Chaos at Samui airport :-/

[Anahech]

Hundreds of tourists blocked at Samui airport.

Some have been waiting for more than 30 hours for a flight :-/ Friends of us have been waiting for hours now and still not sure if they will fly tonight or tomorrow.

Of course this is because of weather conditions, but the way the situation is handled at airport is a chaos. No information, no organisation, and apparently no refund or any help to get a hotel room... People are getting very upset and sharing it on Bangkok Airways Facebook page (see comments).

This is so bad  - after a week of rain they have to handle airport chaos, I feel bad for my friends :-/

[smokie36]

Are they playing Hotel California over the tannoy? 

[fishhooks]

2 hours ago, smokie36 said:

Are they playing Hotel California over the tannoy? 

They tried but the speakers were under water and there was only bubbles coming up!

[samuijimmy]

Seems to me Bangkok Airways should be stepping up here... on flights delayed over four hours...

 

My trip from KL to Samui on BKK Airways, a few weeks ago was delayed due to some problem ...it start off being half and hour delay, but turned into an all day affair!  First we got a voucher for Burger King, enough for coffee and apple turnover for breakfast!  Then lunch, enough for a burger...

 

By 4 pm just about  everyone was up in arms... Some of us got taken to a very posh hotel in the city, by bus a one hour drive to get there, and we were given a deluxe room and a very fine meal! Others were given drinks at the bar (seems to me that was those who were whining the most!!!)  We all were on the 9 pm flight back to Samui...arriving about 11 pm!  That was a long day!   Perhaps plane problems are different than those caused by mother nature?

[psyvolt]

I can understand the frustration, but I don't understand what they expect the airline/airport to do.

It's mother nature, and as such, the airline has no control over it. Why they expect the airline to pay for food/hotels stranded there is crazy, and instead should be looking at there travel insurance.

But, in saying the above- the airline should be a bit flexible on the refund situation if passangers can find another way off the island themselves.

[gamini]

It reminds me of Heathrow London. Haven't been there for a while but we had huge delays and chaos due to strikes, whether ect never anyone to help or give information.

[stgrhe]

OP, if weather is the problem it is a force majeur situation so the airlines have no obligations to compensate. If only travellers would read the conditions of travel properly they wouldn't need to complain about that.

[Anahech]

I didn't mean to complain, just to state what is happening.

That been said, I think most people are upset with lack of basic organisation and information, i.e. flights cancelled and nobody to tell them if they should stay and wait for another flight or leave the airport until next day...

Hopefully it is getting better from today on...

Edited January 7, 2017 by Anahech

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, psyvolt said:

I can understand the frustration, but I don't understand what they expect the airline/airport to do.

It's mother nature, and as such, the airline has no control over it. Why they expect the airline to pay for food/hotels stranded there is crazy, and instead should be looking at there travel insurance.

But, in saying the above- the airline should be a bit flexible on the refund situation if passangers can find another way off the island themselves.

 

I agree. Not much that Bangkok Airways can do. It is stilll frustrating though. I have guests that had checked out and had to return to their rental villa. Unfortunately they have to leave tomorrow as we have incoming new guests. Sadly the outgoing guests still cannot get a flight.

 

I do not usually side with Bangkok Airways but recently my wife passed away and I asked for refunds on flights that we obviously could not take. Bangkok Airways gave an immediate and full refund. I did not even have to go to the travel insurance.

[phetphet]

A pretty airport when the sun is shining, but a horrible place to be stuck for hours waiting for a delayed flight. Especially if you are stuck in the check-in area.

The rain has stopped for a little while today, so perhaps the airport can catch up a bit with clearing the backlog..

 

I did overhear some people today, stuck at their hotel discussing alternative flight routes to get home.

Edited January 7, 2017 by phetphet

[flyingdoc]

I imagine alternative plans would be great if no-one was prone to sea sickness in such conditions?!

[wump]

I had two flights booked with Bangkok Airways for the 5th, not on the same itinerary. The one from Samui was cancelled and I obviously couldn't make the next one. I got refunded for both of them and just booked another two flights for today. 

 

I don't know what the moaners are complaining about. Just get refunded and book an alternative flight, it's not that hard. Going on standby with another 1-2000 people is just silly. All the planes in the next few days were almost fully booked even before the flood. How long is it gonna take to put all these people on the ~10 empty seats per plane?

[Rooo]

Remember, Nakhon  Sri Thammarat airport is closed until Sunday & Suratthani , a bit iffy getting there with road conditions, a bit better now but expecting more rain.

Also Surat overloaded with cancellations from Nakhon Sri so, not that easy.

[GreasyFingers]

Air Asia are no better with their information. Booked from Gold Coast to KL then To Don Muaeng butn 2 hours before the flight no one could check in although ther was a full plane o=full. No explanation but through the grape vine the plane was late from NZ and could not land because of the curfew. We were then told we would be taken by bus to Brisbane as a later curfew, the buses arrived and we lined up but were then told the plane would land at GC so back to the terminal. Another hour with no anousements, then back to the buses as we were to be taken to hotels for the night in Surfers Paradise and the plane leave at midday the next day. Back to the GC aiport at 9.00 am but the terminals were not working for check in but again no anouncements as what was happening. Eventually the plane left at 2pm but no allowance offered for food or water.

[evadgib]

Bkk Airways aren't particularly good all the while it's raining but they'll clear the backlog in little more than 24hrs once it stops.

[khunPer]

It's force majeure – it's not Bangkok Airways', or any airline's or airport's fault, that the monsoon haven't finished, some monsoon-seasons last until almost mid January – having a proper travel insurance may compensate to get back on itinerary from missed flights.

 

When the volcano erupted at Iceland a few years ago, North Europen flights were cancelled, and that was also force majeure, so the passengers were stuck in Bangkok on their own expenses; had friends that wanted to change their cancelled Thai Air flight, first available seats were one month later...

[SiSePuede419]

"apparently no refund or any help to get a hotel room"

 

Apparently these special snowflakes come from countries where there's never weather-related cancellations or delays at airports?

 

And in what country do they pay for your hotel in the event of a weather-delay?  You sleep on the floor of the airport with your cute little neck pillow, if you can't afford a taxi and a fan room.

 

If you can't afford a Koh Samui hotel, whatcha doing in Koh Samui, Willis? ?

Edited January 7, 2017 by SiSePuede419
Spelling error

[Rooo]

15 hours ago, Rooo said:

Remember, Nakhon  Sri Thammarat airport is closed until Sunday & Suratthani , a bit iffy getting there with road conditions, a bit better now but expecting more rain.

Also Surat overloaded with cancellations from Nakhon Sri so, not that easy.

Nakhon Sri closed 2 more days, Surat increased flights, check with airlines.

 

Meanwhile, the Airports Department announced the extension of the closure of Nakhon Si Thammarat airport for another two days on January 8-9 on top of January 6-7 because of the rising level of flood water on the runway.

The department has coordinated with airlines to assist passengers and to inform them of flight changes.

In the meantime, airlines have increased four additional flights between Surat Thani and Don Mueang airport at Surat Thani airport on January 7-10 to accommodate passenger from Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Source:   http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/troops-sent-help-southern-flood-victims-nakhon-si-thammarat-airport-closed-2-days/

Edited January 7, 2017 by Rooo

[PoorSucker]

Full moon, half moon, moon-soon,.... I don't attend this parties.

Sent from my Lenovo TB3-710F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[Bsd]

7 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

"apparently no refund or any help to get a hotel room"

 

Apparently these special snowflakes come from countries where there's never weather-related cancellations or delays at airports?

 

And in what country do they pay for your hotel in the event of a weather-delay?  You sleep on the floor of the airport with your cute little neck pillow, if you can't afford a taxi and a fan room.

 

If you can't afford a Koh Samui hotel, whatcha doing in Koh Samui, Willis? ?

Not weather related, but I know someone who had a stay at the Marina Bay Sands paid for by Singapore Air due to their flight being delayed by a volcano. 

[samsensam]

On 07/01/2017 at 3:38 AM, psyvolt said:

I can understand the frustration, but I don't understand what they expect the airline/airport to do.

It's mother nature, and as such, the airline has no control over it. Why they expect the airline to pay for food/hotels stranded there is crazy, and instead should be looking at there travel insurance.

But, in saying the above- the airline should be a bit flexible on the refund situation if passangers can find another way off the island themselves.

 

at the very least the airline should be keeping passengers informed of the situation on an ongoing basis, they should be providing vouchers for food, accommodation and other support if they are contractually obliged to do so, and if not then explain why not.

 

effective and timely communication of relevant information can go a long way to diffusing a situation, it enables people to change/make plans.

 

so in short, an airline can do a lot. it is not only in thailand that airlines often shirk this responsibility.

[Birdman]

That's what Bangkok Airways did. Bad weather is an act of nature. Therefore no compensation on behalf of the airline.

Arrivals and departures depend on weather conditions, which might not improve or might improve, so that some airplanes can land for a while. To inform when this is exactly going to happen, is  not possible.

That' s why passengers, who are eager to get away, have to stand by until they are next in line for a seat.