Suvarnabhumi Airport - Bangkok

[Guest VH-TJT]

I've just returned from Thailand and had to pass through the new Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport twice, flying both domestically and internationally. There is no doubt the new airport is an amazing architectural feat. It features:

 

The world's tallest control tower, and

 

the worlds second largest single building terminal.

 

Despite this, I'm not impressed with the practicality of the airport, and maybe some of my complaints are due to the huge design. In my opinion the airport is not on par with other airports I've been through in the region:

 

Singapore Changi Airport,

 

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, or

 

Hong Kong International Airport.

 

For instance, one domestic departure terminal for Thai Airways, One-Two Go Thai and Nok Airways operates like something you would only expect to find in countries like India, or in Africa. After clearing security, passengers are directed to the ground level into a small lounge, which is for 4 gates. One counter is provided for each flight for staff to pull coupons, this is insufficient. Buses take you to your aircraft which is parked on a remote stand. The system does not work when 2--4 wide bodies are trying to board at once. The airport seems huge in sections, but really small in the areas that matter to passengers.

 

Overall the finish of the airport looks in fact unfinished. Hopefully there is much work to be completed. The designers have gone for an all concrete look, it makes the airport look more like a jail, The Bangkok Hilton and cobwebs are already appearing on the roof. For a new airport it was already quite dirty.

 

Back to the huge design, the airport departure gates appear to be very spaced out, meaning that it seems to me that the designers have not made the most use out of the large terminal space. The airport has a total of 120 parking bays (51 with contact gates and 69 remote gates), so it fact many flights, domestic mainly depart from remote stands.

 

Flying in to the new airport it was an even bigger mess trying to get to where I needed to be. Upon clearing customs in Phuket, I expected to simply move through to a transit lounge in the international terminal at Bangkok, similar to what happens in other international airports. This was far from the case.

 

My aircraft, a 747-400 arrived at a gate which was promising. However after disembarkation via the aerobridge, passengers were ushered into a waiting bus. This bus then drove us to what seemed to be around the airport in a circle and dropped us on the tarmac near a door leading into the terminal. What awaited us was then a 3km walk to immigration, which of course we had already been through in Phuket. Then, security again, because we had been in an unsecured part of the airport. And finally to our departure gate which was in fact on the other side to the 747-400 we had just arrived on from Phuket, go figure.

 

Overall, I'm not impressed with the new airport. I had high expectations that I would move with ease through the mega structure which was not the case. I'm disappointed that older airports such as the ones mentioned above surpass Suvarnabhumi in terms of passenger comfort and practicality. It's true that the designers of Suvarnabhumi have turned a few heads with this architectural feat, and it is an awesome sight, however I think the overall design does not compliment many of the things important to passengers.

 

TJT

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Ahh another of our member's who has visited this airport. Interesting to read your views on it. 3km walk? bugger that.

 

 

[TAA Matt]

I was both pleased and dissapointed with Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

Pleased, due to it is far better than Bangkoks old International Airport, Don Muang, but dissapointed at several things;

 

* For a new airport there could of been alot more improvements, i.e. there should not be the need to use remote stands. On both my international flights with British Airways i went on an aerobidge but on both domestic flights with Thai i had to get on a bus to get to/from the aircraft, despite being ample amount of aerobridges free.

 

* The lack of signage, to get through customs it was just a matter of following the crowd. Also little signage to get to the Novotel Airport Hotel, and finding the mini bus to get onto becuase the underground walkway is not yet complete.

 

*The lack of things done on opening. And the finnish, there were alot of bare concete walls, and i think they are going to stay like this and they dont look good.

 

But, overall its better than Don Muang, and a good airport to experience, the design and engineering feats involved are phenomenal.