New airport update

[rxpharm]

(SamplerDoc @ Jun. 09 2007,06:46) Great Info Guys....
Do You Guys Think The New Airport is Any Faster in Regards to:

A. Getting Us From Plane to Bkk NEP Any Faster?
and
B. Clearing One Thru Immigration Lines Any Faster?

SamplerDoc, wanting to know in preparation for your big trip, I see!

Ok - time from plane to NEP is about the same. The problem has been there are more taxi touts than were at the old DM airport. However due to some untoward incidents, there has been a crackdown and any unauthorized touts are now being chased out by security.

Public taxis are located one floor down from arrivals level - rumors are they will move up to arrivals level soon, but it has not happened yet. The airport bus is also down there (same service that operated out of DM - 100 Baht for bus to the major hotel routes if you are not in a hurry).

Coming through immigration on arrivals is about the same as well. For the first few months it was slower, but now they seem to have picked up.

The main difference is the size of the new place, just walking between points takes longer, so it might be a bit longer than the old DM just because of that.

Going through immigration on departure takes longer, as does check in. The design of the departures hall was poorly executed as there was not enough space allocated for the queues, especially during peak times. Would suggest you go to the new airport a bit earlier than with old DM for checking in for your flights.

[Stewart]

Going through immigration on departure takes longer, as does check in. The design of the departures hall was poorly executed as there was not enough space allocated for the queues, especially during peak times. Would suggest you go to the new airport a bit earlier than with old DM for checking in for your flights.

The key here is do NOT fly Thai Airways - the check-in queues are horrific! Even the gold card check ins usually have 20 people in the queue.

I have just stopped using Thai, and now fly Singapore Airlines. An extra SGD100, but worth it because no queues at check in

[bigkev]

"all liquids,gels etc greater than 100ml not allowed."....does that limit the duty free booze???not much less than1000ml there.....

[rxpharm]

If you read post 8 it describes what impact is projected for Duty Free Sales. To repeat the relevant points see below:

Airport retailer expects carry-on restrictions to cost it Bt3 bn

Duty-free operator King Power International Group expects its sales to fall by 20-30 per cent or aboutBt3 billion when limits are placed on the amount of liquids and gels passengers can take onto aircraft.

Narong Pornpiriyakulchai, outlet-operations director, said sales would fall dramatically, particularly during the first three to six months of the enforcement, which starts on Friday. However, the situation is expected to return to normal after that time because passengers will have a better understanding of the issue.

Narong said sales of water, alcohol, perfume and gel products would be most affected.

If the new regulations are going to be strictly enforced, the answer to your question is yes, duty free booze would be limited.

[Guest]

I think that there has been a compromise reached as regards the liquid gels in Bkk.In many international airports for example Dubai and Bahrain and i know Dublin in Europe this rule is enforced at the security check before you go airside.But once airside you can purchase as much as you want in duty free.What ever is purchased in duty free will be packed in a sealed clear bar and as far as i know so far the rule will be that this sealed bag cannot be opened untill you have reached your final destination.This rule makes perfect sense and im sure it will be implemented in most airports in the not too distant future. Frankfurt airport has this year since this rule has been enforced has laid off 50% of staff in Duty free area and since the airside rule has recently been implemented there staff is back to full levels.

[Guest]

Yes, it makes sense, but has uneven implementation.

On the other comment, there is no doubt flying Singapore Airlines is better in every factor. Planes, services, and the queues, which are basically of size zero.

For TG, the problem is mainly in the early morning. It seems more reasonable in afternoons and at night. But 7AM, you're best to plan for upwards of 1+ hours in a queue if you're not a gold member. My colleague spent 1.5hrs in teh queue a couple of months back. But this is very uneven too, and that's the problem. You don't whether to plan an extra 30 minutes or 90 minutes.

[Stewart]

For TG, the problem is mainly in the early morning. It seems more reasonable in afternoons and at night. But 7AM, you're best to plan for upwards of 1+ hours in a queue if you're not a gold member. My colleague spent 1.5hrs in teh queue a couple of months back. But this is very uneven too, and that's the problem. You don't whether to plan an extra 30 minutes or 90 minutes.

Yes, I have noticed that. Always used to take the 8am flight back to Spore and, checking in at 6am, the queues were terrible.

More recently took the 4pm and 7pm flights, and slightly better....but still bad, and a lot more than zero with SQ

[Prof Frink]

Hearing all the comments as to the new airport being a nightmare to get from to downtown bangkok i decided to transfer through and go directlley to chang mai

just as much chaos reigns there as on the flight to bangkok it was clearly stated you have to go through imigration at bangkok before your onward journey

sounds simple but what they dont tell you is there an un marked immigration point in the domestic area you clear not the main one

also i was not allowed to clear imigration until less than 2 hours before my flight when you get through your realise there no seats to sit down


as to the toilets issue airside there are loads my feeling is they where never sign posted

as to shopping in the new airport its basically an upscale boutique now you have to go to either extremes of the airport to find a place to eat and drink that does not cost you a 1,000,000 bhat for a coffee

[Guest]

I don't think you got good info on the 'driving to downtown' part. I live on Nana road, about as downtown as you can get.

It is far easier coming to 'downtown' from the new airport than from the old. In flying about 25 times or more from the new airport, it has almost never taken me more than 30 minutes to get home at all kinds of different hours and days. The old airport it was anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours due to the exit onto Sukhumvit from that highway.

But that's good info on the connections. Doesn't surprise me. Organization and common sense was not a requirement for the Suvarnabumi Airport designers.

[Torurot]

Why are they implementing these ridiculous liquids and gels rules?

[katoeylover]

Because of the terrorist bomb plots exposed by MI5 in the UK.

[Road Runner]

There has been a general tightening of security across the transport sector since the 9/11 attacks.   As KL said this latest change is due to recent attacks/attempts in the UK.

The idea of restricting the liquids is that even bringing bomb making materiels onto a plane seperately they will not have a large enough volume to make an effective bomb.
High explosives are sniffed out or spotted in security checks. With ordinary household products you can only make medium or low explosives for which you need a greater amount of material to get the same 'bang'.

Just remember the terrorists intent is to improve the world for all of us  -  NOT!

RR.

[mardhi]

(ziggystardust @ Jun. 10 2007,18:29) I don't think you got good info on the 'driving to downtown' part. I live on Nana road, about as downtown as you can get.

It is far easier coming to 'downtown' from the new airport than from the old. In flying about 25 times or more from the new airport, it has almost never taken me more than 30 minutes to get home at all kinds of different hours and days. The old airport it was anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours due to the exit onto Sukhumvit from that highway.

But that's good info on the connections. Doesn't surprise me. Organization and common sense was not a requirement for the Suvarnabumi Airport designers.

Which way do you come back from the airport Ziggy? It will either be Rama 9 or the Bangna Expressway and then where? I always drive on the motorway, so connecting onto Rama 9 and paying the 25b toll and then the 40b toll at the main expressway intersection at the end of Rama 9. Its always hit and miss at that second toll booth and then when you come of the expressway onto the Don Muang expressway and then again when you use the Sukhumvit exit adjacent to Soi 1.

Sounds like you know another way thats much more consistent timewise.

Cheers
Mardhi

[Prof Frink]

i was probably not so clear on the nigtmare side not so much the actual trip but beating back the tour limo people beating back the taxi touts and negociating the bizzar method of getting a taxi

as it was my first trip in since the new airport was built and i was going to chang mai anyway what i did was fly upto chang mai and got a flight back to don muang where i was in my confort zone of getting from the airport to where all the fun is

[Road Runner]

Hello Prof Frink,

Do I read your post above right?

You flew into BKK and then up to Chiang Mai in order to catch a flight back to Don Muang?

In order to avoid the taxi touts?

RR.