New Airport

[Soju]

Yes agreed ... the bare concrete needs finishing as does those aluminium strips that run across the ceiling at to which lights etc are attached. Concrete and metal is stained and really looks sloppy. Also take a close look at those glass windows.

My guess is that in the haste to open the building on schedule, they didn't have time for the finishing work. It's difficult to finish the concrete now that the airport is in use but cleaning up the windows and metal and electrical fittings should be feasible.

Agreed that if you take a close look it does look worse than at first glance. But last time I was at Incheon airport, which most people, myself included, say is a very nice airport, I decided to have a close look at the glass and framework to compare to Suvarnabhumi. I thought Incheon would be much better but was surprised to see on close inspection lots and lots of dirty spots in hard to reach places. For sure Suvarnabhumi needs to have a thorough cleaning, but I don't think it'll ever be spotless nor will any airport using that sort of architecture and size. Although the bare concrete/metal definitely stands out in my eyes, and doesn't look nearly as good as it could, it doesn't bother me all that much. Those metal floors though always give me a cold and strange feeling when I walk over them.

Also some other observations .... really a crowded feeling. That display of "churning the milk sea" and the many tourists having thier pictures made there was blocking that major intersection at this particular time .... while at the other major intersection there was a Thai puppet show in progress which was causing congestion and blockage of passenger movement. It was slow going pushing a trolley.

I experienced the same thing you did. I actually think the puppet show or whatever show they choose to do there is a good thing. Something to show the world something of Thai culture and maybe entertain some passengers while they wait for their flights. So I'd like to see them keep it, even though I didn't personally watch it, but wish they'd do something about controlling the people around it from just standing and blocking everyone. Maybe something as simple as putting some ropes up and asking anyone who wants to watch to step inside the ropes.

Once again it was necessary to make the long bus ride to my departing flight parked somewhere out there in the airplane parking lot. After nine or ten trips (international and domestic) thru the new airport, I have only once exited a plane normally thru a gate and walkway into the terminal and have yet to board a plane thru gate and walkway.

For me, I've had gate access on 8 out of 12 trips, thus 4 out of 12 were bused - all flights were on THAI. It used to be that I was bused regularly on international flights out of Don Muang - about 80% of the time. All my international flights from Suvarnabhumi have used the gates, so that is an improvement, but many of the domestic flights are now using buses, though the smaller passenger numbers on those flights means less delays, but still I'm not thrilled about it. I lodged a complaint with THAI about their use of buses and figure I'll give it another month or so to see if they make any progress on this issue or not.

Curious about which airline(s) are using buses and if any are always using gates, particularly with respect to domestic flights. If Nok Air always uses gates, I may desert THAI for my domestic travel until they get their act together.

[grtaylor]

It amazes me how people blithely throw out comparisons with KL, Changi, and other airports without considering some basic facts about those airports. For example: the issue of there being no train/MRT at BKK, which both Changi and KL have.

Changi airport opened 1981 - Changi MRT station opened 08/Feb/2002

KLIA opened 1998 - Transit train opened for operation 20/June/2002

Changi has had 25 years to develop itself - and when I think of the development which went on at Don Muang over the 16 years I've been here, it was also much improved over that time.

I don't say any of this to excuse faults which there may or may not be, but just to say, give them time to fix things at the new place . . . . . . .

G

PS - And, just so people don't forget one other aiport, here is what Wikipedia has to say about HK's opening!

Opened in 6 July 1998, it took six years and US $20 billion to build. The architects were Foster and Partners. For three to five months after its opening, it suffered various severe organizational, mechanical, and technical problems that almost crippled the airport. At one time, the government reopened the cargo terminal at Kai Tak Airport to handle freight traffic due to a breakdown at the new cargo terminal, named Super Terminal One (ST1). Luckily, things started to settle down after six months and the airport started to operate normally.

[Soju]

grtaylor, great post. Very nice comparisons of the history of the other airports to put things in perspective. Airports are in it for the long-haul, and problems / inadequacies at the beginning are to be expected and not something we should get too worked up over. I think the problems need to be identified and solutions discussed and then see what is done about them. If nothing is done to resolve the problems, then we need to complain loudly at that point.

[globalnomad]

Cwilliam is quite misguided. He is demonstrating the same complacency which is the route cause of all the problems at Suvarnabhumi airport.

In addition he does not seem to realize that people only want to complain when they have an emotional attachment to something they really have a deep affection for. Its not negative to complain its actually highly constructive.

There nothing wrong with the Inconic and beautifully designed Survanabhumi airport in Bangkok which was created by the award winning architectural firm of Murphy/Jahn. They have alreay built several other new airports around the world such as the marvellous Munich airport and they are currently remodelling Chicago's O'Hare airport, the world's busiest. No all the problems are either concerned with the physical construction of the project or the management of the new airport. To try and run an international airport with a combination of bureaucrats and military people is the big mistake. These people have no idea how to understand and implement good customer service.

Many people on this forum mistakenly blame the desgin of the new BKK airport arrivals area to be "too small". To do that is to confuse the symptom with its cause. Murhpy/Jahn designed the new BKK airport with the brief that 80% of arrivals would be using the rapid train link to the centre of Bangkok. Therefore the arrivals space reflected that. Its not the architects fault that local Thai contractors and government were unable to complete the train system prior to its openning. It was a crazy political decision to open the new BKK airport too early. The other reason why the arrivals area seems to be "too small" is because the airport management consistently failed to enforce proper security to prevent arriving customers from being ambushed by illegal limo and taxi touts. If all the illegal annoyances were removed from this area and the train system was up and running these conversations would not be happening and the arrivals space would be seem to be adequate.

I believe that the only solution to the many Survanbhumi problems is to hire an international firm of airport managers to do the job professionally. If they don't do this then the new airport will become Thailand's biggest white elephant.

globalnomad

I left at the old airport and returned at the new.I had a good time returning at the new.Stop all your complaining nobody with common sense will listen to you anyway.Get a life and enjoy the new airport.Anybody that gets taken for a ride by the bandit taxis's deserves the ride,I gave an obscene jesture to anybody that tried to rip me off.A fool and his money are soon parted,if your a fool you deserve what you get.Been there done that!!!! And if you try to take in more than you are allowed I hope they throw the book at you!!

[asanee]

I believe that the only solution to the many Survanbhumi problems is to hire an international firm of airport managers to do the job professionally. If they don't do this then the new airport will become Thailand's biggest white elephant.

Splendid idea! Proposal: as this sale-off seems to have upset so many Thai: let that exTaksin's 1-2-3 fone be exchanged with Temasek(=Singapore's state run economic giant) for Changi,consistently voted as the best airport in this world to get Suvannapoom: would all former outcrying Thai be satisfied? or would the outcry be even louder?

[Shrubbery]

Most budget airlines will use buses or make you walk to the aircraft. Using the stand and airbridge incurrs additional costs.

Most airbridges are used for larger aircraft. 737, 767, 747, 777, A310, A320, A340 etc etc.

Bangkok Airways 717 from recollection only has rear access for passengers. And I believe, but stand to be corrected, that the airbridge would be too big for the ATR's.

I have used the airport several times including arriving the day it opened. It was in my eyes, a more successful opening than 1 or 2 others in Asia.

Yes, it has some faults but doesn't every airport.

[Soju]

Shrubbery, I think you've got the ATR and 717 reversed. The ATR is the one with only rear boarding, while the 717 is quite small and might possibly have a problem with the airbridge, though I don't really know for certain. Bangkok Air has both those types of planes, but I don't know what the status is at Suvarnabhumi with regard to boarding/busing. I know at Don Muang I once flew a 717 and had to be bused to the aircraft.

[Shrubbery]

Shrubbery, I think you've got the ATR and 717 reversed. The ATR is the one with only rear boarding, while the 717 is quite small and might possibly have a problem with the airbridge, though I don't really know for certain. Bangkok Air has both those types of planes, but I don't know what the status is at Suvarnabhumi with regard to boarding/busing. I know at Don Muang I once flew a 717 and had to be bused to the aircraft.

Apologies. I stand corrected with regards to access on the 717.

The times that I flew from Don Muang using Bangkok Airways I always had to use the bus to both the ATR and 717.

I have not yet used Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi, though I will be in 10 days time. My fiance has used it though, and again always has to use the bus.

As I have not used the domestic departure area I don't know whether they have airbridges there.

[Krub]

Shrubbery, I think you've got the ATR and 717 reversed. The ATR is the one with only rear boarding, while the 717 is quite small and might possibly have a problem with the airbridge, though I don't really know for certain. Bangkok Air has both those types of planes, but I don't know what the status is at Suvarnabhumi with regard to boarding/busing. I know at Don Muang I once flew a 717 and had to be bused to the aircraft.

Apologies. I stand corrected with regards to access on the 717.

The times that I flew from Don Muang using Bangkok Airways I always had to use the bus to both the ATR and 717.

I have not yet used Bangkok Airways from Suvarnabhumi, though I will be in 10 days time. My fiance has used it though, and again always has to use the bus.

As I have not used the domestic departure area I don't know whether they have airbridges there.

They have aribridges at the domestic gates. They are not always used but all my domestic flights 6 so far on TG have all been with airbridges direct to terminal and no buses.

[MiG16]

also dont forget Manila airport to those that complain about the one in thailand

[scorecard]

Arrived last night, TG flight from Singapore into the DOMESTIC terminal parking bays.

Total confusion. Thai passengers tried to explain the situation to several airport staff and Thai staff, all of them just shrugged and said they had no idea what to do / who to contact, and just walked away.

At one stage a group of the passengers approached an 'Airport Information' desk staffed by a very young girl who was very sloppily dressed and groomed. She simply fled from the desk.

Eventually one of the Thai passengers suggested that everybody follow her. After a long trek she eventually found a path to enter into the immigration arrivals area.

[jbowman1993]

I have never bothered to notice much about airports. I don't have to live there, after all. I can spend 3 hours in a port a john if it will get me home to my family on the holidays

[nonthaburial]

I have been reading all these reviews over the last 2 months and if reading is believing then I will admit I was a little concerned about using this new airport for the first time.

Last Saturday off I went with fears upon fears, got to the airport, taxi driver was unsure of where to go. "follow the signs dear chappie" and guess what found departure level very easily. Gulf Air to HK, easily found on check in TV monitor, Ok down to check in desk T from desk A was a bit of a walk but what the heck bit of exercise hurts no one. Check in smooth and through to immigration, very quickly dealt with by a very pleasant officer and through we went. Yes floor was sloped and slippery into the departure areas but signs everywhere warning of this. Yes duty free shops everywhere but no different to HK, Changi or every other major airport.

Airport felt very comfortable and so far I could see no reasons for the heavy criticsms previously posted here.

Yes there could be situations where it may be a long walk to the departure gate, but in a big airport that is to be expected and as they cannot park all aircraft on top of each other at one gate, again I cannot understand so many of the comments printed previously.

I do however have one observation and that is the design, which is impressive, is not easy to keep clean, glass walls etc of that size a project will need a large crew working 365 days a year to keep it sparkling.

The return in last evening at 6.30pm again went very smoothly and I thought that the large LCD at the baggage carousels was impressive. Luggage was quick and again so far no problems - all plain sailing. BUT WAIT now the big test, the dreaded arrivals hall where it is reported that every crook, gangster, thug and con man congregates to rip off arriving gullible passengers and all done in an atmosphere thats busier than Wembley Stadium on a cupfinal day (ok orCardiff).

My god, am I at the right airport, I wasnt hindered at all and it certainly wasnt as congested as reported. Iam really unhappy now, it seems as if I have missed all these complaints and previous observations.

Right the final test, up the moving walkways with trolley to the departure

level, lets see if I can secure a taxi from there. Happy me yes I can , although whilst having a quick nicotine refill I looked down to the arrivals level to see many many taxis and no one waiting. Oh well another myth exploded in mid air!

From touch down to getting to my final destination in Rama III a total of 70 minutes.

Come on people wake up and smell the coffee, great airport here and certainly in my opinion not worth most of the bitchy comments read on here previously.

I certainly have a complaint about HK airport my flight out to BKK was one hour late due to a huge thunderstorm over the runways. I will write to the HK Govt explaining that they built it in the wrong location and could they please relocate it to an area where there are no thunderstorms !!!!!!!

[sriracha john]

Many people on this forum mistakenly blame the desgin of the new BKK airport arrivals area to be "too small". To do that is to confuse the symptom with its cause. Murhpy/Jahn designed the new BKK airport with the brief that 80% of arrivals would be using the rapid train link to the centre of Bangkok. Therefore the arrivals space reflected that.

THAT makes for the first sensible explanation I've heard of the arrival size problem.

Too bad we'll have to put up with until 2012, when the train is finished...

The other reason why the arrivals area seems to be "too small" is because the airport management consistently failed to enforce proper security to prevent arriving customers from being ambushed by illegal limo and taxi touts.

Another sensible reason or cause that explains the problems... and solvable... C'mon now,...

It's 2006, it's time the 1960's-until-the-present-time touts be moved on.

If all the illegal annoyances were removed from this area and the train system was up and running these conversations would not be happening and the arrivals space would be seem to be adequate.

That sounds very reasonable.

Sorry... but I'm generally leery of first posters lately, but you certainly sound legit.

Thank you for your input

and welcome to Thaivisa.

[sriracha john]

oh.. and btw, this just came in....

Meanwhile, another Assets Examination Committee (AEC)-appointed panel yesterday visited Suvarnabhumi Airport to look for evidence of irregularities relating to the procurement of the CTX 9000 explosive-detection system.

Led by Amnuay Tantara, the panel found that, less than two months after the new airport was opened, one bomb-scanner had already broken.

Following the inspection, panel spokesman Totrakul Yomanak said its work might not be completed by December 4 as requested but would definitely be finished by the end of the year.

He said the panel was trying to identify how kickbacks would have been paid to officials who supervised construction of the airport.

- The Nation, 25 November 2006

Will further CTX scanners being taken out of service lead up to an aggrevating factor with the problem regarding luggage processing and associated delays?

[Soju]

THAT makes for the first sensible explanation I've heard of the arrival size problem.

Too bad we'll have to put up with until 2012, when the train is finished...

Agree that it was a good explanation of why it was designed that way. Curious though about your 2012 date. Is this something you actually saw someplace or just a wild guess on your part. Last I heard, the schedule was for completion near the end of 2007, with some people saying 2008, or maybe 2009 was more likely. You're the first I've read who's mentioned any date so far away.

[sriracha john]

With all the various rail projects going on, I mistook the 2012 for the airport link, but it's for another one of the lines. For the airport link, if they can fix the problem with the cement cracks in the massive support pylons fixed (14 were thus far identified), then things will hopefully be ready by 2009.

[gadgetsteve2]

If you're expecting to get a re-entry permit at the airport, make sure you bring a 4x6cm photo with you. There aren't any public photo booths at the airport! A return trip to a nearby photo shop takes 45mins.

No wi-fi internet at the gate.

No bridge for boarding - We had to get a bus out to the aircraft (a TG A330.)

No moving walk ways (that worked.)

Arriving back at the airport late at night feels like you're walking through an dark underground car park.

On a positive note, it's still possible to pick up an honest taxi upstairs on the departures level.

[asanee]

By the by anyone know if Thai Airways have a limo service counter at the airport?

THAI has given up ANY limo-service they previously had since at least before 1999.

Happened to land at Khon Khaen some weeks ago, this van was there -for the time being- run by the AVIS rental.

Thats 1 reason why their touts seem to be so aggressive to many newcomers: THAI cannot contro them!

The LIMO as such is just a flat rate (800 or 900 I think now) glorifeid Merc-Benz (well, used to be, maybe thats changed too, toyota also does nice cars) in lieu of a normal taximeter.

Once my luggage was mislaid and arrived next day: was delivered to hotel by same-same limo!

[xbusman]

A bizarre note. Coming back in I wanted to buy some duty free cigarettes so I swung by King Power just before immigrations, bought some perfume at higher prices than Emporium (had to have it I guess) and asked about cigarettes as there are none on display. The clerk looked both ways and slid out the keyboard shelf under the register and there were five cartons of the more common brands... Price quoted is about what you can buy them at any shop downtown. I politely declined and headed upstairs to the King Power shops that do sell ciggies. Ready to check out, they reviewed my boarding pass and refused to sell me cigarettes, can only sell to outbound passengers, inbound are out of luck.

Its great to be back in Thailand where nothing makes sense but everything seems to get done.

[causticme]

I left at the old airport and returned at the new.I had a good time returning at the new.Stop all your complaining nobody with common sense will listen to you anyway.Get a life and enjoy the new airport.Anybody that gets taken for a ride by the bandit taxis's deserves the ride,I gave an obscene jesture to anybody that tried to rip me off.A fool and his money are soon parted,if your a fool you deserve what you get.Been there done that!!!! And if you try to take in more than you are allowed I hope they throw the book at you!!

I think the new airport is great!

[sriracha john]

I left at the old airport and returned at the new.I had a good time returning at the new.Stop all your complaining nobody with common sense will listen to you anyway.Get a life and enjoy the new airport.Anybody that gets taken for a ride by the bandit taxis's deserves the ride,I gave an obscene jesture to anybody that tried to rip me off.A fool and his money are soon parted,if your a fool you deserve what you get.Been there done that!!!! And if you try to take in more than you are allowed I hope they throw the book at you!!

cwilliam

Statistics

Joined: 2005-09-26

Last Seen: 8 Dec 2006

Local Time: 2007-01-19 23:46:47

204 posts

oh my goodness... M.I.A.

I hope he's not been taken for a ride by a taxi driver...

[backflip]

Murphy/Jahn was the architects of record for the new State of Illinois building, and its bid was $100million less than the competition. Half-way through construction, the State of Illinois discovered that the building site was LEASEhold, rather than FREEhold. The State spent the $100million to acquire the building site as freehold. Opps! When San Jose (CA) rebuilt its airport as an INTERNATIONAL facility, one thing was missing...US Immigration and Customs. For a dozen years the Immigration and Customs facilities consisted of several trailers parked next to the terminal. Opps! For the same amount of time and money as it took to build the new HK airport, Denver built its new international airport. The big difference is, while HK had to blow up a mountain to build the facility, the outskirts of Denver were already nice and flat. Following the opening, it took several months to get the automated baggage handling system to operate properly. Opps! Over the next couple years, it was discovered that the family of the Colorado governor (Federico Pena) owned the land where the new airport was built. Double opps! He then became Bill Clinton's Secretary of Transporation. Triple opps!

[roswell43]

I left at the old airport and returned at the new.I had a good time returning at the new.Stop all your complaining nobody with common sense will listen to you anyway.Get a life and enjoy the new airport.Anybody that gets taken for a ride by the bandit taxis's deserves the ride,I gave an obscene jesture to anybody that tried to rip me off.A fool and his money are soon parted,if your a fool you deserve what you get.Been there done that!!!! And if you try to take in more than you are allowed I hope they throw the book at you!!

All complaints will stop when the airport get their acts right and function like a airport, not a mega shopping complex.....Cannot get a airport to function properly, stop having big plans for shopping......runway, taxiway crack...wonder what's next? Terminal collapse?

[pkrv]

Personally speaking whoever named the airport in the first place leaves me in hysterics when in English the pronunciation sounds like.

"Do you want a poo" airport.

Ah well perseverance is everything

[salty]

Personally speaking whoever named the airport in the first place leaves me in hysterics when in English the pronunciation sounds like.

"Do you want a poo" airport.

Ah well perseverance is everything

Let's hope Sue can find somewhere to have a poo.

[wpcoe]

Personally speaking whoever named the airport in the first place leaves me in hysterics when in English the pronunciation sounds like.

"Do you want a poo" airport.

Uhm, tread lightly here, pkrv -- it was named by a certain revered royal person...

[adad]

it was named by THE revered royal person.

[Pepe']

I left at the old airport and returned at the new.I had a good time returning at the new.Stop all your complaining nobody with common sense will listen to you anyway.Get a life and enjoy the new airport.Anybody that gets taken for a ride by the bandit taxis's deserves the ride,I gave an obscene jesture to anybody that tried to rip me off.A fool and his money are soon parted,if your a fool you deserve what you get.Been there done that!!!! And if you try to take in more than you are allowed I hope they throw the book at you!!

Cwilliam,

We'll complain as much as we like. When you get a piece of the runway in the engine of your aircraft you may change your tune.

When I entered at arrivals in November I mentioned in another post that the huge webs and debris up in the steel ceiling grid looked like something out of Jurrasic Park.

Inside personally I mostly liked the airport. I also thought thought that covering the whole thing in white canvas waas well not the best idea.

Don't complain that you don't like others complaining...

[xerostar]

Or those satisfied with "good enough". Yes, we all have different standards. Some think good enough is OK, others think we should aspire to better than "good enough". I travel a lot, I am not a doom-laden teacher, sexpat or visa runner. I don't think I have an easy label, but I do think from what you're saying, I'd rather have my approach to life than yours. Maybe, (if you're not doom laden, a teacher, a sexpat or a visa runner), but an employee in Thailand, those that employ you might also prefer someone who aspires to higher standards too. I know the TIT philosophy, and that we should all accept everything as it is here, but perhaps there is room for criticism, providing it's reasoned, and not critical of Thais, or Thailand for the sake of running running them and it down. Surely if people are well-travelled they have experienced the best, (and worst) in comparisons, and should be free in this forum to state those views. I believe however, it is also more effective if solutions can be suggested, and more particularly, if those suggestions can be acted upon, or debated by those who have the power to effect change. Possibly the frustration is that this rarely happens in a country in which you do not have that clout, (justifyably perhaps, because you're a foreigner).

Very nicely put SAMTAM

It's such a pity that what "could" have been "The best airport in the world" has turned out to be just "An acceptable one, with many faults".

Some faults can still be rectified but other major design/architectural faults will just have to remain.

My arrival and departure from the new airport in January allowed me to experience "first-hand" some of these faults.

The bus-in and bus-out routine is not synonymous with a new modern airport. We flew Thai Airways with an Airbus.

I guess the air-bridges were out of order when we arrived and departed.

The metal seats in the departure area look great but they are very uncomfortable.

The floors are cold ceramic tiles. Very practical for cleaning I guess but not as friendly as good old carpeted DM.

Carpet always dampens the noise and makes for a calm atmosphere. No such luxury here at the new airport.

A lot of money was spent on stainless steel embellishments which may look good in a kitchen and may be the architect's favourite

but I find it cold and a waste of money when other materials would have been cheaper and warmer in appearance.

The air-con was set at a freezing temperature.

The PA system was terrible. We did not understand anything due to the poor accoustics.

There were no snack bars or duty free in the departure area.

You could not describe it as a "departure lounge". It was more like a temporary holding-pen.

This made our long wait very uncomfortable.

The earlier long walk, past those expensive "5th Avenue" shops after getting through immigration was pleasant but frustrating

when we had little need of any of those things nor the money to purchase them.

Elderly passengers would find the long walk very tiring indeed.

The sloping metal walkways must be scary for frail passengers.

I could have enjoyed a long slide down them if I had been wearing leather-soled shoes.

It's a pity they do not have enough conveyor walkways as an alternative.

For those who enjoy walking and have enough time, then this airport is OK.

For those that don't enjoy long walks at 3.00 AM and for those that come late due to traffic snarls downtown or for some other

reason then this airport is not helpful. There is almost no seating in the shopping area, where one could relax.

There were no signs telling in what direction to head to our departure area after leaving immigration.

We found the sign that tells you what departure area you need (it's on the boarding pass anyway) but there was no sign to say

which direction to go. We found the sign 100 metres down one wing of shops. We had chosen the wrong direction and had to do a U turn.

No problem, we were early. We should have got a brochure and studied it first but I did not see any.

Not so for many Koreans we saw dashing to there departure area in a panic because they had gone to the wrong end of the terminal.

There are no signs in other languages than Thai and English. Even a stand with brochures in a variety of languages would help.

We could not find a genuine Thai restaurant although Chinese, Japanese and Italian cuisines were well catered for.

There were some "multi asian" restaurants however that did serve some Thai dishes.

The arrivals area after customs was very crowded and we had a hard job manoeuvring our heavy trolley through the crowd.

Hopefully that will improve after the rail link is completed.

I reserve the right to whinge. I could write much more on how things could be improved but I'll leave that to the experts.

Suffice to let them know what needs to be improved.