Bangkok and Other Airports - Your Recent Experience - Busy, OK or Quiet. Please Add your Experiences.

[Phantom51red]

11 hours ago, thunder367 said:

agreed the terminal is nice clean and airy to.came in on qatar right by the stairs down the monorail.was ready to power walk when i got off to passport as it was a hell of a walk before.but got a surprise.flew out yesterday from it nice smooth and right by the gate when i came up.such a improvement.emirates wanted to move in to and put a lounge in but the space was allocated was not big enough for what they wanted.so they spat dummy outand refused to move over.

Qatar flying in to the new terminal you say ? Flying in 2 weeks from doha,but you still have to go old terminal for immigration? Sounds a bit of a bummer if so.

[thunder367]

24 minutes ago, Phantom51red said:

Qatar flying in to the new terminal you say ? Flying in 2 weeks from doha,but you still have to go old terminal for immigration? Sounds a bit of a bummer if so.

yes it does into new terminal but the train takes u to the main building straight out at passport 5 min once off plane

[KWA]

Arrived in to BKK at around 9:15am on Thursday.  Usual long walk to immigration and it was deserted.  I could have walked a bit further to fast track but just chose to go up the ramp where I joined a queue of one person before seeing an officer.

Bags took at least another 20 minutes and mine was among the first lot through.

Customs seemed to be active, which is almost a first for me, and I saw a couple of people being asked to put their bags on the X-Ray machine.

Arrivals concourse was quiet with no problem finding Mr. Ts driver at Gate 3 and we were leaving the car park just after 10:00am.  I noticed from his car park ticket he'd arrived around 7:30am, presumably dropping someone off, and had therefore been waiting around 2.5 hours for me.

[Lemondropkid]

This is good news. Grab officially allowed into both BKK airports, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2766949/grab-taxi-service-comes-to-suvarnabhumi

[Bazle]

6 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

This is good news. Grab officially allowed into both BKK airports, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2766949/grab-taxi-service-comes-to-suvarnabhumi

I think it is not particularly good news! 

In relation to Phuket, I understand that they have been allowed to have a stand, but are required to charge the taxi mafia rates. 

[Lemondropkid]

3 hours ago, Bazle said:

I think it is not particularly good news! 

In relation to Phuket, I understand that they have been allowed to have a stand, but are required to charge the taxi mafia rates. 

I was solely thinking of BKK myself Baz, in terms of places I pass through often.

Never been to Phuket, the cost and transport issues have always put me off. I do hear it's terrific though.

 

[Lemondropkid]

Just breezed through what seemed a pretty quiet BKK at 9.00AM, using the official fast track service.

https://limousine.in.th/

My lunchtime EVA flight was already showing 30 minutes late, but think that's usual for EVA, guessing flight was late leaving London 

[Bazle]

1 hour ago, Lemondropkid said:

My lunchtime EVA flight was already showing 30 minutes late, but think that's usual for EVA, guessing flight was late leaving London 

I think the flight originates in Taipei.

As you say, late departure seems to be the norm on that flight. Most often, though, it makes up the time en route, so I suspect the late departure has something to do with not arriving early at LHR.

[john luke]

I flew home from BKK to LBA via AMS with KLM on Saturday 30th March 2024. 

No queue at Bangkok check-in counter, so through in no time at all.  Fast track Security was quiet; I joined a queue of three.  I normally have issues with camera equipment in carry on luggage; but on this occasion I did not; they now have the new scanners in operation; so there is no need to remove liquids etc.  

Although it was a Bank Holiday weekend Schiphol was pretty quiet.  No queues at Security and staff were directing passengers to vacant scanners.

Leeds and Bradford Airport is a small airport.  Three flights are due to land around the same time as mine.  Although my flight was the third to land, I believe it was the only one to disembark passengers via an air bridge, the other two flights landing at remote locations with passengers being bussed in.  I was actually the first to reach Passport Control so no issues there.

Luggage took about 15 minutes to arrive on the belt, however on reaching the luggage belt I was reassured that my luggage had reached Leeds by Apple Air Tags.  (I am a big fan of Air Tags as I was able to confirm that my luggage had reached the flight in Bangkok, likewise for the flight from Amsterdam to Leeds.)

[boydeste]

2 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

Just breezed through what seemed a pretty quiet BKK at 9.00AM, using the official fast track service.

https://limousine.in.th/

My lunchtime EVA flight was already showing 30 minutes late, but think that's usual for EVA, guessing flight was late leaving London 

 

1 hour ago, Bazle said:

I think the flight originates in Taipei.

As you say, late departure seems to be the norm on that flight. Most often, though, it makes up the time en route, so I suspect the late departure has something to do with not arriving early at LHR.

The delay is usually caused at Swampy. For some reason they consistently seem unable to turn the aircraft around on time from Taipei ready to fly to London. 

It's been going on for a long time now. I haven't made my normal train time home my last few trips. This time I didn't bother booking one. I will just see what time I get to Kingscross, then jump on the next train home and pay the going rate.

[karon steve]

2 nights ago I flew Etihad BKK-AUH-LHR and breezed through both Swampy and T4 in less than 20 minutes each. A slight delay taking off at Swampy meant that I had to skip the lounge in AUH as it was only 55 minutes between deplaning and boarding the LHR flight.

My passport still won't scan at Heathrow so had to use the desk agent yet again.

[Derek Dangleberries]

7 minutes ago, karon steve said:

My passport still won't scan at Heathrow so had to use the desk agent yet again.

I have had the same problem with my current passport which runs out next year .. Hope the new one works better when I get it done!

I've just had a thought ... bizarre as it may seem ....With your Board name ...Have you spent a length of time in Myanmar? I worked there for over a year...Perhaps we have a marker by our names ... 

[Spyder]

41 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

I have had the same problem with my current passport which runs out next year .. Hope the new one works better when I get it done!

I've just had a thought ... bizarre as it may seem ....With your Board name ...Have you spent a length of time in Myanmar? I worked there for over a year...Perhaps we have a marker by our names ... 

my old passport wouldn’t scan at LHR for the past 4 years, renewed earlier this year and still doesn’t scan. I think my name has a marker as a trainee immigration officer asker their trainer if “that was ok?” Pointing at something on the screen against my name. I couldn’t see what it was but I think someone with my name is on the wanted list….it’s not me honest!

[Derek Dangleberries]

1 minute ago, Spyder said:

my old passport wouldn’t scan at LHR for the past 4 years, renewed earlier this year and still doesn’t scan. I think my name has a marker as a trainee immigration officer asker their trainer if “that was ok?” Pointing at something on the screen against my name. I couldn’t see what it was but I think someone with my name is on the wanted list….it’s not me honest!

Yep... It certainly hasn't been a normal welcome at the Immigration desk each time either ... quite a little interrogation really ..

Odd!

[Horizondave]

2 hours ago, Spyder said:

my old passport wouldn’t scan at LHR for the past 4 years, renewed earlier this year and still doesn’t scan. I think my name has a marker as a trainee immigration officer asker their trainer if “that was ok?” Pointing at something on the screen against my name. I couldn’t see what it was but I think someone with my name is on the wanted list….it’s not me honest!

My new passport won't let me through the automatic gates, always get sent to a desk for manual check. Got my new passport in July 2021 (it's a blue one).

Maybe if it gets flagged once, it will always be flagged. Maybe too many journeys to Thailand or Philippines. I once got my passport checked by customs who, on seeing I had been to the Philippines about 4 times in the year, must have thought I was a dodgy character. Maybe it's just a legacy of old that needs further checks but it is a bloody pain.

[boydeste]

4 hours ago, Horizondave said:

My new passport won't let me through the automatic gates, always get sent to a desk for manual check. Got my new passport in July 2021 (it's a blue one).

Maybe if it gets flagged once, it will always be flagged. Maybe too many journeys to Thailand or Philippines. I once got my passport checked by customs who, on seeing I had been to the Philippines about 4 times in the year, must have thought I was a dodgy character. Maybe it's just a legacy of old that needs further checks but it is a bloody pain.

I am fairly well travelled to around Asia and other places and have no problem returning home with the automated system on a 10 year old passport. I do sometimes think it's related to whether your picture is a true reflection of your actual image taken by the scanner, or the person doesn't look directly into it.

I have a new passport and will be returning in a few weeks. Let's see if it likes me again. 

Obviously if there is a red flag on your ID, it will never work.

Edited April 5 by boydeste

[Nickrock]

Years ago every time the Mrs boy ( then about 12 or 13) arrived at swampy he would be detained for questioning after a few years they told us why someone else with same name had skipped out of the conscription ballot , would only have taken seconds to check his age 

[Horizondave]

3 hours ago, boydeste said:

I am fairly well travelled to around Asia and other places and have no problem returning home with the automated system on a 10 year old passport. I do sometimes think it's related to whether your picture is a true reflection of your actual image taken by the scanner, or the person doesn't look directly into it.

I have a new passport and will be returning in a few weeks. Let's see if it likes me again. 

Obviously if there is a red flag on your ID, it will never work.

Maybe there is a red flag but can't think why, my name is not common and I have never been stopped by immigration or been asked any questions. Once by customs, who did take my passport away to check (probably to see if I was on a sex offenders data base having traveled often around Asia) but never been in trouble otherwise.

My photo is a bloody good reflection of an old man of 68 who hasn't changed at all since i was 65 when the picture was taken, never had a rinse in my grey old hair.

Just one of those things although, if I remember rightly, the guy at the desk did say if you put your passport in the scanner slightly wrong or wrong way up first try, before eventually placing it correctly, it may prevent the scanner from letting you through. That was immigration's take on it anyway. 

[Derek Dangleberries]

6 hours ago, boydeste said:

I am fairly well travelled to around Asia

I have worked in 10 Asian countries but Myanmar was the one that gave me problems due to Barclays which is why I drew the initial connection with  @karon steve

[karon steve]

6 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

I have worked in 10 Asian countries but Myanmar was the one that gave me problems due to Barclays which is why I drew the initial connection with  @karon steve

I have made short trips to Myanmar but haven't stayed there for any length of time. The Karon name I use is because I had the Bonsai  beer bar followed by Our House a bar, restaurant & guest house in Karon beach Phuket.
As far as I know I am not on a watch list but who knows. I do not have a criminal record and have only ever been stopped by Customs twice in my many years of travel. 
At the time I did wonder why the IO was a little abrupt this trip so there may well be something in what has been said. I will ask next time.

[Smiler]

On 3/30/2024 at 5:19 AM, Phantom51red said:

Qatar flying in to the new terminal you say ? Flying in 2 weeks from doha,but you still have to go old terminal for immigration? Sounds a bit of a bummer if so.

I came in on Qatar yesterday around 1pm. LHR to Doha was ok but Doha to BKK was painful TBH - IFE was faulty, food was shite and my seat just wasn’t comfortable.

Not too impressed with the new terminal, felt like everything was simply not big enough and passengers are squashed into the train, escalators etc.

Passport control was busy but efficient, it took about 15 mins from entering the hall to walking through customs. I only had carry on luggage so no wait at the carousel.

Flying domestic today up to Udon and swampy is as busy as I have seen it. Glad I booked 3 weeks ago. Was out with one of the hi-so relatives last night and he said Thai is completely booked up this Songkran  week….

[thegrogmonster]

Always a lot of good looking women at Bangkok airport but in my opinion it always steps up a level around Songkran.

[Butch]

Hi chaps

SVB Departures

An update to SVB as from my return journey yesterday via EVA.

I left pattaya at 05:45 and got to SVB at 07:10, once my bag was wrapped, I headed to the EVA check in area.

The airport seemed to be busier than usual , perhaps due to the holidays:

If you look in the background, it was heaving with people.

 

Gone are the horrific queues that EVA managed to create this time last year, as the check in process is now very easy and slick.

The EVA check in area at time of writing was Section "R"

I had not checked in online, and upon arriving did the following:

I went to the small Self service desk and selected EVA air, then scanned my passport:

After answering some standard worded questions, it printed out the required number of baggage labels and boarding pass.

After attaching the labels, it was then just a matter of heading to the Bag drop:

Each bag drop kiosk has a hand scanner, (sorry, no pics) you then scan your boarding pass and answer some questions, and it then asks how many bags you're dropping, and you then scan the first one, place it on the belt, and the machine prints a baggage receipt, then it asks again if you wish to drop another bag, so you then scan the second one and repeat.

The machine then gives confirmation and your final baggage receipt, and that's it. All done.

It is a very easy and slick system, and there are people on hand to help in case of any issues.

It was then on to immigration (no queues at all) where I used the E- passport option, but realised I had an entry stamp but no exit one. I asked an immigration officer if it will be a problem, he said it wouldn't, but it might be an idea to keep any records like my boarding pass or ticket with me next time, just in case. There are lines available for manned kiosks where I guess they'll give you an exit stamp, but as I said, I didn't get one.

I can't see this being an issue, but I've kept all my documents just in case they get the arse next time I visit.

Overall, a massive improvement at SVB over last year.

LHR:

LHR had few queues, not busy at all. E-gates working this time, and my bags were the first off after the Biz class ones.

 

[Stillearly]

@Butch I had a similar experience with EVA a couple of weeks ago 👍

A month beforehand I used the E-Passport option before going to Cambodia, there weren't issues with lack of departure stamp when I returned a week later 👍

[Krapow]

Thai Air now have a similar set up leaving Heathrow.

Self service print luggage stickers, set it on, hand scanner etc.