Airport and Immigration Woes

[Torurot]

How can the estimates of passenger numbers at Suvarnabhumi be so far out so soon after opening and when is the high speed train service opening between the two airports?
Where is the Kaos icon

[rxpharm]

Air Asia is scheduled to move to Don Mueang October 1st 2012.

Also for those departing from Suvarnabhumi - immigration has changed locations again as renovations continue on.

You now have to go upstairs - where your carry on luggage gets scanned and return downstairs for the immigration officers to process your departure. Lineups were long when I flew out on August 27 - I would recommend you get to the airport 2.5 - 3 hrs before your flights until the departure immigration renovations are complete. It took me about 40 minutes to get through the line.

Suvarnabhumi has also suffered from recent runway repairs, and radar problems, which caused delays in flight arrivals - but these problems seem to be resolved at the moment.

[azza33]

2 of my air Asia flights have changed. One I don't mind as I'll be in bkk but the other I'll be down in n pattaya.... any Ideas on how long that will take??? In the old days I did that trip via the 2 bus service and 4 hrs later I was ready to top myself

[BAM]

They have redundant Radar systems, like any international airport is required to have, however it was never wired correctly... backup Radar was wired to the same power buss as the primary system... I guess no one ever thought of this ?

the UPS system malfunctioned because of a short circuit in a capacitor. As a result, the electricity supply for the airtraffic control services went dead for 30 minutes while a backup radar that uses the same UPS system was also down.

TIT

[rxpharm]

More upcoming changes to the airport taxi service: as reported in Sept. 29, 2012 Bangkok Post

As part of the way to shut out and reduce unlicensed taxis and touts, they will be installing 1 way doors on level 4 (departure area). This will prevent passengers from going out on this level and trying to catch a taxi into Bangkok or Pattaya to try and avoid the 50 Baht Airport surcharge fee, the licensed taxis must pay and pass on to the passenger.

[azza33]

Gee hope there is never any need for a mass evacuation...

[rxpharm]

Good news for those who have Star Alliance Gold Status with their frequent flyer program:

You can check in at the Star Alliance Gold counters (has been at rows B10-12) for the past couple of years, then you can go around the back to the premium security check and immigration lines (this would be at the end of Rows A). I did not realize this until my latest trip. This proves to be the fastest way to get out and to the Business lounges without worry of waiting in the regular long security and immigration queues on the way out of LOS.