New Bangkok Airport - Suvarnabhumi - Report on Day 2
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Palm Beach/Hungary 3.9MM AA EXP, UA GOLD 1MM, DL PLT, MARR LIFE PLT
Posts: 238
New Bangkok Airport - Suvarnabhumi - Report on Day 2
Flew into the new airport Friday Sept 29th after 11pm. Some highlights:
1. The walk times rival the old Don Muang airport or Hong Kong without the train.
2. Customs was faster and seems more organized.
3. Visa on arrival looked better than before and more organized.
4. There are around 27 baggage carousels.
5. Getting my luggage took over 50 minutes, with the First tag on it.
6. The arrivals hall outisde customs is narrow and woefully overcrowded. It was awful and this is at midnight.
7. There are 2 tolls on the freeway into Bangkok which can cause delays, as it did at 12:30am.
8. The drive into town in no worse than the old airport.
9. Met a guy who waited 2 hours for his luggage after a 1 hour flight. Granted this was day 2.
10. There is no lounge for Qantas or BA. Expected in 2007.
Look forward to seeing it on the outbound. Hope this helps anyone who is coming in.
1. The walk times rival the old Don Muang airport or Hong Kong without the train.
2. Customs was faster and seems more organized.
3. Visa on arrival looked better than before and more organized.
4. There are around 27 baggage carousels.
5. Getting my luggage took over 50 minutes, with the First tag on it.
6. The arrivals hall outisde customs is narrow and woefully overcrowded. It was awful and this is at midnight.
7. There are 2 tolls on the freeway into Bangkok which can cause delays, as it did at 12:30am.
8. The drive into town in no worse than the old airport.
9. Met a guy who waited 2 hours for his luggage after a 1 hour flight. Granted this was day 2.
10. There is no lounge for Qantas or BA. Expected in 2007.
Look forward to seeing it on the outbound. Hope this helps anyone who is coming in.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Palm Beach/Hungary 3.9MM AA EXP, UA GOLD 1MM, DL PLT, MARR LIFE PLT
Posts: 238
Originally Posted by sllevin
Thanks! I was wondering when someone who get through there.
It's sad to hear the arrival halls aren't an improvement.
Are there at least more moving walkways these days?
Steve
It's sad to hear the arrival halls aren't an improvement.
Are there at least more moving walkways these days?
Steve
#6
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Moved from AA to Other Asia (non-Japan/China) for the benefit of travelers to Asia.
And thanks, I will be using that airport a few times in Feb / Mar 2007.
And thanks, I will be using that airport a few times in Feb / Mar 2007.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 201
New airport little further out from city than old one so taxi fare was bit higher.
New airport is hugh and depending on which gate upon arrival, this means taking shuttle buses to get to main terminal for buses/taxi for final trip to BKK.
I ended up taking much more time from exit plane --take shuttle bus--reach taxi stand--line was very long and not a single taxi at the stand
New airport is hugh and depending on which gate upon arrival, this means taking shuttle buses to get to main terminal for buses/taxi for final trip to BKK.
I ended up taking much more time from exit plane --take shuttle bus--reach taxi stand--line was very long and not a single taxi at the stand
#8
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1
New Bangkok airport - luggage storage
Does anyone know if the new Bangkok airport has luggage storage? During our only other trip to Thailand -- this past January -- we were able to store a few pieces of baggage (about $2 per piece per day?). I believe there were facilities for this in both the international and national sections.
Any feedback would be appreciated -- Leo N
Any feedback would be appreciated -- Leo N
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bos
Programs: FB-Gold, SPG-Plat, Priority Club-Plat
Posts: 438
Originally Posted by transpac
Can you describe the taxi procedure in more detail? Level? Wait? At the MTB? Or did you take the bus to the transportation center?
#11
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: Aeroplan, Miles ‘n More, Thai Royal Orchid Plus
Posts: 320
Originally Posted by Caloy
Now I'm confused... can you flag a taxi on leaving the terminal, or do you have to bus over to the transportation center? Also, can hotel cars pick you up at the terminal, or only at the transportation center?
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Originally Posted by billp
You can't "flag" a taxi. Just like in the old airport, you get a cab through the dispatcher outside the arrivals terminal at 50 Baht surcharge. They originally wanted everyone to have to bus to the transportation centre, but backed off in the end.
I've heard the waiting line for a taxi from level 2 can be quite long.
#13
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 198
How's the food at the new airport?
Are any of the restaurants open? Might seem weird, but one of the joys for me of the Don Muang airport was all the good food (much like in all of Thailand) that was available at the airport for reasonable prices (though more than if it were outside the airport).
That was always a consolation for the layovers I had between flights back when I traveled around SE Asia for leisure.
That was always a consolation for the layovers I had between flights back when I traveled around SE Asia for leisure.
#15
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,350
Originally Posted by Seeksreal
Does anyone here know if the new airport has dayroom facilities similar to the ones at Don Muang?