Fliers still facing long queues at Phuket Airport

[snoop1130]

Fliers still facing long queues at Phuket Airport

Kongleaphy Keam

 

 

PHUKET:-- Three weeks after the official opening of the new international terminal at Phuket Airport, frustrated travellers are still putting up with long lines at the immigration counters due to a lack of essential equipment. 

Only 13 of the 34 immigration counters at the international departure area had computers on the September 16 opening day of the new terminal; causing long delays for passengers (story here). 

However, despite 30 extra immigration officers drafted in and all 34 counters now equipped with computers, processing of passengers is still slow while the officers wait for more passport scanners and cameras for the counters.

 

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Fliers-facing-long-queues-Phuket-Airport/65682?desktopversion

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2016-10-07

[schlog]

They may draft 100 officers more and equip all boxes well but nothing will change as long as only 6 officers on duty in their boxes and the rest plays ring-around-the-rosie with cabin boys.

[Brer Fox]

Immigration don't give a rats about tourism. Perhaps it might help if Mdme TAT had a word in their shell like ear.

[Xircal]

I don't quite understand why there would be long queues just because a new terminal has been opened. I never encountered long queues in the old terminal.

 

Also do the long queues refer to outbound passengers or inbound?

 

[bokningar]

8 hours ago, Xircal said:

I don't quite understand why there would be long queues just because a new terminal has been opened. I never encountered long queues in the old terminal.

 

Also do the long queues refer to outbound passengers or inbound?

 

The article do answer your questions.

 

Australian tourist James Denton, who arrived at Phuket International Airport at 12.30am on Sunday, said it was mayhem at the immigration counter in arrivals. "There were well over a thousand people waiting to be checked in and only five immigration officers on duty."

Mr Denton said at least five other flights arrived at the same time as his and there seemed to be little coordination between flight arrivals and immigration staff. "At one point a new group of immigration officers came in and I thought they were there to help, but it was just a shift change and there were still only five counters open.

Mr Denton eventually managed to get out of the airport at 4am that morning.

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, Xircal said:

I don't quite understand why there would be long queues just because a new terminal has been opened. I never encountered long queues in the old terminal.

 

Also do the long queues refer to outbound passengers or inbound?

 

Well, judging from the OP because there are not enough scanners and cameras.

[khwaibah]

Nothing new in this. Immigration is opening more regional offices throughout Thailand and they do not have the personal or equipment to staff them. 4 hours to do a 90 day report at the new Buriram Immigration, no staff and no equipment.

[Ooladolla]

How early should one arrive at the international departure of Phuket airport for a flight at say 9.30pm ?

[Xircal]

15 hours ago, bokningar said:

The article do answer your questions.

 

Australian tourist James Denton, who arrived at Phuket International Airport at 12.30am on Sunday, said it was mayhem at the immigration counter in arrivals. "There were well over a thousand people waiting to be checked in and only five immigration officers on duty."

Mr Denton said at least five other flights arrived at the same time as his and there seemed to be little coordination between flight arrivals and immigration staff. "At one point a new group of immigration officers came in and I thought they were there to help, but it was just a shift change and there were still only five counters open.

Mr Denton eventually managed to get out of the airport at 4am that morning.

 

I think Mr. Denton's estimate is a little exaggerated. There were only four flights arriving around that time with two of them using an A320 which can carry 150 passengers, an 737-800 which can carry up to 215 pax and a third one using an A330-300. An A330 can carry up to 277 passengers making a total of 792 pax in all (assuming all four flights were full which might not be the case). If you look at the image, it looks like there were more than four flights, but apart from the last two which I've outlined in green, the others were all codeshare flights. The first four which I've outlines in red was a codeshare operated by Thai using the A330.

 

It's still a lot but those same flights would have been handled in the same way in the old terminal so I don't see what all the fuss is about suddenly.

[laocowboy2]

22 hours ago, Xircal said:

 

 

I think Mr. Denton's estimate is a little exaggerated. There were only four flights arriving around that time with two of them using an A320 which can carry 150 passengers, an 737-800 which can carry up to 215 pax and a third one using an A330-300. An A330 can carry up to 277 passengers making a total of 792 pax in all (assuming all four flights were full which might not be the case). If you look at the image, it looks like there were more than four flights, but apart from the last two which I've outlined in green, the others were all codeshare flights. The first four which I've outlines in red was a codeshare operated by Thai using the A330.

 

It's still a lot but those same flights would have been handled in the same way in the old terminal so I don't see what all the fuss is about suddenly.

Shame on you - exposing a perfectly good rant ti unwanted facts and thus reality.

[sahibji]

coordination is such an integral part of an operation  that some  simple omissions can jeopardise the entire operation. a brand new terminal  building  is proving to be of little help in solving the immigration queues due to lack of matching number of computer terminals and processing equipment. the co-ordination process went haywire some where leading to the fiasco.

[sahibji]

17 hours ago, Xircal said:

 

I think Mr. Denton's estimate is a little exaggerated. There were only four flights arriving around that time with two of them using an A320 which can carry 150 passengers, an 737-800 which can carry up to 215 pax and a third one using an A330-300. An A330 can carry up to 277 passengers making a total of 792 pax in all (assuming all four flights were full which might not be the case). If you look at the image, it looks like there were more than four flights, but apart from the last two which I've outlined in green, the others were all codeshare flights. The first four which I've outlines in red was a codeshare operated by Thai using the A330.

 

It's still a lot but those same flights would have been handled in the same way in the old terminal so I don't see what all the fuss is about suddenly.

three and a half hours to get through immigration and customs is anything but a harrowing experience.

[sahibji]

On 08/10/2016 at 8:37 AM, khwaibah said:

Nothing new in this. Immigration is opening more regional offices throughout Thailand and they do not have the personal or equipment to staff them. 4 hours to do a 90 day report at the new Buriram Immigration, no staff and no equipment.

when open the regional offices in the absence of the possibility of getting staff and the relevant equipment.

[sahibji]

On 08/10/2016 at 7:24 AM, stevenl said:

Well, judging from the OP because there are not enough scanners and cameras.

inward apparently judging from the Denton report.

[sahibji]

On 07/10/2016 at 10:01 PM, Brer Fox said:

Immigration don't give a rats about tourism. Perhaps it might help if Mdme TAT had a word in their shell like ear.

she is trying on many fronts. perhaps this is the one she needs to attend to immediately. first impression on arrival matter immensely to the tourists.

[NamKangMan]

7 hours ago, sahibji said:

she is trying on many fronts. perhaps this is the one she needs to attend to immediately. first impression on arrival matter immensely to the tourists.

 

Matters to tourists, but Thai Immigration don't care, because, "the tourists will keep coming.  Right?"