Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

This is my sixth journey through Survarnabhumi this year and I have been through every corner of the airport. Like many other reviewers I find it a most annoying inconvenient and expensive experience. The "Duty Free" shops are very expensive and have obviously swallowed any duty with their greedy pricing: avoid them and buy elsewhere. The airport can be hot and stuffy in certain areas where aircon is inadequate. Airside food outlets are two to three times more expensive than the city e.g. 9baht soda water was 65baht. Better go to family mart outside immigration area where prices are normal. Also note that many flights require a bus ride across the tarmac because of inadequate terminal facilities. Immigration officers are expressionless. Forget taxis. Spend the extra money and book an airport limousine near the luggage carousel. You pay one fee - no rip offs extra cash for tolls and all that other nonsense you get with the (grossly underpaid) taxi drivers. I see little to no improvement since 2006 and recommend Singapore as a transit point to other Thai cities. Unless you need to go to this airport avoid it.

It has got a little better with some improvements. A spectacular garden which featured the theme of the royal barges was impressive. Shopping looked tempting. Some cafes were not that appealing and some were a bit over crowded. The train connectivity to the city is very good. Within the airport itself there needs to be more lifts between floors.

I've been a regular traveller (10-15 times/year) through Suvarnabhumi since it opened in 2006. It's a large airport and it's busy - always. Rule #1 - check in early. Rule #2 - if you have to wait for check-in baggage don't expect to be in a taxi less than 1.5 hours after landing. If you manage 45 mins you've done pretty well. Check-in can be slow but that's down to the airlines. (I always check-in online). Most of them seem to have enough counters available and international flights will typically be open 3 hours before Departure and occasionally 4 hours - so check in early. Upstairs Security Screening is usually only a few minutes wait I've never waited more than 10 minutes and I can think of many worse airports in this respect. Immigration both in Arrivals and Departures is poor and can be the longest wait of the trip through the airport but if you've allowed enough time it is what it is - chill and bring a book. The Baggage Hall is big enough belts are well sign posted and the longest I've ever waited on a bag was a Domestic Flight from Chiang Mai (about the same length of time as the flight). 20 mins in the baggage hall would be more typical. You very rarely get stopped in Customs and queuing times for taxi's is not bad. If you have to wait around there are plenty lounges Airside and seating in the lower levels both Landside and Airside. The Terminal Hotels are expensive and there are better options locally or in the city. Food is expensive and the choice isn't great but there is a food court Landside which is good value. (Burger King seems the busiest eating place). I rarely bother with Duty Free Shopping in BKK - I can shop better in the city. Distances to and from the gates are lengthy in some cases but they're pretty good at keeping the travelators working. Toilet cleanliness may not be at the standards of the best airports but they are cleaned regularly. Signs are OK and Flight Information Screens are very good. Touts still congregate in Arrivals and I still ignore them. The Airport Rail Link isn't the blast to and from the city which was envisioned but it works adequately. Unfortunately it's pretty overcrowded at peak times because of stops at intermediate stations. BKK is a better airport than it was 5 years ago but the Immigration 'experience' is poor and is a major bottleneck. Security is much better organised than before and the budget airlines moving to Don Mueang has taken some pressure off BKK. Given the space they have and passenger numbers they handle BKK should be a better airport than it is and as a passenger it's not a good airport to be in a hurry to get through. Lots of problems go away given enough time.

Terrible experience all round shame on them to treat people worse than cattle. Horrendous queue's at security and passport control with the latter having only half the desks staffed. It is the same arriving as well as leaving be warned avoid if possible!

My worst airport experience. Took us 1 hr 30 mins to go through security on departure just five stations open and hundreds of people queuing. It's clear those in charge don't care about their customers. Airlines and any business in the tourist industry take note this will affect your business we certainly won't be coming back.

I am creeping into my mid seventies now and I have found the business class flying in most airlines has improved over the past decade but the airports are becoming more and more of a nightmare every year. Taking the cake is this dreadful Suvarnabhumi Airport which stretches over a vast distance and has many areas without the walking machines. The distances are simply too long for many senior travellors and after more than a kilometre you arrive at the long queues at immigration and afterwards have to fight through crowds and up and down escalators to arrive at taxi lines. Hong Kong is only marginally better and in fact why do none of the airports give some attention to passengers who are getting on in years. I really detest the walking in BKK.

This airport is huge and we had to walk about 1100 m to transfer station. Yes it is exact 1100 m from C5 to E2. Before we can get to the transfer desk which is now located on the departure floor we had to pass the security control and without the boarding pass they do not let you in! It is horrible to find something to prove that you want to go to the transfer desk to get the boarding pass! How can someone keep changing the arrangement of the airport at least 10 times over the past 10 years.

Very disappointed. There is a serious lack of seating around gates D1-D8. I am seeing whole families sitting on the floor I also am sitting on the floor. Thailand reliance on tourism will be affected by the small thing its services fail to deliver while the rest of the world gets better at service the leader is failing.

Departure from and returning to Bangkok from Hong Kong. I did mention that the airport is finally listening as there are some minor changes however compared to other airports in the region it is not a comfortable event leaving or arriving at this airport. Passport control is much better than before however waiting times remain longer than optimal and the overall "attitude" of the border officers (male and female) can be described as miserable and lacking tact in many ways. Being 10 years here I never touched the glorified tax free shopping as items are pricier than in the city. It's just not worth it at all. Food venues are pricey however there is a food court with great food on the ground floor before you pass immigration to the restricted air side. Walking distances are very long and I cannot imagine older passengers going all that way to reach passport control. Wifi never really worked so I am wondering whether its just for show. The train to the airport from the city discontinued the red express line for some reason (it had terrible frequencies as well - every 45 minutes so it beats the overall idea of having an express train). The local blue line is alright but used by many locals on the way so gets very packed and full in just a couple of stops. My main anger with this airport is its inability to control taxi drivers. They are wilder every time. Once you are seated and left the cab booth many tourists are faced with immediate requests of a set fare that is double or triple the taxi-meter price. In several occasions people were "offloaded" close to the highway as a result. I discernibly see those cab drivers getting to be a problem. If you only transit then I really suggest other airports in the region whether its Kuala Lumpur Singapore or Hong Kong with all offering a much more hassle free travel.

Horrible airport avoid it if you can. Cost cutting has increased the ambient temperature well into the uncomfortable range however you can find refuge in the cooler biz lounge. The customs officials are the most rude and unprofessional airport staff I've ever encountered. Arrived back late at night and airport was a building site.