Warning on current immigration clearance time
Mar 17, 2012, 2:32 am
#421
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
Departure update from this morning. 650AM check-in at H/J counters took a little over 15 minutes, but immigration line was surprisingly light at around 7:10AM. Again, single snake line and there are now female officers directing flow of pax.
Mar 20, 2012, 8:03 am
#423
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: QF WP, DM buyer, AMEX Centurion decliner
Posts: 107
Mar 20, 2012, 9:23 am
#424
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
I landed on Saturday at about 10:10 P.M. from HAN in J. I used fast track with one person ahead of me in line I was through in a few minutes. Baggage was lightening fast and I was in a cab within 15 mins of landing.
The regular line did not seem that bad. There was only one line and there was a woman checking documents. Judging from the line I would say it would have only taken less than 10 minutes.
The regular line did not seem that bad. There was only one line and there was a woman checking documents. Judging from the line I would say it would have only taken less than 10 minutes.
Mar 20, 2012, 5:36 pm
#426
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
And let's just hope that in moving the LCCs to DMK, that they don't think they've solved all the problems. They needed to have started construction on an additional terminal years ago, but obviously haven't yet. They really need to get off their butts and get on with that, or we'll be right back in the same position in a few years with no solution in sight.
Last edited by A_Lee; Mar 20, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Mar 21, 2012, 4:23 am
#427
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: ROP
Posts: 471
Nice to see that they are planning to use DMK again and have the LCCs transfer there. Let's just hope though that they don't consider Thai Smiles to be a LCC and have a re-run of the most horrible decision a few years ago when TG moved domestic operations to DMK. They absolutely need to keep ALL TG flights, including Thai Smiles at BKK, and force ALL LCCs, including Air Asia to DMK, along with allowing any other airlines that wish to move there to do so.
And let's just hope that in moving the LCCs to DMK, that they don't think they've solved all the problems. They needed to have started construction on an additional terminal years ago, but obviously haven't yet. They really need to get off their butts and get on with that, or we'll be right back in the same position in a few years with no solution in sight.
And let's just hope that in moving the LCCs to DMK, that they don't think they've solved all the problems. They needed to have started construction on an additional terminal years ago, but obviously haven't yet. They really need to get off their butts and get on with that, or we'll be right back in the same position in a few years with no solution in sight.
Mar 21, 2012, 7:36 pm
#428
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: DEN
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, CX DM, SQ Gold
Posts: 1,607
BKK Post: "Airport complaints subside"
Today there is an article in the Bangkok Post celebrating victory over the immigration queues. Apparently measures have been effective and complaints are down.
Mar 21, 2012, 10:48 pm
#429
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: CGN
Programs: Thai reborn Platinum , EY Platinum ,Annie's Preferred Guest , Knauber Hobbymarkt Rabattkarte
Posts: 337
The only queue at arrivals as per yesterday 13.48 has been myself . I did not even turn right to the diplomats and other disabled travellers` counter .
Mar 22, 2012, 3:09 am
#430
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: TG/ROP*P; CX OW/G; LH M&M; UN Privilege; KC Nomad; IT Kingclub; SPG Platinum
Posts: 403
yesterday normal
Yesterday arriving at 2245PM
experienced normal inward immigration queues
(that means: the immigration area full of people).
they are using the new snake-like queue system with the female riot police arranging passenger flow.
surprisingly the thai national counters were queueing all the way to the back of the area, too. no snake-system here, though.
TG fast track: no waiting at all.
boogey
experienced normal inward immigration queues
(that means: the immigration area full of people).
they are using the new snake-like queue system with the female riot police arranging passenger flow.
surprisingly the thai national counters were queueing all the way to the back of the area, too. no snake-system here, though.
TG fast track: no waiting at all.
boogey
Mar 22, 2012, 6:50 pm
#431
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
Another little update:
Arrived BKK yesterday (22 March) around 2:30PM. I had booked premium pick-up with BFS, so an agent was already waiting. The premium counter was a breeze, but I when I saw the main pax counters, I was stunned. There was no one waiting in line save for 10 or so pax.
When I arrived at the same time back in Feb, the wait was absolutely horrendous. Have they really fixed this? I am not sure, but if so, I am really amazed.
Arrived BKK yesterday (22 March) around 2:30PM. I had booked premium pick-up with BFS, so an agent was already waiting. The premium counter was a breeze, but I when I saw the main pax counters, I was stunned. There was no one waiting in line save for 10 or so pax.
When I arrived at the same time back in Feb, the wait was absolutely horrendous. Have they really fixed this? I am not sure, but if so, I am really amazed.
Mar 22, 2012, 7:49 pm
#432
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YUL, BKK, VLC
Programs: Aeroplan E75
Posts: 616
Another little update:
Arrived BKK yesterday (22 March) around 2:30PM. I had booked premium pick-up with BFS, so an agent was already waiting. The premium counter was a breeze, but I when I saw the main pax counters, I was stunned. There was no one waiting in line save for 10 or so pax.
When I arrived at the same time back in Feb, the wait was absolutely horrendous. Have they really fixed this? I am not sure, but if so, I am really amazed.
Arrived BKK yesterday (22 March) around 2:30PM. I had booked premium pick-up with BFS, so an agent was already waiting. The premium counter was a breeze, but I when I saw the main pax counters, I was stunned. There was no one waiting in line save for 10 or so pax.
When I arrived at the same time back in Feb, the wait was absolutely horrendous. Have they really fixed this? I am not sure, but if so, I am really amazed.
Mar 23, 2012, 8:25 am
#433
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,570
Since the thread does not speicify BKK, let me continue on my HKT immigration problems.
I flew on TG from HKG to HKT a week ago and arrived around 11:40. A KA flight took off and arrived just before us, as well as two flights from Saint Petersburg and Moscow. Flying in J bit no fast-track at HKT. The immigration line started at the top of the stairs at the arrival gate level. The down escalator was turned off because of the crowd. Once you reach downstairs, there were several immigration counters open but a few empty ones. It took us close to an hour to clear immigration. Retrieving the bags was another problem, as they all had been stored on the ground "somewhere". Took another ten minutes to find bags and golf bags scattered in the airport.
And as some posters pointed out, Phuket is very quiet at the moment with few tourists.
Not a decent way to spend a long week end. Will choose another destination next time.
BTW, the A330 used had very nice biz seats. Almost like longhaul seats except that the foot cushion did not go very high. Good AVOD.
I flew on TG from HKG to HKT a week ago and arrived around 11:40. A KA flight took off and arrived just before us, as well as two flights from Saint Petersburg and Moscow. Flying in J bit no fast-track at HKT. The immigration line started at the top of the stairs at the arrival gate level. The down escalator was turned off because of the crowd. Once you reach downstairs, there were several immigration counters open but a few empty ones. It took us close to an hour to clear immigration. Retrieving the bags was another problem, as they all had been stored on the ground "somewhere". Took another ten minutes to find bags and golf bags scattered in the airport.
And as some posters pointed out, Phuket is very quiet at the moment with few tourists.
Not a decent way to spend a long week end. Will choose another destination next time.
BTW, the A330 used had very nice biz seats. Almost like longhaul seats except that the foot cushion did not go very high. Good AVOD.
Mar 23, 2012, 5:39 pm
#434
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
TG462 arrived about 30mins early from MEL...walked past the main immigration area at about 0530 and all was pretty quiet. Very small queue for domestic transfer check and into the domestic lounge in no time.
Mar 23, 2012, 9:22 pm
#435
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
On my way out to PNH on the 13th, it took probably 45min-1hour to get through regular immigration. Coming back yesterday from VTE there were 3 people ahead of me at fast track immigration but once a few other flights landed the lines filled in pretty heavily.