for the limited space in the arrivals area - architecturally this is not necessarily a problem - it would just require the removal of the numerous limosine and food stall stands that have been erected at the arrivals exists. But maybe they are important for revenues too. It seem a shame as there is much that is nice about the new airport. Even more so when the skytrain link their is finally completed

Noticed something last night when I got transportation from AOT, They only had the BMWs , MercBenz and thost london cab looking cars, no toyoto anywhere. In the parking area none to be seen. Also, it wasn't that busy last night at 1130pm. Passport control in less than 5 min.

[NanLaew]

I think it will be worst to the AOT because thier revenues are consistantly going down and down...

Houston Limousine Rental Services

Kate,

Thanks for plugging your Houston limo service... I mean that's why you resurrected a 4 year old thread no?

[NanLaew]

The apparent AOT desire to maximise their revenues for their expensive limo service by obscuring the public taxi service and allowing massive of touts to tout for limo service seems pretty amateurish and generally lets down much which is positive about the new airport. As for the limited space in the arrivals area - architecturally this is not necessarily a problem - it would just require the removal of the numerous limosine and food stall stands that have been erected at the arrivals exists. But maybe they are important for revenues too. It seem a shame as there is much that is nice about the new airport. Even more so when the skytrain link their is finally completed

Noticed something last night when I got transportation from AOT, They only had the BMWs , MercBenz and thost london cab looking cars, no toyoto anywhere. In the parking area none to be seen. Also, it wasn't that busy last night at 1130pm. Passport control in less than 5 min.

The London cabs are on special offer right now, only 1200 baht to inner BKK... same same Toyota (but with more baggage space and no sticky accelerators).

Don't tell me you took the Beemer again???!!!

[pmarlin]

The apparent AOT desire to maximise their revenues for their expensive limo service by obscuring the public taxi service and allowing massive of touts to tout for limo service seems pretty amateurish and generally lets down much which is positive about the new airport. As for the limited space in the arrivals area - architecturally this is not necessarily a problem - it would just require the removal of the numerous limosine and food stall stands that have been erected at the arrivals exists. But maybe they are important for revenues too. It seem a shame as there is much that is nice about the new airport. Even more so when the skytrain link their is finally completed

Noticed something last night when I got transportation from AOT, They only had the BMWs , MercBenz and thost london cab looking cars, no toyoto anywhere. In the parking area none to be seen. Also, it wasn't that busy last night at 1130pm. Passport control in less than 5 min.

The London cabs are on special offer right now, only 1200 baht to inner BKK... same same Toyota (but with more baggage space and no sticky accelerators).

Don't tell me you took the Beemer again???!!!

Nope, used the London cab, underpowered and very load motor, but was very roomy and road like atruck.