Way too many Bus gates, only Thai, and no Bus Class buses.....awful
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,644
#17
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,702
Does the timing of those LHR flights coincide with the arrivals and departures of QR, EK, LH and whoever flies 380s to BKK though, as there are limited number of 380 capable gates? - Just a possible reason, but by no means certain
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,644
Maybe but no way LH would give up a gate position on an A380 at one of it’s hubs Anywhere else home airline gets priority
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
I don't mind bus gates. But I don't like it when they send you from the lounge in the D councourse to a gate in the E concourse (last time the sign said '850m') and then bus you to a plane. Why not have the bus gate close to D and where the majority of pax have cleared sucurity and exit immigration? (This was another example where there were plenty of empt gates, so it was possible).
Agree the whole waiting until the bus is full - packed - is also a pain.
Agree the whole waiting until the bus is full - packed - is also a pain.
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,206
I don't mind bus gates. But I don't like it when they send you from the lounge in the D councourse to a gate in the E concourse (last time the sign said '850m') and then bus you to a plane. Why not have the bus gate close to D and where the majority of pax have cleared sucurity and exit immigration? (This was another example where there were plenty of empt gates, so it was possible).
Agree the whole waiting until the bus is full - packed - is also a pain.
Agree the whole waiting until the bus is full - packed - is also a pain.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Don't know, but the trek to E8 - a long way even for those not in premium and using fast track - only to be bused right the way back to the A gates for the flight was crazy. At midnight virtually every D gate was empty.
#22
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,702
We had buses from B3 on departure Saturday, which I found mildly strange. All gates were vacant too, except for B1 and one of the A-gates..
But guess we should all just be pleased that it is not as bad as DOH, where the bus gates are at the end of each pier! :O
I think for DOH-CPH on QR, I have a 100% track record of being bussed from outer E pier
But guess we should all just be pleased that it is not as bad as DOH, where the bus gates are at the end of each pier! :O
I think for DOH-CPH on QR, I have a 100% track record of being bussed from outer E pier
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
For me the thing that makes it so annoying at BKK is that you will see literally dozens of empty gates at the D and E concourses and yet they park at an apron position. At airports like HKG and FRA, by contrast, you can see there really are too many aircraft and not enough gates.
#25
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
On arrival from SIN last month, I was down the back in the A350 exit row (row 50) and it took 35 minutes from engine stopping to reach the terminal. It almost seemed like they only had one bus running, there would be movement, then wait for 5 minutes , movement, then wait .... when I finally boarded a bus there was most certainly no bus behind so the remaining 100 or so pax behind me would have probably taken 40-45 mins.
I’m wondering if next time (if SQ is full or selling only top fares) if 3K might be a better option on this route, they always seem to get a gate
I’m wondering if next time (if SQ is full or selling only top fares) if 3K might be a better option on this route, they always seem to get a gate
#26
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Auckland / New Delhi
Programs: TG, SQ. Amex
Posts: 225
It does seem that almost all non TG flights arriving in BKK get a gate and almost all TG long haul arrivals get the bus. On the surface it looks like a cheap money saving device, I do recall when Easyjet and Ryan started up they touted the remote stands as one of their ways to cut costs and they still do, but a national airline at its own hub? Is there something else going on causing this situation?
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
It does seem that almost all non TG flights arriving in BKK get a gate and almost all TG long haul arrivals get the bus. On the surface it looks like a cheap money saving device, I do recall when Easyjet and Ryan started up they touted the remote stands as one of their ways to cut costs and they still do, but a national airline at its own hub? Is there something else going on causing this situation?
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,039
I'm not in logistics but I can never understand how a remote gate costs more... you'd think 5 buses and finve drivers on rotation would be more expensive than a single airbridge driver. Maybe they save on the tug for pushback? Everything else would seem to be a fixed cost?
Personally, I'm generally fine with bus gates on arrival because the buses go straight to baggage claim...though Shenzhen is a notable exception that I despise.
I also hate when when my flights to SHA park at T1, and bus me to T2 (15 minute ride around the airport); FM should have a little more consideration for its passengers.
On departure, bus gates are nothing short of miserable. They don't need to be, but they are. I flew HKG-SHA last week from one of the 500 gates, and it was honestly a bus station experience.
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Maybe TG is taking a stand to drive lower prices?
.
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
Not sure what you mean by "legitimate." By whose measure? Is Nike selling a shoe that costs $28 to manufacture for $150 "legitimate"?