Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Having used this airport several times this year already I am constantly dismayed by the ever lengthening lines at immigration both going into and out of the country. The time between landing and getting out of immigration can be extremely long if you are unfortunate enough to have the double whammy of a long taxi once the plane has landed and understaffed immigration desks. Unfortunately this is not uncommon.

I arrived 2nd April to huge queues again (came out in July). It took me 90 minutes to get through immigration. I have travelled all over the world and I dread arriving here. My elderly parents want to come here and I have told them that with the heat and queues that they would faint. It is a horrible experience and I was alone I bet it's worse for families. Keep away if possible.

A lot of negative comments (quite rightly) about Immigration at BKK. On the plus side last time I travelled earlier in the evening (1800hrs) things were much improved in Departure Immigration (10-15mins) all desks were operational and there was no segregation between Thai and Foreign Passports. Security fine and there are now some decent seating areas close to the Gates with soft seating TV's plants etc. On Arrivals it's very much hit and miss - I've rarely taken longer than 15mins to get through Immigration baggage is still slow (30 mins from aircraft parked to bags on the belt) but there are fewer taxi touts cluttering up Arrivals. They've also done away with this ridiculous system where Landside some of the travelators were restricted to Airport Pass users (ie to get between floors you had to use the Elevators). BKK airport management have finally come to realise that the airport is there to serve the needs of the customers - not preferences of the employees. I have to agree with the earlier comment - Don Mueang was a better airport than Suvarnabhumi for the passenger.

The old Don Muang airport leaves this new one for dead. Immigration lines are so slow now over an hour - used to clear customs in 10-15 min at Don Muang. Suvarnabhumi feels like a warehouse.

I have read the reviews which are mainly accurate. Used the airport on several occasions in Jnauary/Feb/March. Immigration is sometimes extremely slow due almost entirely to the increase in passenger numbers. I was pleased to note there is now a priority queue for oldies (like me) and parents with young children. This saved me a long wait. One of the problems is that when new flights come in queues can get very long in seconds.

Immigration is a nightmare. We queued for 1 hr to enter and 1.30 hr to leave. Only half the desks were manned. You would think they would do better to alleviate the queues.

Outbound immigration just doesn't get any better and there seems no will on the part of the Thai authorities to get a grip with the problem. I have tried morning noon and night and its still the same regardless of the time of day. Some airlines are sending out search parties to find their pax. Other airlines are advising their pax to turn up four hours before flight because of the long lines. If you are in another major city in Thailand make sure your carriers co-operate and clear outbound immigration before you get to Bangkok. Immigration in Chaing Mai means no lines no waiting and through in less than 2 minutes. And the departure lounge is less busy as it is apart from the domestic departure area.

The service (or lack of it) is getting worse by the day. Long queues sometimes one and a half hours are not uncommon. I wish I could enter Thailand at another airport. When I left Thailand recently the queue at immigration was so long we had to queue outside the immigration hall. Then we found that only half the booths were being used. Then there are still so many touts at the airport trying to entice weary arrivals.

Extremely long queues at Immigration (90 mins average) unfriendly staff expensive tax-free monopoly taxi touts at arrivals the list is endless. Avoid unless obliged to come to Thailand.

Our experience was nothing but positive. We used it 4 times 2 international 2 domestic flights. It is modern clean cool and spacious. Signposted reasonably well. We were fast tracked through immigration (QR Business) and took no longer than 5 minutes - guess this improved things a lot for us. We also used the Bangkok Air lounge and Thai Silk lounge - both were ok. Loads of places to change currency. Lovely gardens to look out onto.