SURVEY: Suvanabhumi Airport -- one of the worst?

[seajae]

its a pain at times, especially since they moved the security check in to get inside the flight area, used to have several xray machines and lines but they reduced it to make first class security check in area bigger. Immigration check through is pathetic, they usually have bugger all counters open and lines are always long, got in early one morning and there was no one in the line so I walked under the roped lanes instead of up and down 6 or so to get to the counter and some idiot customs guy went ballistic, wanted me to walk up and down each one. Trouble is many of them are simply too arrogant and think they are more than a simple lackey to rubber stamp a page, have had them go through my passport and check every page  keeping people waiting for ages, total drop kicks. Definitely needs better signage but overall its not as bad as it could be, more open customs counters would fix a lot of the problems

 

[gamini]

It's 10 times better than Heathrow that's for sure. I have some truly terrible experiences there. Admittedly some time back! we were directed to the wrong terminal and dumped there on the shuttle bus. There was a sign saying that our flight would be leaving from a  different terminal but nobody there to show us how to get there. No transport, so we had to walk to the other terminal complete with all the luggage. To get there we had to go under the runway using the lift, but the lift wasn't working and the repairman was out for lunch .we waited 15 minutes and all rushed to the terminal  to make sure that we would get there on time. I had had planned to have lunch before I left but there was no time.. The monitor indicated that the plane was leaving on time so we rushed to the gate only to find the plane was 30 minute delayed . I questioned the staff why  this happened and they said that the monitors were out of order . Is it any better now?

[Bigstef]

For me it's a good airport not in the top 10 but surely better then all Canadian airport.....

[eeyang wah]

It's a facksight better than Don Muang. 

[eeyang wah]

4 hours ago, gamini said:

Is it any better now?

No. 

Recently experienced the brand new terminal opened by BA. Total sh1t-show. The world's worst airline operating from the world's worst airport. 

[TheLobster]

It is a completely commercial operation.

 

There are very few places to sit down for free apart from the gates, there is little organisation at check in, passport control and the gates. The signage is poor and there are too few staff to direct in transit passengers. 

 

The queues to get in through immigration can be horrendous at times. 

 

The taxi rank is organised when or if their machines are working. You are still going to pay an extra 50THB for a taxi driver that could rape, rip you off or murder you as there is no screening of taxi driver licences as far as I can see. In my experience you can find the real low lifes of Thai society driving a taxi, especially those servicing this airport.

 

The structure of the building is fine and the toilets acceptable.

[Geoffroe]

Average to good. Nothing that makes me especially pissed off or amazed.

[thai006]

best airport in the world <3

[Credo]

I've always found it to be a very good airport.   The airport is always very busy and long lines to check-in but security is usually reasonably quick.   Immigration is touch and go -- sometimes fairly easy, sometimes not.   The departure area is convenient and nice.   

 

Traffic to and from the airport is managed fairly well, especially considering it is Thailand.   

[bill59]

Anyone been to LAX or O'Hare lately? I'll take Swampy any day! Never had an issue and have come and gone from there at least 100 times.


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[jaywalker]

20 hours ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

What shall we moan about next... Bus stations?

 

The restrooms at the Mo Chit bus station are 3 TIMES the size of those at the airport.

[JAG]

The restrooms at the Mo Chit bus station are 3 TIMES the size of those at the airport.

I know, but I get tired with having to pile up my suitcases and stand on top of them to reach the urinal...
:):)

[dbrenn]

It's fine by world standards. Mind you, I have a Thai passport so don't have to join the enormous queues at immigration.

 

[Bill Miller]

My first experience at Suvanabhumi was at the end of the long flight from the US en route to visit my (now) girlfriend.
I was wheeled through all of the formalities in a wheelchair, as I was still recouping from heart bypass surgery... a very long  process. Not my choice, but Air China et al insisted at the time.
Now that I am self powered again I notice that indeed, it seems the distances are very great, and the toilet issue especially near the bottlenecks of immigration etc., are not well addressed. They could use some more English (as the de facto international language) signage as well.

[Bill Miller]

11 hours ago, TheLobster said:

It is a completely commercial operation.

 

There are very few places to sit down for free apart from the gates, there is little organisation at check in, passport control and the gates. The signage is poor and there are too few staff to direct in transit passengers. 

 

The queues to get in through immigration can be horrendous at times. 

 

The taxi rank is organised when or if their machines are working. You are still going to pay an extra 50THB for a taxi driver that could rape, rip you off or murder you as there is no screening of taxi driver licences as far as I can see. In my experience you can find the real low lifes of Thai society driving a taxi, especially those servicing this airport.

 

The structure of the building is fine and the toilets acceptable.

All taxis that come to the official pick up point are registered and certified by the airport. That is not a 100% guarantee of good service or safety, but a long ways towards it.
The ticket you receive at the taxi kiosk has all the driver's info so that if you leave something in the cab by mistake or have a complaint, you have the means to act.
The driver gets to keep the 50 baht, I understand, so they are compensated for any inconvenience like having to wait their turn, etc.

Alternatively you can take bus #55 to Ekkamai where you can go to the bus terminal or take the BTS. Only runs until 20:00, and if you have much luggage may not work. Only 52 baht, though.

[chezy86]

I like the airport never had any issues with it as compared to Phuket which is prehistoric.
Coming in to Swampy the immigration queues are massive and this needs sorting, not the first memory tourists want to be getting of Thailand [emoji1242]


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[rickudon]

I have passed through Suvanabhumi about 30 times in the last ten years. Yes, sometimes the immigration queues are massive, but at other times not (2 weeks ago i got from plane to exit in just over 30 minutes). It is pleasant enough, although duty free goods are a ripoff. Outside of international air side, food is cheap and with a bit of exploration you can find cheaper parts of the international side of the airport (possibly set up for muslim thais going on the Haj). The Domestic terminal has cheap food and drink options - water for 7 baht and a juice drink for 15 baht while waiting 2 weeks ago. Check-in sometimes a bit slow. Never had a problem with staff not speaking adequate English, only lost my luggage once (i think missed a connecting flight) but turned up next day and forwarded to me. Lost my phone once but services found it in about 20 minutes, most traumatic part was filling in the reclaim form!  Vastly superior to Heathrow ......

[TheLobster]

13 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

All taxis that come to the official pick up point are registered and certified by the airport. That is not a 100% guarantee of good service or safety, but a long ways towards it.
The ticket you receive at the taxi kiosk has all the driver's info so that if you leave something in the cab by mistake or have a complaint, you have the means to act.
The driver gets to keep the 50 baht, I understand, so they are compensated for any inconvenience like having to wait their turn, etc.

Seems that you are quite naïve as to the taxi driver registration system and as to the level of compensation they expect.

 

Taxi drivers generally try to take the ticket off you when you get in and keep it so you are not able to complain. You have to ask for it back.