4 hour queue at Don Mueang Airport last night

[spoon]

Also worth to mention that a lot of the budget airline only pay for limited time for the landing before they take off, so they pay less airport fee. For example, they only pay 20mins of time to use the gate, so their ground staff has to rush the boarding process. This can also contribute to the delay as due to this limited constraints in time, they always missed their slots, thus have to reassigned different gates, and move backed from their queue. This can have a domino effect especially on popular short distance flight that offere multiple flight on the same day. One leg delay and the rest of the legs of the day will be delay as well.

[reader]

From Pattayaone

 

 

Thousands of tourists were left queuing for more than four hours at Don Mueang airport well into the early hours of Saturday August 5th.

 

The reason was due to unstaffed immigration desks and several flights landing at the same time, officials said.

 

Immigration said that airport officials did not provide them with an updated arrival schedule and consequently desks were left unmanned and unable to cope with the influx of passengers.

 

Immigration chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Nathathorn said that a number of flights which had been delayed due to bad weather then arrived at the same time.

 

Sanook News reported about Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, a lecturer at Thammasat University was waiting for his wife who was arriving from Singapore.

 

Mr Piyabutr shared a photo of the crowded arrivals hall and said that it took more than four hours to clear immigration and that one passenger fainted after being forced to wait in line for so long.

 

Thai site Daily News claimed that 25 flights arrived which contributed to the long queues and that almost 5,000 passengers were affected in the delays which began around midnight and lasted until just before 5am on Saturday morning.

 

Passengers at Don Mueang experiencing delays both at baggage check in and immigration are nothing new.

 

In response to complaints of slow check-in facilities, last month airport chiefs announced that x-ray machines would be relocated and the number of machines increased from four to ten.

 

The passenger identified as ‘Greg T’ wrote to The Nation to complain about his experience. He claimed the situation was so bad, people were forced to urinate on the public concourse.

 

“I saw three different puddles of urine on the floor where people had no choice but to go, as you would never catch your flight if you left the impenetrable crowd.

 

“The floors had become sticky with urine being walked throughout. People were surging and ducking under ropes to queue-jump as they panicked about their flights boarding.

 

“The problem here is not merely one of “service” but also of the security and safety risks of so many people being jammed into that airport area”, he added.

 

http://pattayaone.news/en/don-mueang-immigration-chaos/

[PeterRS]

Today's Bangkok Post gives the real reason for these horrific delays. The Immigration Bureau Chief claims it was a result of an excess of flights on what is already a busy time. Other excuses have been floated. But thats not what one of his staff says -

 

an immigration police officer wrote a message on his Facebook page pleading with visiting passengers to sympathise with his burden at work, complaining that the number of immigration officers has decreased by 50% since 2013

 

That is frankly unbelievable! How can the Immigration Department reduce its staff by a massive 50% over 4 years when traffic at the airport is increasing every year? 

 

The Bureau Chief states the number of officers will be increased by 48 next week. Isnt that interesting? Where are they going to come from? BKK?

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1301219/don-mueang-queues-due-to-staff-shortage

[spoon]

Crazy, and thailand has received a large number of tourists every year, amongst the top 10 in the world too. And this happened during low season nonetheless. From midnight to 5 am is just crazy. No one to be blame except their immigration chief.

[vinapu]

 If there is one thing that drives me nuts it is the announcement that departure has been delayed due to the late incoming aircraft. Why not be honest and tell us why the bloody plane is late?

 

 

because this is how corporations are communicating with their cliens those days, they don't rise prices because higher costs or whatever , they do it ' to serve you better' etc

[vinapu]

From Pattayaone

 

 

Thousands of tourists were left queuing for more than four hours at Don Mueang airport well into the early hours of Saturday August 5th.

 

 

what needs to be said loudly is that boy in lower left corner is very cute  and standing next to him would ease my burden of waiting for sure.

[vinapu]

 

 

The Bureau Chief states the number of officers will be increased by 48 next week. Isnt that interesting? Where are they going to come from? BKK?

 

 

from the offices, I wouldn't be surprised if more then half of those officers are actually paper shufflers somewhere

[steveboy]

what needs to be said loudly is that boy in lower left corner is very cute  and standing next to him would ease my burden of waiting for sure.

Won't you complain then that he is overdressed?

[steveboy]

Flying today requires a great deal of patience and if you have connections also of flexibility. The worst is when you have to connect between carriers. Even when they are in the same airline alliance, expect little help and baggage that does not arrive when you do. I wish the controlling bodies would introduce the EU system of payment penalties for planes being late. €200 and more would make a longish delay a lot more bearable!

It helps to be positive.  Think of the people not too long ago who had to spend weeks crossing an ocean in a steamboat.

[vinapu]

Won't you complain then that he is overdressed?

if he was wearing short sleeves and shorts I'd not complain.

 

Actually I'm not big fan of guys being half dressed in public - too distractive, LOL This is what we have bars and massages for .

 

But one of my life little pleasures while in BKK is to watch bare chested  men working on assebling Patpong market  stands in the afternoon and  putting them down in the depth of night 

 

It helps to be positive.  Think of the people not too long ago who had to spend weeks crossing an ocean in a steamboat.

very few of those were actually travelling to Thailand  for 2 weeks of fun  with her entertainers.

[steveboy]

But one of my life little pleasures while in BKK is to watch bare chested  men working on assebling Patpong market  stands in the afternoon and  putting them down in the depth of night 

This is definitely more fun to watch in BKK and other SW Asian cities instead of doing it in the US...

[ozmouse]

there is a paid expedited service thru don muang immigration.  they meet you at the plane, and while you have to line up at the VIP area we had a 3 person wait, as opposed to 3 hour wait. 

 

while the cost of the service is more than the air asia flight from laos, it also saves more time than the air asia flight!  so great value!!!  wont not fly out of DMK without it 

 

Funny thing is, while you have 1 person meet you and escort you pretending it is all above board customer service, meanwhile we had 3! immigration/uniform dudes tailing us behind and in front.  Taking our pictures on their phones the whole way including at the immigration counter, and getting in the car.  Was the weirdest experience.  

[reader]

But one of my life little pleasures while in BKK is to watch bare chested  men working on assebling Patpong market  stands in the afternoon and  putting them down in the depth of night 

 

 

 

Have often paused to do the same.  Hard, sweaty labor.  Much to admire for sure and it's free.

[dozzie]

we waited for more than 5hrs!!! the chinese groups that arrived every 30mins, and none followed any queuing system (if any to begin with)!

[rollingstone]

I can almost visualise chaos in baggage claim area. So many plane loads of checked baggage in the 4/5 hours?

[Nikom]

there is a paid expedited service thru don muang immigration.  they meet you at the plane, and while you have to line up at the VIP area we had a 3 person wait, as opposed to 3 hour wait.

 

Ozmouse can you please give more info about this service.  How to contact?

 

Thanks

[rollingstone]

It takes me about 10 minutes to walk from one of the satellites to immigration in Heathrow Terminal 2.    So far the queue has varied from nothing to about 10 minutes.   I have probably waited up to about 40 minutes on a bad day in crap airports like Luton. 

 

One hour should certainly not be considered normal.  Airports should put sufficient facilities in place so there is normally no queue and at peak times, <15 minutes.    There is no excuse for 1 hour.

 

The baggage handling is another matter.   In Heathrow and Bangkok, bags seem to appear about 45 minutes after the plane stopped.   This is too slow.   The best airports clear people through immigration quickly AND have the bags ready almost at the same time.

 

I will time my walk again next time I visit LHR and report back.

 

You have to be mindful about different lengths of the queues for EU passports versus other nationalities. I regularly see long queues for 'international' arrivals. 10 minutes is not possible (in most cases I reckon). Even I use 'fast track' lanes, 10 minutes is considered quite fast.

 

No idea how to run airports more efficiently (competition or not). Hopefully you will succeed in educating the Thais LOL.

[Jasper]

Suvarnabhumi 4pm today. Did they transfer a few immigration officers to Don Mueang? lol

[vinapu]

bordering on insanity, and this is supposed to be low season ?

[spoon]

Lol and tomorrow they move officers to swampy and next day we see another long queue in dmk in the news and the cycle repeats. This is like someone who take a loan from the bank to pay credit card loan. They just didnt fix the root of the problem, not enough officer. 2 way two fix it, better process or hire more officer.

[Dalewood]

I will be in Thailand on the 23rd. I demand that you guys get this shit straightened out!!!!

[vinapu]

I will be in Thailand on the 23rd. I demand that you guys get this shit straightened out!!!!

.... otherwise you will do it , right?

[PeterRS]

In my experience, the noon to 4.00pm period at BKK is always the worst for arrivals, especially at the the west end Immigration hall. Its a time when a lot of Gulf, North Asian and European flights arrive, all wide bodies including several A380s. About 3 or 4 years ago I noticed a couple of fist fights amongst some passengers trying to force their way forward from the walkway area through the bridge area and into Immigration. 

 

Around that time I asked to speak to a senior Immigration official. Not sure who I got but he blamed everything on the government for not providing a budget for more officers. I have never noticed more then two thirds of the booths manned at any time.

[sglad]

I will be in Thailand on the 23rd. I demand that you guys get this shit straightened out!!!!

 

Hehe, don't demand, but go with the flow!  Get some snacks, water, make sure your phone and tablet are fully charged, go to the toilet before you land/join the queue, warn your hotel/airport pick-up (if any) in advance, and just take it easy!  No point starting your holiday on a sour note!

[sglad]

From Channel News Asia

 

BANGKOK: Visitors from Singapore and Hong Kong will be able to use automatic passport scanners in Bangkok airports soon, with immigration processing time reduced to 20 to 30 seconds, according to Thai news outlet The Nation. 

 

The system, which is currently reserved for Thai nationals, will be implemented "this month or next", police Lieutenant-General Nathathorn Prousoontorn said in the report on Tuesday (Aug 1).

 

"Cooperation with Singapore on the matter is nearly 100 per cent complete,

 

Yay!