Scotters

For those that will be travelling in and out of Bangkok's new airport, check this article in to-days Bangkok Post.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/261006_Ho...06_hori005.php

MichaelBKK

Some valid points, but as is typical of the Post, rather misleading.

He suggests that work is not progressing on the train, when in fact it's going quite fast. I'm amazed at how much work is getting done between my own visits to the airport. He mentions KL and Singapore as examples, but seems to forget that the train to KL's new airport wasn't completed until more than a year after the airport opened, and Singapore's MRT was only extended to the airport a few years ago. I also have not seen the transportation problems he alludes to.

I've already used the gate he mentions, and it is not typical. It's a bus gate and seems to have been a last minute addition which is mainly used by budget carriers who don't want to pay for the use of a sky-bridge. I'd agree it's a bit awkward, but I don't know what he expects, since Asians generally don't queue anyway.

I have not found the temperature uncomfortable. It is not as frigid as the average Thai office, but that's a welcome change.

Yes, there is a lot of shopping, but you can take an escalator down to level 3 and avoid most of it. Unless you're one of those people who always arrive at the airport at the very last possible second, I don't think it's going to be a problem.

bkkmei

I've only come in through the new airport once. The 2 gripes I have is that: 1) when you come out of the arrivals gate into the main area, you are bombarded with loads of 'offical' looking people asking if you want an airport 'taxi' i.e. limo, which costs 2 or 3 times the price as a public taxi; and 2) the sign for public taxis is practically non-existent. You have to really hunt for it and it's some hand written cardboard sign stuck on a pillar indicating that public taxis are on the floor below.
But besides that, thought it was a nice, clean airport.

MichaelBKK

Your first point is definitely a good one, although the situation is basically no different than it was at the old airport. If I were running things, I would make the airport limo people stay behind their counters and only allow in hotel pickup staff. Everyone else I would make wait outside. My bet is that the temporary cordons will eventually be replaced by more substantial barriers that are further back, if not completely blocking entry to that end of the building, as at the old airport.

The taxi signs will also be improved over time. Keep in mind that it was only at the last minute, after the airport had already soft opened, that they decided to let taxis come up to the terminal building, so it's hardly surprising that the signs aren't in place yet.

BradinBangkok

Nice place, but they are losing a lot of luggage. See my thread.

kaneda

There does seem to be a lot of complaints about the new airport. More a matter of getting it wrong than right.

<quote>October 24th, 2006

The board of directors of Airports of Thailand has resigned, less than one month after it opened Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi international airport, the company said in a statement yesterday.</quote>

orgy7

I was part of the last "public" group that checked the airport out. I had huge issues with signs. I really hope they took care of that. I mean right after the check in counters there is a big sign which has the direction of just about everyting exept where the intternational gates are . but if you walk behind the sign it's up there. So I guess they could say it was posted somewhere on the sign

Cookiew

Does anyone have an update on if the underground corridor to the Novatel is open yet? I saw this on another post which said that it wasn't. Thanks!

MichaelBKK

The underground corridor was still closed when I arrived on 28 Oct. I suppose they may be keeping it closed because they're working on the train station, which is at the end of the tunnel.

Bisbee

I would agree with Michael that the train progress is going quite quickly.

After talking with a Thai check-in staff, she was not very happy. The lighting is very poor and she said it was difficult on her eyes. It is also quite warm in this area. One can only imagine how warm it will be when the hot season arrives. I like the HK Airport much better, but maybe Suvarmabhumi will grow on me over time.

Cookiew

Thanks Michaelbbk, looks like I'll have to keep checking on this for a while. In the meantime, a friend of mine may be coming with me so I'll have help lugging stuff around maybe which will be very helpful.