Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi named among the world’s worst airports

[madmitch]

It's a glorified blog-post, hardly an international survey! And only 76 airports rated; that's not too many in real terms. 

 

Looks for pinch of salt emoji!

[Briggsy]

Kuwait is pretty bad in terms of

2 hours ago, webfact said:

quality of service, passenger facilities, terminal comfort, check in and security.

If they just did simple things like put up queueing ropes it would improve dramatically. There is nothing worse than approaching a counter or desk and seeing a scrum of clamouring supplicants all pushing, shoving, elbowing and waving their travel documents at the harrassed Pakistani (always a man) or Filipina (woman) behind the desk. It gets worse when the staff then disappear for half an hour.

 

Occasionally a real Kuwaiti (senior manager) will appear in his crisp white robes to shoo away the bothersome customers. Fear not though, he will not hang around longer than 5 minutes.

[Here It Is]

3 minutes ago, wump said:

But please don't call it "bargain basement price". It certainly is not and I am sure it'd still be profitable at half the rate.

It's a bargain.  Have the last word but I provided the comparison to a London taxi so, therefore, it's an absolute bargain for a fifty minute trip.

[wump]

At the risk of arguing over the internet again, the average UK salary is 7.55 times higher than the Thai one. Still think you're getting a good deal?

[Here It Is]

Just now, wump said:

At the risk of arguing over the internet again, the average UK salary is 7.55 times higher than the Thai one. Still think you're getting a good deal?

Yes, and I still love Swampy.

[observer90210]

19 minutes ago, wump said:

1600 Baht? You're having a laugh. Even if I could afford it, this service is certainly not worth an extra 400-500% of the fare. Why would anyone support this rip-off?

 

Even in Australia a taxi would be cheaper than this.

A very sensible approach. Prices soar due to tourists who inflate the prices for all,  solely to the fact that it costs less in Europe. This encourages cheating the farangs and an experimented traveller will always adapt to local customs or prices and not compare with the costs in his native land. No offences to anybody here, but just a fact.

[Here It Is]

Just now, observer90210 said:

A very sensible approach. Prices soar due to tourists who inflate the prices for all,  solely to the fact that it costs less in Europe. This encourages cheating the farangs and an experimented traveller will always adapt to local customs or prices and not compare with the costs in his native land. No offences to anybody here, but just a fact.

Like I said, get ripped off by the metered taxis.  Pays your money you makes your choice.  

 

AOT Limo has always been there and they're not going away.  You have two choices, take it or leave it.

[observer90210]

1 minute ago, Here It Is said:

Like I said, get ripped off by the metered taxis.  Pays your money you makes your choice.  

 

AOT Limo has always been there and they're not going away.  You have two choices, take it or leave it.

Did you try Uber or Grab Taxi apps?

[Here It Is]

1 minute ago, observer90210 said:

Did you try Uber or Grab Taxi apps?

AOT does me fine.  Take what suits you best.

 

Anyway, aren't we supposed to get back on topic?

 

 

[wump]

Okay, the rip-off taxi charges you 600 instead of 360 Baht and the rip-off AOT limo takes 1600 instead of a reasonable 500-600. Now who's the bigger cheater?

 

And I very much agree with post #36. If people keep paying silly prices, it will only get worse. I would have nothing to complain about if you'd actually get your money's worth but you are not. Kinda like not being able to shop in duty free anymore because people will just pay anthing "because they are on holiday and it's still a bit cheaper than at home".

 

[observer90210]

1 minute ago, Here It Is said:

AOT does me fine.  Take what suits you best.

 

Anyway, aren't we supposed to get back on topic?

transport facility and quality from an airport would seem on topic in a thread discussing the quality of a specific airport...

thanks for the exchange,

 

[wump]

3 minutes ago, Here It Is said:

AOT does me fine.  Take what suits you best.

 

Anyway, aren't we supposed to get back on topic?

 

 

This topic is now about taxis and think the consensus was the the survey is bullshit. BKK is an excellent airport, period. Was ranked in the top 10 or top 15 in the world the last time I checked.

[Here It Is]

1 minute ago, wump said:

I would have nothing to complain about if you'd actually get your money's worth but you are not. Kinda like not being able to shop in duty free anymore because people will just pay anthing "because they are on holiday and it's still a bit cheaper than at home".

Please don't complain on my behalf as I've nothing to complain about.  My wife and I are perfectly happy with the AOT service.  Talk about comfort and efficiency!

 

[Here It Is]

2 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

transport facility and quality from an airport would seem on topic in a thread discussing the quality of a specific airport...

thanks for the exchange,

Cushty.

[wump]

5 minutes ago, Here It Is said:

Please don't complain on my behalf as I've nothing to complain about.  My wife and I are perfectly happy with the AOT service.  Talk about comfort and efficiency!

 

And what's wrong with hiring a private driver on a website (well-established services available), he holds up your name sign and you pay 500 at most? Scared of a 2 hour immigration queue? This is very uncommon and even if this was the case you could still opt for the AOT service.

 

Edit: I flew business class once, got the fast track and in the end still wasn't out of the airport quicker as I still had to wait for my bag.

[Here It Is]

6 minutes ago, wump said:

And I very much agree with post #36. If people keep paying silly prices, it will only get worse. I would have nothing to complain about if you'd actually get your money's worth but you are not. 

Please don't say things like this.  I believe we're underpaying and you're advertising that we're getting ripped off.  I'd pay 2000 baht for the journey, but please keep it quiet.  Thanks.

[Here It Is]

4 minutes ago, wump said:

Scared of a 2 hour immigration queue? 

I always travel business class so have priority lane access, notwithstanding I go through the Thai lane with my wife.  Five minutes max whatever way we do it and our bags come out priority.

 

 

[ChrisY1]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

Always said it was a dump and outdated.  They need to bulldoze this tin shed and build a modern user friendly one.  The international departures dont even dock at the terminal.  We fly from CNX to Melbourne and when we arrive at BKK its a 2 km walk to the departure lounge then its 2 km bus trip out onto the tarmac and a climb up into the plane.  Something you would expect in the 1930"s   Bomb the relic and build one for today.

Bomb it.????...It took over 10 years to build.....and millions in corruption....an outstanding airport!

[wump]

7 minutes ago, Here It Is said:

I always travel business class so have priority lane access, notwithstanding I go through the Thai lane with my wife.  Five minutes max whatever way we do it and our bags come out priority.

 

 

Well if you fly business then I rest my case, these few extra pounds certainly won't matter. Just thought you were the average Joe on holiday, hence my argument.

[elephant45]

I do not travel often from Chiang Mai anymore, knowing that I have to connect through either DMK or BKK. DMK forget it. I know that in BKK I have to endure the rude staff, toilets a 1km walk, horrendous prices for a piece of garbage sandwich, ear piercing announcements nonstop, cheap plastic chairs if one is available. Nonsensical repeated security checks.  Also the aircraft always seem to park about 10km from the terminal, then the bus driver wants to tour the entire airport to make me come back to the same Jetway that was 20mtrs from the aircraft to get into the terminal, then I have to walk another 4km to get to a rip off taxi. Whoever did this survey is right on. And also Changi is by far the best. Yes there are tons of other crappy airports around, but this is one of the busiest in the world so they need to get out the bulldozers and plow it down. Otherwise the immigration does a very good job usually. And I do like having the 7-11 there for reasonable prices. When Qatar previously announced that they were going to service CNX directly, I was elated, but it didn't happen.

[Bastos60]

BKK is really one of the better airports around. Everything is easily accessible. Check-in lines move really fast. Compared to some countries, immigration isn't so much of a hassle, even customs are pretty fast.  I regularly fly from Amsterdam and Brussels, Brussels immigration queues on return trips are a real pain with waiting times longer than immigration queues from arrival and departure in BKK combined, for less people. 

 

I read someone complaining about cigarettes being 40$ a carton but the last time  I bought cigarettes  it was still way cheaper than the retail prices outside of the airport. But you have 
to keep in mind that cigarettes at duty free shops are not really 'duty' free. They are actually tax free. A carton of camel yellow costs roughly 780 Baht while in retail they are 900 baht. 
If you want to buy them duty and tax free, you will have to fly with an airline that sells them onboard (15€/carton) , or if you have a stopover in one of the middle eastern airports. 
In BRU the same cigarettes in a duty free shop cost about 40€/carton.

 

Everything you need is found without much effort, car rental, taxi, limousine, bus, sim card, food and information. I would put BKK in my top 20 best airports.

[seajae]

1 hour ago, Here It Is said:

Up to you.  1600 baht for a stress-free ride to DMK is good enough for me.  Pay an all-in-one fare and go.  And I don't have to have a case seated on my lap, run the risk of no air-con and have to deal with a potential belligerent driver.

 

Anyway, I love Swampy.

have a family of 6 landing at Suvarnabhumi in september, I have a van booked to pick them and me up & to bring us back to Don Meuang , only 1000baht

[Here It Is]

8 minutes ago, elephant45 said:

I do not travel often from Chiang Mai anymore, knowing that I have to connect through either DMK or BKK. DMK forget it. I know that in BKK I have to endure the rude staff, toilets a 1km walk, horrendous prices for a piece of garbage sandwich, ear piercing announcements nonstop, cheap plastic chairs if one is available. Nonsensical repeated security checks.  Also the aircraft always seem to park about 10km from the terminal, then the bus driver wants to tour the entire airport to make me come back to the same Jetway that was 20mtrs from the aircraft to get into the terminal, then I have to walk another 4km to get to a rip off taxi. Whoever did this survey is right on. 

What seems to be the problem?

 

 

[Here It Is]

1 minute ago, seajae said:

have a family of 6 landing at Suvarnabhumi in september, I have a van booked to pick them and me up & to bring us back to Don Meuang , only 1000baht

Good for you.  Get back to us in September with your detailed review.  Jeez.

[Bastos60]

11 hours ago, elephant45 said:

I do not travel often from Chiang Mai anymore, knowing that I have to connect through either DMK or BKK. DMK forget it. I know that in BKK I have to endure the rude staff, toilets a 1km walk, horrendous prices for a piece of garbage sandwich, ear piercing announcements nonstop, cheap plastic chairs if one is available. Nonsensical repeated security checks.  Also the aircraft always seem to park about 10km from the terminal, then the bus driver wants to tour the entire airport to make me come back to the same Jetway that was 20mtrs from the aircraft to get into the terminal, then I have to walk another 4km to get to a rip off taxi. Whoever did this survey is right on. And also Changi is by far the best. Yes there are tons of other crappy airports around, but this is one of the busiest in the world so they need to get out the bulldozers and plow it down. Otherwise the immigration does a very good job usually. And I do like having the 7-11 there for reasonable prices. When Qatar previously announced that they were going to service CNX directly, I was elated, but it didn't happen.

this usually happens to me when I fly Thai Airways. They land at 5.35am and no jetway being operated at that time, so we have to wait and board a bus that drives a ridiculous route for 10 minutes and drops us off and an entrance that is only 5 minutes on foot from the plane.

[wump]

11 minutes ago, Bastos60 said:

BKK is really one of the better airports around. Everything is easily accessible. Check-in lines move really fast. Compared to some countries, immigration isn't so much of a hassle, even customs are pretty fast.  I regularly fly from Amsterdam and Brussels, Brussels immigration queues on return trips are a real pain with waiting times longer than immigration queues from arrival and departure in BKK combined, for less people. 

 

I read someone complaining about cigarettes being 40$ a carton but the last time  I bought cigarettes  it was still way cheaper than the retail prices outside of the airport. But you have 
to keep in mind that cigarettes at duty free shops are not really 'duty' free. They are actually tax free. A carton of camel yellow costs roughly 780 Baht while in retail they are 900 baht. 
If you want to buy them duty and tax free, you will have to fly with an airline that sells them onboard (15€/carton) , or if you have a stopover in one of the middle eastern airports. 
In BRU the same cigarettes in a duty free shop cost about 40€/carton.

 

Everything you need is found without much effort, car rental, taxi, limousine, bus, sim card, food and information. I would put BKK in my top 20 best airports.

Checkin-lines depend on the airline. Choose a crappy one and you will wait 1 hour+.

 

Also, your cigarette argument is invalid. Cigarettes in duty free shops don't have ANY duty (hence the name) or taxes levied on them. Anything over 10$ for a carton of Marlboro is 100% profit for the duty free shop. Same goes for liquor.

 

Shopping on the plane is exactly the same tax-wise as technically you are already out of the country.

 

[Prbkk]

What's to dislike about BKK? Crazy queues inbound and out, likelihood of a bus in and out, interminable wait for luggage, rogue cab drivers, poor signage, in your face shopping blocking the thoroughfares , sour looking and acting immigration, miserable lounges ( at least TG), overpriced food, duty free scam re liquids ( resold on eBay following confiscation, 2 kilometre walk from some of the gates,.

Meanwhile pushy DYKWIA hisos breeze through the express lanes as TIPs.

What ranking did Madame Tourism expect?

[apalink_thailand]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

I think Survanambhumbi is alright generally but passport control can let it down.

 

Manchester's the same, passport control there can be really slow too, other than that it's not a bad airport, granted no theme parks but apart from that has everything else you need. 

They seem to have forgotten Kuala Lumpur. Huge queues at Immigration and not enough places for people to stand. Nightmare. 

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

Like I said, get ripped off by the metered taxis.  Pays your money you makes your choice.  
 
AOT Limo has always been there and they're not going away.  You have two choices, take it or leave it.

You forgot the sky train. Fast icy cold 45 baht and no PITA Thai drivers annoying you with stupid bar girl questions, where you from, you have family blah blah

[wump]

1 minute ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

You forgot the sky train. Fast icy cold 45 baht and no PITA Thai drivers annoying you with stupid bar girl questions, where you from, you have family blah blah

Then you'd still have to get a regular taxi or use Uber/Grab from the station. But might be a better and quicker option for some.