transpac

Normal runway operations resume at Suvarnabhumi airport

BANGKOK, 2 May 2017 (NNT) – Flights can normally take off and land at both runways of Suvarnabhumi international airport after maintenance has been completed two days ahead of schedule.

Airports of Thailand's (AOT) Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager Sirote Duangratana said the maintenance on the northern end of the airport's east runway planned for 3 March - 2 May 2017 has been completed on 27 April 2017, allowing all aircraft, including superjumbo Airbus A380 airliners, to land and take off from 07.00 a.m. on 1 May following inspection and safety tests.

The re-opening of the east runway came two days earlier than planned. That allowed the airport to operate at its normal capacity by 68 flights per hour.

eDicky

In case this is not well known and hasn't been previously mentioned, there is a quick way to avoid the official queue for city taxis at Don Muang airport (DMK). Sometimes at holiday period that queue can fill the hall.

Look for the stairs and elevator that go up to the walkway that crosses the whole highway and railway over to the Amari Airport hotel. As you enter the walkway and before (or just after) going up a couple more steps to proceed, look for a door on your right. Open it and you should find a flight of steps down to the street outside, a frontage lane of the main highway heading in to the city, with a row of taxis waiting for you to jump in, metered rates.

transpac

I haven't used that option in years, I just go up to level 3 where taxis are dropping off departing passengers and try to find a taxi which will take me to my destination using the meter.

I think that walkway, which may be on level 2? from Terminal 1? (signs should be for the hotel/Amari and railroad, passes over Vipavadi-Rangsit Road, but under the tollway, has an exit with stairs down to Vipavadi-Rangsit Road South, heading onto Bangkok, and another exit further on, which has a descending walkway down to Kampeng Pet 6 Road. (I've spelled things as they sound).

Not sure which you are describing?

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@13.92...7i13312!8i6656


It looks like the first (Viapvadi-Rangsit) has steps down, then a walk to a bus stop where passing taxis may stop. (The exit circled leads down to north-bound side of Viapavadi Rangsit Road, in case you wanted to head away or north from Bangkok.) The second leads to more of a "frontage road, Kampeng Pet 6, where it looks like there might be more taxis. There is a lot of construction in this area (new elevated train), but I think you can eventually get onto the tollway maybe at Chaeng Wattahana?

transpac

Couldn't figure out how to attach a second photo...

eDicky

Your second photo looks like the northbound side of the highway (Vipavadi Rangsit), there's even a tree. If you want to head north you can cross the walkway and go down somewhere, there should be plenty of taxis.

But the southbound frontage road and stairs down that I refer to can be found before you start crossing the walkway towards the rail station and Amari Airport hotel. I'm not sure if it's the one in your first photo, it may be a lane closer in to the airport building under the apron.

The last time I used it a couple of years ago, it was not possible to get hold of a taxi dropping off at the departures level (I think because of so many people desperately trying to escape the main queue), so we went up to the walkway and down to where a line of several taxis were ready and waiting. My daughter and others have done this several times since.

transpac

The second image (from Google Street View) is looking south on Khampeng Phet 6 Road, which runs between the north-bound lanes of Vipavadi-Rangsit Road/RR and the Amari Hotel.

I'm not certain where the place is you refer to, if it is not the south-bound side of Vipavadi-Rangsit Road as pictured above?

I used the level 3 taxi pick-up several times over the past few months, including ~ 10 days ago.

eDicky

Ok, now I understand the second photo - I'm not referring to that side. It's the stairs pictured in the first photo, or maybe another door and stairs further in under the apron above, I seem to remember the carriageway not being open to the sky. In any case, as soon as you come out of the stairwell or the shaky elevator into the walkway, look for the door on your right as you face away from the airport and before proceeding across the walkway. There may be more than one, but when you open the correct door the steps down to the street and (hopefully) the line of waiting taxis can be seen.

Now I remember, it was the (western) New year period when we landed at DMK and the place was absolutely heaving with arrivals needing transport, the hall with the main taxi queue too full to enter and a scrum of people trying to grab taxis dropping off at the departures level. I remembered the walkway to the hotel across the highway from the old days long before Suvarnabhumi airport opened, found the way up through a door in the outer wall of the airport (signed to Amari Hotel, railway), entered the walkway, opened the door, and there was our escape solution.

So at normal times the taxis dropping of at the departures level is probably the easier option, especially if you have luggage, but if you need a taxi at such a busy holiday period then the escape option I describe is available. I hope it's more clear now.

transpac

Now I remember, it was the (western) New year period when we landed at DMK

So this was ~ 5 months ago? What airline did you arrive on? Maybe you were in Terminal 2?

eDicky

It must have been 2yr 5mth ago, NOK Air or Thai Lion from NST. Has anything changed since? Whichever terminal it was I found the walkway without problem - there's only one. Thanks for encouraging my further explanation of the route and please excuse my deficiency in English if it's still not clear...

tphuang

Hi, looking for some advise on transferring at DMK. I'm flying in with airasia from Singapore on Friday at 4 and have to catch another airasia flight at 6 (so 2 hour time window). I'm seated in the first row so I would imagine I can get to immigration before others from my flight. Just wondering if there is any suggestions and tips on getting through immigration more quickly? I'm Canadian so can't use Thai and ASEAN lines.

I'm going to try print both of my boarding passes while at Singapore airport. Not sure if that's possible, but that's my goal.

Thanks

tphuang

I tried this out today. Plane got in ahead of time and I got to the immigration hall in 5 minutes. There must have been multiple China tour groups that got there at the same time, because it was completely filled up. not even clear where the lines are. I got lucky and went through in about 30 to 35 minutes and made my connection flight, but it could've easily taken an hour. Cautionary tale I guess.

transpac

Looks like construction may impact trips from the city to DMK? Or not? Some "authorities" recommending 3 hours.

Don Mueang off-ramp closed for repairs

Travellers have been told to allow for at least three hours if they're going from downtown Bangkok to Don Mueang airport by road as roadworks in the area get under way.

The Highways Department plans to rebuild a ramp connecting the airport with the adjacent Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. The work is part of a project to expand the outbound Vibhavadi Rangsit Road opposite the airport.

The plan is to demolish the ramp and rebuild it so the entrance to the ramp will be located closer to the nearby rail track and away from the point of traffic congestion.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ed-for-repairs


DON MUEANG U-TURN BRIDGE CLOSED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

BANGKOK — Access to Don Mueang Airport will be impacted this week as a U-turn bridge leading into the airport is closed to determine whether it’s really necessary.

The Department of Highway on Monday closed the U-turn bridge connecting the northbound side of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in front of Wat Don Mueang to the airport to assess whether its closure would significantly impact traffic.

“The bridge to the airport uses up an extra lane, so cars going toward Rangsit from Din Daeng get stuck here,” Um Sutharat, deputy director of the Bangkok Highway Department said. “If we demolish this bridge, then there would be an extra lane. So for a trial period of three days, we will close the bridge to see if traffic is really badly impacted by it, in case we demolish it, which would take about a year.”

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/t...d-see-happens/

seanthepilot

Traffic up the highway to Don Meaung was backed up and not moving, last night. But not because of this ramp. It cleared 10 km before the airport.

As for closing the ramp, the result was taking the next off ramp, about 2km north of the current one. After crossing over the highway, and going back down (south) another few hundred meters, traffic enters the airport and snakes around as normal (same route as years ago) to the departure levels.

It added about 10 minutes (maximum) to my trip and was quite easy and intuitive.

The immigration fiasco leaving Don Meaung, though, did take well over an hour.

transpac

Up to 4 hours and 20 minutes...saw quite a few posts on social media.




Don Mueang passengers suffer in four-hour queue

Understaffed immigration clearance at Don Mueang airport resulted in a wait of more than four hours for hundreds of passengers -- and an online complaint from a Thai man whose foreign wife was among them. Piyabutr...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...all-queue-much

EmailKid

Holy Cow

Hope it's not like that at BKK. Arriving Tuesday night.

Does anyone know if ANA gives fast track for Biz?