Bangkok Airport delays

[wowpow]

I have read somewhere that one is advised to arrive at Bangkok International airport 3 hours prior to departure.

A friend who flew out on Friday lunchtime reports "But the lines at Immigration at BKK were horrendous-45 minutes in a VERY
SLOW moving queue - yuk! the worst ever!

[Sen Yai]

TeePee, I assume that you are talking about delays at Don Muang.

Perhaps this is due to the migration of immigration staff to Suvanabhumi

[bao-bao]

The "3-hour Rule" may well be the standard advice at all international airports, due to the incident in London about a month ago. Because of the higher security restrictions they're being more picky about what can be carried onto the aircraft and what much be checked. This is making the process a LOT slower. For example, now everyone has to take their shoes off to run through the x-ray belt. The last time I flew they'd even taken away a man's Dr. Scholl's gel in-soles, which was logical but ticked him off to no end. Suffice it to say, when he boarded the plane he wasn't "gellin'" !

Add that sort of thing to the more invasive bag checking and item confiscation AND the unjustified indignation of more travelers than normal and you have a much longer time frame to clear security. So far I haven't seen or heard of them installing more x-ray machines or adding additional marginally-trained staff to process any of this.

As a basic frame of reference here's a link from the U.S. TSA website that will show you what's allowed and what's not allowed - I'd guess it's not that far off from what most international ports are posting:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... items.shtm (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm)

It's confusing, at best. For example, they say "We suggest that you pack all liquids and gels including shampoo, toothpaste, perfume, hair gel, suntan lotion and all other items with similar consistency in your checked baggage to minimize any delays at the screening checkpoint," and then a couple of lines later say "You are permitted to bring up to 4 oz. of essential non-prescription liquid medications including saline solution, eye care products and KY jelly" - so go figure!

(Why anyone would use KY when there are far better lubes available is a mystery to me, but that's beside the point!)

Allow three hours, take something to read and/or have something to drink inside the gate area and cool your heels. There's nothing else you can do.

[Brad the Impala]

[quote="bao-bao"]The "3-hour Rule" may well be the standard advice at all international airports, due to the incident in London about a month ago. Because of the higher security restrictions they're being more picky about what can be carried onto the aircraft and what much be checked. This is making the process a LOT slower. For example, now everyone has to take their shoes off to run through the x-ray belt. The last time I flew they'd even taken away a man's Dr. Scholl's gel in-soles, which was logical but ticked him off to no end. quote]

Would it be helpful, and speed up this process, if everyone wore open-toed sandals?

Would it be helpful, and speed up this process, if everyone wore open-toed sandals?

Only with sheer socks!

Unfortunately, at some US airports, even sandals have to come off for screening. Totally daft, but its the TSA.

[Sen Yai]

I have read somewhere that one is advised to arrive at Bangkok International airport 3 hours prior to departure.

A friend who flew out on Friday lunchtime reports "But the lines at Immigration at BKK were horrendous-45 minutes in a VERY
SLOW moving queue - yuk! the worst ever!
Guys, as I read it, Teepee's 'friend' said that the lines at immigration were slow - not at the security check, which is what you all talking about now.

So, TeePee can you confirm where the queues are. We are all used to the current security checks these days, but are we to expect delays at immigration at Don Muang now as well, like when the cameras were introduced?

Anyone know how many immigration desks at new airport?

[llz]

There will be 124 for arrivals and 72 for departures, but how many will have someone behind it at a given time ?
www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=112657 (http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=112657)

[Brad the Impala]

Khun Ilz, I like your new look.

[allieb]

Would it be helpful, and speed up this process, if everyone wore open-toed sandals?[/quote]

With tranparent socks

[wowpow]

Khun liz you new avotar is far too 'childish' for my liking. He may be over 18 but he sure don't look it.

I just went through yesterday -- I arrived at 17:30 for an 18:40 flight. This time on Sunday nights is a local 'busy time,' as it's when people are checking in for regional flights home after a weekend of shopping and fun in Bangkok.

The queues at Immigration are the same as they have been all summer -- long but manageable. Immediately after immigration there were (mostly quite cute!) lads in army uniforms checking each person with a hand-held metal detector, but they were quick and this did not cause any additional delay. Total time -- about 5 minutes to check in, and 15 minutes at immigration -- just enough time to nip into the lounge and download email before walking to the gate.

You didn't cop a feel?

I just went through yesterday -- I arrived at 17:30 for an 18:40 flight. This time on Sunday nights is a local 'busy time,' as it's when people are checking in for regional flights home after a weekend of shopping and fun in Bangkok.

The queues at Immigration are the same as they have been all summer -- long but manageable. Immediately after immigration there were (mostly quite cute!) lads in army uniforms checking each person with a hand-held metal detector, but they were quick and this did not cause any additional delay. Total time -- about 5 minutes to check in, and 15 minutes at immigration -- just enough time to nip into the lounge and download email before walking to the gate.

You were lucky Mumbai'. I posted under another thread (can't find it now) about my departure from Thailand just over a week ago. As I mentioned I was stuck behind two different people at check-in who both had 20 or so passporst each for groups they were checking in, but my total time for check-in and passport control was around 90 minutes. The one guy in army gear after passport control waved his 'thingy' at me (a quickie which took all of five seconds) which started buzzing and whirring around my cotch area, but he failed to investigate further! I still think arriving a minimum of two hours before departure is essential although I am almost sure that recently Eva Air recommended that I got to the airport an hour before departure. I'd be too panicked leaving it that late especially after my recent experience at Don Muang.