Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Passenger Reviews and Customer opinions

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  17 March 2010 by Angela Yeo   (Singapore)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Airport looks great from the outside ie. large and spacious, interior deco is up to par, etc. However, it is only when you face problems during your travels such as baggage lost, claiming of VAT etc. when you realise service is lacking and the system highly inefficient. Am a frequent traveller to bangkok but it was only on my last trip (mid March 2010) that I mistook a baggage for my own and headed back to the hotel. Went back to the airport to make the swap and realise the airport did not have a baggage lost counter. Instead, I was directed to and fro and finally to a tiny passageway meant only for airport staff. Had to sign some papers and was led to another room. Inside the room, the airport staff confiscated my passport and wanted to collect THB 500 so that they could transport the mistaken baggage to the person's hotel. To which, I had to kick up a fuss (clearly it was a genuine mistake and I could have not returned the bag with everyone none the wiser) before they relented. Upon departure (at the end of my trip), I had to claim back VAT. Went to get some papers stamped (before entering the departure gate) and again upon entering. Inside the departure hall, I noted several travellers who did not get the papers signed earlier (outside) and were refused their refund (without any alternatives offered). Felt that there were no proper instructions given and no help offered (surely it must be the system since there were at least 2 counters facing such issues). At this day and age, airport cleanliness, friendliness of staff, fair queuing times and sufficient shops for browsing should be somewhat the norm especially for a capital city. However, when it comes down to helping travellers solve problems, there were no support in the face of a highly inflexible system.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  6 March 2010 by John Hogan   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Immigration was over 2 hours. Expect to join a queue of over 100 meters just to get into the immigration area - completely unacceptable. Get there 3hours before - mind you check in counter only opens with 2 hours to spare.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  1 March 2010 by N Sutherland   (UK)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Came through 4 times in February - early-late evening and the crowding in Immigation / Security was the worst I've seen since the Terminal was opened. Departures Check-In wasn't too bad, but Immigration and Security took 1 1/4 Hours to get through. Immigration Queues were backed up into the Check-in areas and Security was reduced to no more than a cursory check pushing huge amounts of people through an area ill-designed for the purpose. Airside wasn't too bad once you got away from the main concourse but with Suvarnabhumi only open a few years it's already reached capacity in some areas. 8 till Midnight is not good.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  27 February 2010 by S Lubis   (Indonesia)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Been to Suvarnabhumi for more than 10 times since they opened. Always loved to see the lotus shaped roof whenever the plane just landed. The Airport has improved considerably, the waiting lounge chairs are now upholstered no longer the 'grey' plastic look, toilets are plentiful and one of the difference is now the speed of the immigration. Normally, it takes more than 30 minutes to 1 hour to clear the immigration, the queue seems endless, but this time lots of counters are open, swift and efficient process, I was out on taxi with my baggage exactly 30 minutes after the plane touched down. Perhaps it is not a peak hour at 4 pm in the afternoon.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  10 February 2010 by Neil Osrin   (Thailand)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Its a very large airport - prepare yourself for plenty of walking. The air conditioning is not great and its quite humid inside. The layout is confusing and its easy to get lost. Staff are not very helpful as they can't speak english well. The place has a very grey feel - its all in grey metal or concrete. The material ceilings were white but are now grey as they have become dirty over time. The queues for immigration are always long. There are plenty of shops and many restaurants. You can only get to/from this airport by taxi as the new airport link train from BKK that was meant to have opened in December 09 is delayed. Its due to open in May 2010 (possibly).

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  7 February 2010 by Vikram Bhartia   (India)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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The last time I was here one year back, I remember commenting how inefficient the facility was. I was not surprised to note that not much had changed. The airport still lacks travelators, involves a lot of walking and has unclear signage. This time however, I was appalled at the time taken for passport control. We were in the line for almost 2 hours, I noticed that a lot of the desks were unmanned and the present officials were in no hurry to clear the backlog - unacceptable! Besides its inefficiencies, the airport is fairly nice with a fair mix of retail, food, spa, etc that can be expected in any major airport in the world.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  6 February 2010 by Geoff Hudson   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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I have used this airport on a number of occasions and generally found it has improved as time has gone on. The main issue is the prices that the duty free shops charge. The prices are more expensive than elsewhere, so buy your goods before you arrive at the airport. Food is quite good, especially in the little cafe area. You can enjoy a fairly authentic Thai meal for a reasonable price. Currency exchange rates are better than you can expect in your own country.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  6 February 2010 by Stefanie Maria   (Germany)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Shopping is the best thing for this airport. Other than that it's fine. Maybe it's too big and everything is not perfectly located. They keep changing things. Right after the passport control there will now be security check which takes a while to finish then you have some time to go shopping. But if you are late with the departure time, you are dead because you have to walk very long to get to the gate.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  12 January 2010 by Farouk Mogheth   (Thailand)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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I have to admit that there have been visible changes at BKK airport but certain issues still remain. Signs and directions, a bit of a tree here and there to brighten up the cold interior, seats upholstered with colours at gates, sign informing where are the city taxis just as you exit the hall - all better. X-rays just after Passport control making it more time consuming and you end up in a large crowd, so be careful of your things and put your bags in the x-rays only when you see you are allowed to go through the metal detector, otherwise you will risk losing items and having the x-ray guards completely unwilling to help or assist. Duty free eating away on more space but I never shop there anyway - the prices are a joke. Long walks and I mean long - after landing from Europe, we walked (signs shows meters to passport control) 350m then all passengers detoured to a second hall with another 300m walk to the passport control - might not seem much but its quite a walk especially when people are lacking politeness to leave a quick lane on the travelator and you end up slower than actual walk. Passport control officers still rude and show no emotions - always a 30-45minutes till you pass. Baggage waiting for us when we get to the baggage belt. Not a bad airport but I guess worse is flying or leaving in rush hours (around 3pm and then 10pm) where most planes land and continue onwards, so give yourself ample time.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  8 January 2010 by N Edmund   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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The most attractive looking airport I have visited, but not the most efficient. Upon arrival expect a long wait at passport control as there never seems to be enough desks open and the staff there are in no rush. The only upside to this is that it gives enough time for your baggage to be processed so you won't have to wait long to collect it once you finally clear immigration. For me the worst part is that once you've cleared that you have to fight your way to the doors through hordes of touters and waiting family members that crowd around so thickly there is hardly room to push through. This cramped and overcrowded area is unacceptable in an airport that covers so much real estate and some barriers should be put up to give arriving passengers their personal space. And while others have complained about the paid taxi rank this isn't actually bad as the airport's fee is only 50 baht and the rank staff can help direct non-English speaking taxi drivers to the visitor's destination. We caught taxis every day in Thailand and never had a problem as long as the driver turned on the meter. If you find a driver who wants to negotiate a price rather than use the meter, find another taxi. Upon departure the check in was prompt and the lines for customs were quicker, although a lack of travelators can mean some seriously long walks if your gate is at the far end of the terminal.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  24 December 2009 by Alan Ho   (Singapore)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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I think they have improve quite a bit since last year. The signs are now clearer - words are in white colour with a blue colour background. The walking distance (in metres) are also stated on the sign board, toilet signs are bigger. The cold metal seats are fitted with a cushion padding. There is no more taxis touts at the arrival hall. The baggage claim area are brighter. There are more plant landscaping and and thai paintings on the wall making the place look brighter. Before you are approaching the immigration counters (both arrival and departures) there are now see tv screen showing you how long is the queue so you can be prepared. But on the down side they have now moved the security check right after immigration - the area is small and during peak hours the place can get crowded and chaotic. The number of free trolley after immigration seems to be getting less and less! The duty free is still over priced. The air con is still not constant throughout the terminal building. The terminal building and toilet cleanliness is still not good enough.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  18 November 2009 by S Ferguson   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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I flew in and out of Bangkok three different times in the past couple of weeks, and got to know it quite well. The Thai airport lounge is terrific - as good as the one in Hong Kong airport. The mango sticky rice (80 baht) in the Village food court is worth going to the airport for. If you have an hour's wait, try the foot or shoulder massage located at the very end of the terminal building past the food court. The toilets are clean, and signage is very good.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  18 November 2009 by Andrew Tucker   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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Airport was excellent - clean and organised, check in very speedy. Customs also fast. Shopping is excellent, there is a lot to see. Minor criticism; does not appear to be public internet kiosks. Should be in place in this day and age.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  17 November 2009 by P Lang   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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On the whole Suvarnabhumi is okay, the security people were efficient and the queues not very long, however the terminal building is just too large, when we came back from Sydney the flight docked at one side of the terminal and we had to walk for over 20 minutes to get to the opposite end for our connecting flight.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  15 November 2009 by Ron Kuhlmann   (USA)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Despite all of its problems, the airport is pleasant and spacious. The walking distances can be pretty extreme and might benefit from some moving sidewalks. The signage is good and one can easily navigate the facility. Lines at arrival have always been long and tedious but this is not the fault of the facility. Thai lounge is quite nice.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  29 October 2009 by E Wong   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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I visited BKK twice. Once for international flight to Bangkok and once for internal transit to Phuket. The queuing time is longer than expected. There are long queues for the toilet even if catch off peak flights due to the low volume of lavatories available near the gates. Also long queue to go through security checks. You are forced to wait until person in front of you is clear before you are allowed through. Therefore, I had to wait for guy in front of me to take off shoes, then belt and when still beeped to take out pen from shirt pocket etc. Don't understand why I cannot walk through first. For the transit to Phuket, queue was short as few people on my flight were going through. BKK staff take job very seriously and appear to impose "international" rules that are not valid. For example, was told by Duty Free Staff that cannot purchase liquids (alcohol / perfume) in bottle greater than 100ml, even if bottle is in sealed bag as Australia does not allow this. My flight was a direct flight with no transit back to Oz. I have checked with Australia customs, you can bring in liquids as long as sealed in duty free bag if no transit. Agree with previous comments that Duty Free is more expensive than what can be purchased in the shopping centres in Bangkok. However, if want to make last minute purchase, duty free is still cheaper than prices than in Australia generally. So shop around. It is a long walk to the gates and have very little seating. The taxi system is confusing for people who arrive to BKK for the first time. The taxi services inside arrivals is more expensive. You have to go outside and tell staff at taxi queue where you want to go. They give you a piece of paper. You then go into a combined queue where have taxi drivers on one side and passengers on the other side. You get that taxi driver and have to tell them where you want to go. I assumed that the piece of paper tells them where to go but the first driver I got did not know where I wanted to go. I had to show map and address which I printed out from Oz to him so he had idea where to go. Luckily he spoke good english and could understand what I wanted. Hopefully sky train will make easier to travel between airport and city. BKK is an airport trying to meet highest international standards but not achieving it.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  28 October 2009 by Paul Meerman   (Netherlands)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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This airport is huge and new with enough entertainment and shopping, restaurants available. Immigration efficient and fairly reasonable queue security. Toilet facilities are clean and there are smoking rooms dotted throughout the airport which is handy. On arrival information about taxi's, buses etc is very good. On a domestic flight we had to travel a long way with an airport bus (gate to plane vv).

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  14 October 2009 by G Marsh   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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In transit from a BA flight to TG flight on both legs we had to go through immigration and check in again for both flights at check in despite our luggage being checked right through to final destinations. Absolutely daft. The airport is massive and there is quite a lot of walking to do. Immigration efficient and fairly reasonable queue security much improved and not so cumbersome. Shops and restaurants fairly reasonable. The daftest thing was to board the flight at gate 1A then get on a bus and drive right around the airport to gate 35 to board the plane which seemed ridiculous. The airport is quite nice but it is massive. Toilet facilities are clean and there are smoking rooms dotted throughout the airport which is handy.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  13 October 2009 by John Duffus   (Thailand)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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I find Suvarnabhumi incredibly frustrating. I use it at least twice a month and have witnessed many of its failings. Arriving at the airport from the city, unlike most others around the world, there are no signs advising which Gate to stop at. Since the terminal is so long, this is vital information for older, less mobile travellers. Mind you, if you arrive by taxi, for many months the Airport Authority has closed off all but the first couple of Gates on the East side and the last 3 on the West. Why? And why have whatever problem there were not been solved so as to open up all the Gates again? Moving the security check to the ramp areas immediately after Immigration finally makes one feel safe in the Departures area. But to the peak hour bottlenecks at Immigration queues are now added bottlenecks at Security on Departure. Arriving back at peak times is no easier for the Immigration queues are as bad. Thankfully I now have an APEC card and this makes a massive difference, but not for the casual traveller. The dreadful taxi service has been commented on by others. I assume that the hugely expensive Airport Taxi Service, the only one permitted to sell tickets inside the Customs area, is a monopoly subsidiary of the Airport Authority. This 'stings' casual visitors, whereas more regular travellers know that they can obtain much cheaper taxis at the two official taxi queues outside. But why, some years after the airport opened, are there still no proper public taxi booths? Finally, whilst the new airport train will help some passengers get quickly into the city, I hope the Bangkok transit authorities start adding cars to the underground and Skytrain systems. Both rae so overloaded now at peak hours that air travellers and their luggage will have huge problems transferring.

BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT customer review :  24 September 2009 by Lorenzo Pasquini   (Italy)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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One of the best airports. Next year taxi service will be replaced by the fast train to city center and it will be perfect. Even if there is always a lot of people arriving in BKK queue is fast and crew friendly. Services are good and there is a great choice to eat in fast food or restaurants. The whole airport is clean and it's easy to find what you're looking for.