Phuket Airport

Not a good experience. At our departure airport we were told all bags would be checked through to our final destination (USM). However on arrival at HKT we had to collect bags and then join a huge queue outside the airport to put our bags through a security check before checking in to our domestic flight to Samui. Standing outside in the high temperature/humidity after two 7 hour flights was not the most pleasant way to transit through HKT. Airport is old and tired, however there is a new terminal being built which hopefully may improve the transit process.

Very worn out and tired, food and drink outlets very limited and packed, security was quick. Only had 100 baht left and there were no ATM machines after security, didn't know this till it was too late and most but not all food/drink outlets were cash only. Phuket Airport is in need of a serious overhaul.

I didn't think that this airport could get any worse, but it has since my last visit. There are just so many things wrong with this airport that it should be used as an illustration of what not to do. Security needs to be improved with the screening process at the entry redesigned. It is inefficient and appears to be for show. The disorganized lines for check-in with the poor signage associated with all of the Thai based airlines is deplorable. During peak travel times, it is chaos. When my flight landed I had to wade through people who were boarding another flight. It seems that it is still possible for an international passenger to end up exiting at the domestic entry as was the case of my flight. It's an awful airport. The inflated ground transportation fees just add insult to injury. I paid B920 to get to Patong via a "metered" taxi. Something is terribly wrong when it costs approx. 300 baht to go from Bangkok airport to Bangkok city. Fortunately, I don't have to return to Phuket in the foreseeable future. My recommendation is to avoid this destination altogether.

What a mess. The car rental drop-off is on the lower floor which is the arrival floor with all the taxi and bus stands. You need to push through the opposite direction of the traffic and people to get to an entry door which has a lines of people queued like an octopus all going though a single scanner. The check-in area is just filled with people trying to find the appropriate window with very little clear signage. Entering the secure area is like entering a refugee camp. While there are many gates open the only gate(s) being used are 66a and 66b which reside at the end of security belt and hallway to the only toilets. People are just packed in like sardines they are all over the floors, blocking pathways and generally being rude and panicky. There is very little air con and the air quality is poor. The toilets are just a filthy, wet mess. I'm very tempted to fly into Krabi and rent a car to drive to Phuket on our next flight in.

Departure - almost missed our flight completely. Even if you arrive 2.5 hours before departure. When you get out of vehicles with your bags at departure you cannot even enter the airport. The authority makes everyone queue outside along the road. It's was really very long and took us more than 40 mins to reach the entrance. Never seen such an airport in my life. After you enter you queue again and it was so long. I will have second thoughts to go back.

The new terminal is still under construction, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt in that regard, but their terminal does not leave a particularly warm welcome, with it's non-air conditioned jetbridges to the lack of pens for you to fill in your declaration forms. Immigration was slow, interior worn. As for departures it's interesting that they'd have body scanners. Their terminal was crowded, especially in the waiting area past security. Aside from that, there's nothing particularly noteworthy.

I arrived and departed from Phuket last week. My overall impression is that it's a decent, but messy airport. Signs are on point, there weren't long queues and the terminal looked fairly well maintained but dated. The small number of seats at the gate get taken very easily but the seats themselves are quite nice. There's a good amount of food and beverage shops, but the other shops are a bit disappointing. What bothered me on arrival was the small carousel and the fact that there was no staff to keep order when rude passengers made it impossible to grab your bag on the first round. I hope that the renovation will make things a little better.

The International Check-in area has expanded to include a crudely added "Terminal 2" which has no road access to be dropped at. Security is very thorough at all stages throughout the airport and the amenities are reasonable in the Departures Lounge. If you are flying with Bangkok Airways they have a free refreshment stand if you present your boarding pass. In the International Departures area there is a Duty Free Shop (liquids not allowed to be taken to Australia) and even a place to get a massage. Food-wise there are more choices prior to clearing immigration as there are quite a few chain stores at the front of the terminal.

I've used this airport 6 times in the last few months always for domestic flights. It is a horrible airport to have to wait any amount of time in. It is completely inadequate for the number of people using it airside people have to sit on the floor because there aren't enough seats. Eat before you get here - airside there is just a Burger King a Subway and what must be Thailand's most expensive sandwich shop (it cost us $15 for two drinks and one small bagel). The only positive thing is that the airport is so small it doesn't take long to get through and the queues usually aren't too bad.

An airport of two halves. Arrivals: ridiculously long queue for immigration (30 minutes) small. Luggage was waiting (but probably only because of the immigration delay). Customs scan luggage on arrival. (On my trip I had my bags scanned five times including at airport entrance). Departures: reasonably spacious no queue at all for immigration exit stamp good shops airside lots of seating. Bag Drop (AirAsia) satisfactory. It was like a different airport! Difficult to give an overall rating given the contrast between Arrivals and Departures.