snoop1130 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Phuket Airport security scanners spur huge New Year queues, delays Tanyaluk Sakoot PHUKET:-- The Director of Phuket International Airport today (Jan 3) apologised for long delays for passengers using the airport, but said that queues of hundreds of tourists stretching outside the new multi-billion-baht terminal were “normal for this time of year”. The apology comes after hundreds of passengers have been forced to wait on the forecourt outside the new International Terminal during the New Year holidays while only two staff were available to conduct security scans on baggage. “I apologise for the current inconvenience at Phuket International Airport,” Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan told The Phuket News. However, she added, “This is normal for the New Year period, which is a bit busy, especially when there is a charter flight departing. This causes long lines, but only for a while, then the situation will return to normal.” Ms Monrudee pointed out that the leading cause of the delays for passengers leaving Thailand via Phuket Airport were the security scanners. “We will have to keep using the scanners we have for the next five to six months, until the upgrade to our security system is fully complete,” she said. Ms Monrudee urged travellers to arrive at the airport early for their flights. Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-airport-security-scanners-spur-huge-new-year-queues-delays-60468.php#Ibdu6DWL5iAvPExQ.97 -- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-1-3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlog Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 You can't make this stuff up. Place Ms Monrudee outside in line for only 2h. Sure then she will be clever enough to think about a good solution of this horrible mess. Looking forward for my next flight in 2 weeks not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCC1701A Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 " while only two staff were available to conduct security scans on baggage." this planning stuff is hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sphere Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 17 minutes ago, snoop1130 said: However, she added, “This is normal for the New Year period, which is a bit busy, especially when there is a charter flight departing. This causes long lines, but only for a while, then the situation will return to normal.” Like a restaurant saying "it's okay, guests need to wait 2 hours to be served only at lunchtime and dinnertime". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Been like that for at least the past 10 years. The charter pax are vile and aggressive. I don't know why they scan though. IMO the checking is for show only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Anyone know if you can get inside through the arrivals section? That's what I used to do at the old terminal when the queues were long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The man from udon Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 2 staff running the scanners in peak season in an international airport.TAT will be saying next to book an extra few days holiday because of queuing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I always wonder why I can walk from the curb right up to the ticketing agent in Swampy without anything being scanned, but when it's a podunk tourist airport, they scan my bags and my cell phone before I can enter the building, after which my bags and me get scanned yet again before we get on the plane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlog Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 33 minutes ago, madmitch said: Anyone know if you can get inside through the arrivals section? That's what I used to do at the old terminal when the queues were long. Not sure about that but coming from multi level parking use the bridge and then the lift down as a short cut.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chercheur888 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 3 hours ago, schlog said: You can't make this stuff up. Place Ms Monrudee outside in line for only 2h. Sure then she will be clever enough to think about a good solution of this horrible mess. Looking forward for my next flight in 2 weeks not. " This causes long lines, but only for a while, then the situation will return to normal.” What return? She has not yet realized that this IS the new normal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiantFan Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 1 hour ago, schlog said: Not sure about that but coming from multi level parking use the bridge and then the lift down as a short cut.? Yes, car park to bridge then wind around and you will be directed out and down the escalator to the ground floor with the AstroTurf. I.E. arrival level. Sign at bottom of escalator to turn left. Walk around the side and you will see some taxis and a door. Scanner and xray. Then take lift to level 3. Pssst. Don't tell anybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokningar Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 So hours of queues to enter and then the same to leave. It will help tourist to feel well taken care of and that they want to come back At least consistent, incompetence all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masuk Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 15 hours ago, geriatrickid said: Been like that for at least the past 10 years. The charter pax are vile and aggressive. I don't know why they scan though. IMO the checking is for show only. They certainly seem to be overly zealous, even on domestic flights. I had a half used tube of sun screen removed, after it had recently been through security checks in Australia, Malaysia and Chiang Mai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sphere Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 At least this time airport scanners weren't "borrowed" for a university function.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 19 hours ago, snoop1130 said: hundreds of tourists stretching outside the new multi-billion-baht terminal were “normal for this time of year”. while only two staff were available to conduct security scans on baggage. ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psimbo Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 'If international passengers arrive too early for their flights, there is always the shopping zone'- and therein lies the key if one reads the full article. 2 scanning personnel on duty and its the naughty tourists (and other travelers) fault for having the temerity to want to travel- one can't make this stuff up. The new terminal has been an embarrassment from its opening but all we read is excuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harada Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 It would be interesting to see the stats on how many tourists will not return because of this fiasco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Arrive early.... better to not arrive there in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastion Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Is anyone surprised? They only ever had two people on at a time in the old terminal. Same same but different. Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oziex1 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Ive traveled to Phuket from Australia and Bangkok many times, never had any inconvenience what gives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamKangMan Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 On 04/01/2017 at 9:23 AM, bokningar said: So hours of queues to enter and then the same to leave. It will help tourist to feel well taken care of and that they want to come back At least consistent, incompetence all the way. And some of those tourists are first timers. They came to Phuket under the belief that Phuket was the best that Thailand had to offer for a holiday. Not only will they not come back to Phuket, but they will not come back to Thailand, and who can blame them? Not to mention, when they get home, how many people they will tell, and their negative social media comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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