Don Mueang Airport foods still overpriced, says ombudsman

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Don Mueang Airport foods still overpriced, says ombudsman



BANGKOK, 12 April 2016 (NNT) – Overpriced food are on sale at Don Mueang Airport, while legal pricing control measures will be required if merchants fail to cooperate with authorities, says the Ombudsman.

Ombudsman Gen Viddhavat Rajatanun has revealed the outcome of a meeting to solve the overpriced food issue in Bangkok Don Mueang Airport, stated that the price of food sold at the airport are still higher than the price ceiling according to today’s inspection. Shops and restaurants were charging an excess price at 40-200 percent of the actual price.

He has said foods in the airport are only allowed to be sold at the price not higher than an extra 20 percent from the price sold outside the airport. Don Mueang Airport and the Department on Internal Trade have been assigned to work together to formulate pricing guidelines, set to be implemented within 30 days.

However, the price of drinking water has been reduced at the airport following a previous request for the shops to cooperate in selling 500-600 milliliter water bottles at 10 baht, as opposed to the previous price of 30 baht.

On this matter, Don Mueang Airport General Manager Phet Chan-charoen states that the high price of food inside the airport reflects the cost merchants have bear from auctioning for retail space, while the airport will work to maintain the price of food to be within the agreed rate, charging no more than 20 percent higher than the original price.

Don Mueang Airport hosts restaurants selling food at low prices on the second floor of Terminal 2, with price of food dishes starting from around 30-50 baht, as an affordable option for passengers.


-- NNT 2016-04-12

[trogers]

Simple way to solve this problem. Allow hawkers to ply their trade on the ground floor. Collect from each Bt800/mth for cleaning services.

[z42]

Was there only yesterday. Nice, new and shiny domestic terminal.. But lo and behold all of the retail units are peddling food and drink at i'd say a minimum of 80 baht a go. They have a 7/11 in the departure gates area but not in the check in area.

Having a 7/11 or family mart gives the cheap option, the onus is then on other unit proprietors to compete so as to attract customers.

I'd agree with the ombudsman here, the food prices are very much over inflated and must be brought into line quickly if the airport management wishes for actual sales figures to rise

[anto]

Swampy Airport should be looked at as well .

[jaltsc]

"... while the airport will work to maintain the price of food to be within the agreed rate, charging no more than 20 percent higher than the original price..."

Bought at DQ Blizzard at a mall for 19 baht the day before I took a flight from DMK. There, the same item was 59 baht. Not being a graduate of the superior Thai educational system, I can only guess that compared to 19 baht, 59 baht appears to be an increase of more than 20 per cent. I will be flying into DMK in 3 weeks, and can't wait to see the progress that will be made in finally having fair pricing at the airport.

Right after that, I will peer towards the sky to see the flying pigs. .

Edited April 12, 2016 by jaltsc

[james.d]

Simple way to solve this problem. Allow hawkers to ply their trade on the ground floor. Collect from each Bt800/mth for cleaning services.

Yes.. a hawker selling real honey or a bamboo handled brush will be most welcome before boarding a flight.

[JHolmesJr]

Airport food pricing is <deleted>….300 baht for a fried rice….unreal.

I don't even buy water there.

Its a principle thing.

[ChrisY1]

Order a Pizza in Rome or Florence airports......get a crepe in CDG......or a burger in LAX.........all airports globally have exhorbitant food and drink prices.....

Take a sandwich and cheap cold box with beer...........!

[Doc46]

Easy to fix,,,, Don't buy their shit then you don't have to pay,,,

[Thian]

Also airplane food should come in much larger portions i would think. Latest trend is portions are getting smaller all the time.

[manarak]

I'm torn between two opinions:

on one hand I believe in freedom of enterprise and freedom to set prices,

on the other hand I think prices at airports are scandalous and take advantage from captive customers, the system being fueled by overpriced rental agreements

I believe the solution lies indeed in creating price competition within the high-rent areas in airports.

I think airports fraudulently protect their expensive shop rentals for example by denying vending machines to be installed.

A food court would also be a good idea, along with rental prices allowing for some chain restaurants like "8", McD, KFC, BK, MK etc. to operate.

Maybe the government should setup zoning and rental price rules for airports.

[WhizBang]

No airport anywhere in the world, that I have been to, is cheap. ALL are overpriced, compared to prices outside the airport. So why is this news?

[SOTIRIOS]

........this policy of 'self-regulating' is insane when people have no conscience.....so what are they waiting for to 'set it right'...

....illegal condos.......illegal businesses on the beaches and everywhere you turn......jeez...

[geriatrickid]

Also airplane food should come in much larger portions i would think. Latest trend is portions are getting smaller all the time.

Then pay for it. You can pre-order your meals on FD.

[LomSak27]

I notice none of the TV faithful noted; Burger King, Subway and Starbucks at Don Muaeng have the LEAST inflated prices. Read it and weep.

These days I bring my own food when I fly and Never EVER EVER take a taxi to/from the airports. Whether it is the Swamp transfer bus or the A1 connector to Sky Train, It's not the cost it is the result of a decade of dealing with taxi scams. That show is over

[Thunder26]

No airport anywhere in the world, that I have been to, is cheap. ALL are overpriced, compared to prices outside the airport. So why is this news?

I agree with you that most airports around the world overcharge. It's a fact. However in my opinion there are some airports that are less greedy. For example Hong Kong airport prices do not differ that much from the prices within the city.

[trogers]

Don't they practice dual pricing? An English menu with inflated prices, and a Thai menu with Thai numerals at normal prices?

Oops! I forgot. Some foreigners have learnt written Thai.

[dcnx]

It's an airport. They are expensive the world over. Don't like it, don't eat there. Leave the free market alone.

[syke1912]

No airport anywhere in the world, that I have been to, is cheap. ALL are overpriced, compared to prices outside the airport. So why is this news?

I agree with you that most airports around the world overcharge. It's a fact. However in my opinion there are some airports that are less greedy. For example Hong Kong airport prices do not differ that much from the prices within the city.

Overcharge?

Airport rents, at least for restaurants, are the most expensive per square foot in the world, as there is a known quantity of passengers flowing through, which are likely hungry etc..

I have no idea why the government would complain about high prices.. perhaps lower rents??

Does the government think the restaurant WANTS to charge 300% or whatever more? Not at all.. The restaurant HAS to charge multiples more to maintain a proper profit margin.

[anotheruser]

All I can think about this is they were able to dredge up the term ombudsman

[Thian]

That BurgerKing restaurant at Swampy has ALWAYS a long qeueu, but it also has double prices.

Almost all other BK in BKK have nothing to do all day.

So i think BK has no reason to ask double prices on Swampy, they have plenty of customers.

[LomSak27]

That good to now about Swampy poster #21

However the article was about Don Mueang Airport. Swampy handles mostly tourists, overcharging is not an issue or a concern of the "Ombudsman" there. Conversely Don Mueang handles domestic flights so overcharging locals is a concern. Heh

Lets keep on the correct flight plan.

[DrDave]

No airport anywhere in the world, that I have been to, is cheap. ALL are overpriced, compared to prices outside the airport. So why is this news?

I agree with you that most airports around the world overcharge. It's a fact. However in my opinion there are some airports that are less greedy. For example Hong Kong airport prices do not differ that much from the prices within the city.

I recall many years ago in the US when the "new" Pittsburgh airport opened, they required that concessions could not charge any more than what was charged outside the airport (McDonalds, KFC, Wendy's, Burger King, etc). Don't know if that rule is still in place, but it was nice knowing I wasn't being ripped off when grabbing a quick meal between connecting flights.

This same overcharging now seems to occur at the large shopping malls too. For example, McD's and KFC at Jungceylon in Patong do not honor any of the systemwide advertised promotions. At KFC Jungceylon, the price of an ice cream cone is 50% higher than other locations.

[vrskrng]

I don't know if this is the place described to have 30-50 baht dishes, but let me tell you about a food court where you get 30-50 baht dishes. Exit the terminal on it's left quiet side, not the front, and walk past at least two banks for another hundred meters. Right hand side and can't be missed.

[manarak]

It's an airport. They are expensive the world over. Don't like it, don't eat there. Leave the free market alone.

The rental agreements in airports are far far far away from being a free market.