Police to introduce fingerprint scanning at Suvarnabhumi
The Immigration Bureau plans to install fingerprint identification equipment at Suvarnabhumi Airport within the next two months.
The new equipment is part of a global trend among international airports to utilise biometric scanning technology for security and efficiency purposes.
“Immigration procedures at Suvarnabhumi are very fast. It takes only 20 seconds for the average passenger. It will be even faster when we finish installing the fingerprint identification units,â€
SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT
Touch down...into chaos
Lost baggage, crashed computer check-in systems, shouting passengers - AOT calls opening day a '75% success'
It took the Korean visitors three hours to get their luggage, and they left no one in doubt as to their displeasure. A computer system crash forced staff into the unfamiliar role of manually checking-in passengers. Then more bags were lost and a scrum formed around the "Lost and Found" office. Flights were delayed time and again. Snafu was the order of the day.
Utter chaos for Suvarnabhumi's opening? Definitely not, say the airport's spin doctors.
Officials and system consultants shrugged off the teething problems and expressed complete confidence that Suvarnabhumi Airport would soon be free of "hiccups".
"We are 75 per cent satisfied," Chotisak Asapaviriya, president of Airports of Thailand Plc, said yesterday. "There were some minor problems that have upset us."
At 11am, the centralised check-in system crashed, first paralysing 11 counters of Thai Airways International and later spreading to 13 counters of Nok Air and some international airlines.
Ground staff resorted to using computer notebooks and filling out boarding passes by hand.
According to reports, many passengers on a variety of flights waited for at least two hours to get their luggage. Over 100 visitors from Incheon, arriving on flight OX301, vented their anger at Thai Airways International's counters. They shouted at THAI ground agents when three hours passed and still their luggage had not appeared.
Passengers on other flights encountered similar problems. Those on TG343 from Jakarta also waited for three hours. TG 917 from London landed at 3pm and the designated carousel was empty until 5pm. To the dismay of first-class passengers, they retrieved their belongings at the same time as economy-class travellers.
"The Lost and Found counter was flooded with complaints," said a ground officer who asked not to be named.
"Passengers of airlines including THAI and Aerosvit Airlines faced the same problem," said one AOT official.
Air Chief Marshall Chalit Pukbhasuk, chairman of the Council for Democratic Reform's committee in charge of the airport opening, visited the facility at 7am. He acknowledged the foul ups but said all units were attacking the mishaps one by one.
"Problems are common for the first operating hour of a new airport. We should know better later on," he told a swarm of reporters.
AOT's Chotisak said it took time for ground crews to transfer bags from planes to conveyer belts due to the delay in the relocation of baggage handling equipment from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi. THAI supplies the AOT with the baggage-handling equipment.
A fierce overnight storm had thrown THAI's schedule for its migration programme completely out of whack. As of 7am, only 80 per cent of the removal was complete.
"The conveyor system functioned well, but there was a problem transferring luggage from the aircraft to the conveyor belts because baggage lorries had not arrived [from Don Muang]," Chotisak said. "This is a minor problem and will not happen again once the transition period is over."
About 200 suitcases were also found left behind at the airport after some THAI flights took off for domestic and international destinations.
THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni was sure that his airline's system functioned well, but the problem could lie with the baggage handling system, which is under AOT's supervision.
"We are contacting the bag owners to send them their belongings. This is a big blunder happening at THAI," he said.
Somchai Swasdipol, director of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said AOT is investigating the matter. The bungling could have arisen from the slow transfer of luggage rather than any trouble with the actual baggage handling system, he said.
The botched baggage handling was partially attributable to flights arriving late. About 17 flights were overdue, 45 minutes in the worst case. Most departing passengers anticipated the delay and arrived at the airport well in advance.
The first commercial flight to alight at Suvarnabhumi was also 20 minutes behind schedule. Flying from Kiev, the Aerosvit Airlines plane landed at 4.30am, instead of the original time of 4.10am. It landed at the same time as an EVA Airways flight from Amsterdam.
"Aerosvit's flight was delayed at the originating port, not because of technical problems at Suvarnabhumi," the AOT official said.
Upon arrival, the first passengers received commemorative souvenirs from AOT chairman Srisook Chandrangsu and his management team, who waited in front of Gate E4. One of the passengers was a local from Udon Thani who was unaware that his plane would put down at the new airport.
"I'm confused. Don Muang is more familiar to me as I don't know the traffic network of Suvarnabhumi," he said.
Aerosvit Airlines also operated the first flight from Suvarnabhumi. Bound for Kiev, it left at 5.40am. It took four minutes for each passenger to check in, instead of the normal two minutes at Don Muang, as staff needed time to get used to the new IT system.
Cathay Pacific also operated a flight from Hong Kong, but with only a 55-per-cent load factor rather than the usual 80 per cent.
"Passengers were worried about convenience on the first day of operations," said Yongyut Lujintanont, marketing manager for Thailand and Burma. The cabin factor should return to normal today, he said.
The chaotic environment on the first day also dulled the appetite for shopping among passengers. Most of the visitors concentrated on checking out the airport's amenities. Some of the duty free shops were still being fitted out and were not open yet.
A manager for King Power Duty Free Shop said total sales on the first day were only Bt3,000-Bt4,000, less than 10 per cent of what the company used to ring up at Don Muang. However, she was optimistic that more customers would come later.
Suchat Sritma
The Nation 2006-09-29
Last edited by Bas on Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
Airport traffic gridlocked
While plane departures and arrivals were running smoothly at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, down on the ground it was a different story with traffic around the vast site moving at a snail's pace.
Security guards at the new airport, which began full services yesterday, blamed the traffic snarls on confusing traffic signs and people's reluctance to use public transport.
"The traffic was jammed. Limousines, taxis and personal vehicles were all in the same lanes," one unnamed security guard said.
He said people complained incessantly about the traffic because many areas in the new airport compound remained under construction.
The Nation 2006-09-29
While plane departures and arrivals were running smoothly at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday, down on the ground it was a different story with traffic around the vast site moving at a snail's pace.
Security guards at the new airport, which began full services yesterday, blamed the traffic snarls on confusing traffic signs and people's reluctance to use public transport.
"The traffic was jammed. Limousines, taxis and personal vehicles were all in the same lanes," one unnamed security guard said.
He said people complained incessantly about the traffic because many areas in the new airport compound remained under construction.
The Nation 2006-09-29
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
AOT officials get an earful
Although Suvarnabhumi Airport director Somchai Swasdipol has yet to take up the invitation to spend a night at Moo Baan Romreudee, the residents of the housing estate yesterday played host to airport officials who turned up to measure the noise levels of jets flying overhead.
Moo Baan Romreudee is one of two housing estates that almost every aircraft will be flying over before landing at the new airport.
So after several hours of enduring the noise of planes flying over their roofs, the Romreudee residents were happy to welcome the group from Airport of Thailand's environmental division who arrived with hi-tech equipment in hand.
"They said they feel sorry for me and think I should be moved as the noise level is too high for people to live here," said Jutharat Chantorn, a marketing director in the Bangkok office of a transnational company.
Jutharat is one of about 200 residents who lives at the Moo Baan Romreudee. The estate is located on the flight path that jet planes use as they come in to land.
The residents have repeatedly voiced their concerns about the noise pollution generated by thousands of planes landing at the airport. Until today, no one from the airport authority showed up to listen to their grievances even during the soft operation of the airport two weeks ago.
Yesterday, The Nation published Moo Baan Romreudee resident Wanida Sanwanitchpattana's invitation to airport director Somchai Swasdipol to stay the night at her house to experience first hand the noise of planes descending.
Although he has yet to accept the invitation, Somchai said that if it were proved residents were adversely affected by the noise pollution from the new airport, they would be compensated.
However, Yuppadee Limma-thuroskul, head of Suvarnabhumi Airport's environmental division, said it was too early to draw any conclusions from yesterday's noise assessment.
Pennapa Hongthong
The Nation 2006-09-29
Although Suvarnabhumi Airport director Somchai Swasdipol has yet to take up the invitation to spend a night at Moo Baan Romreudee, the residents of the housing estate yesterday played host to airport officials who turned up to measure the noise levels of jets flying overhead.
Moo Baan Romreudee is one of two housing estates that almost every aircraft will be flying over before landing at the new airport.
So after several hours of enduring the noise of planes flying over their roofs, the Romreudee residents were happy to welcome the group from Airport of Thailand's environmental division who arrived with hi-tech equipment in hand.
"They said they feel sorry for me and think I should be moved as the noise level is too high for people to live here," said Jutharat Chantorn, a marketing director in the Bangkok office of a transnational company.
Jutharat is one of about 200 residents who lives at the Moo Baan Romreudee. The estate is located on the flight path that jet planes use as they come in to land.
The residents have repeatedly voiced their concerns about the noise pollution generated by thousands of planes landing at the airport. Until today, no one from the airport authority showed up to listen to their grievances even during the soft operation of the airport two weeks ago.
Yesterday, The Nation published Moo Baan Romreudee resident Wanida Sanwanitchpattana's invitation to airport director Somchai Swasdipol to stay the night at her house to experience first hand the noise of planes descending.
Although he has yet to accept the invitation, Somchai said that if it were proved residents were adversely affected by the noise pollution from the new airport, they would be compensated.
However, Yuppadee Limma-thuroskul, head of Suvarnabhumi Airport's environmental division, said it was too early to draw any conclusions from yesterday's noise assessment.
Pennapa Hongthong
The Nation 2006-09-29
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
First-day fliers left irked
Baggage and check-in delays at new airport
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK
Frustration and confusion were among the sentiments of many passengers using Suvarnabhumi airport, which opened for full operations yesterday. The new airport, which took over duties from Don Muang at 3am, encountered several problems. The most serious was the luggage handling system run by Thai Airways International (THAI).
Other problems, less serious, were the failure of the check-in system run by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) and the dearth of signs inside the terminal.
Complaints from 400 South Korean passengers highlighted the dissatisfaction. ''I lost my baggage,'' one told TV crews last night after waiting for five hours after Orient Air flight OX301 from Seoul landed at 2.30pm with no sign of the luggage.
In fact, the problems began early yesterday morning. Some passengers on delayed flights, including THAI flights TG951 from Copenhagen, TG326 from Bangalore, TG945 from Rome, and Etihad Airways flight EY403 from Abu Dhabi, ran out of patience and complained when they had to wait for more than an hour to get their bags, with not an official in sight to help them out.
The opening was low-key, without an official ceremony. Only senior officials from AoT, the Transport Ministry, THAI and the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) attended.
The atmosphere may well have been different had Thaksin Shinawatra still been in power. The launch date was set by the ousted prime minister, despite warnings from airlines and some officials, when he was head of the government before the coup on Sept 19.
Mr Thaksin, now in London after the CDR's takeover, hoped to use the airport to boost the popularity of his Thai Rak Thai party ahead of a general election.
''Had Mr Thaksin been here, the airport would have had an extravagant opening ceremony that would have been remembered for a long time,'' said an AoT official who insisted she was not pro-Thaksin.
Suvarnabhumi, located in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district, hosted 813 flights on its first day of operations.
The airport commissioned THAI and Bangkok Airways for the ground handling services. Most airlines, including Orient Thai, hired the national flag carrier.
But THAI could not provide services for everyone. It struggled to handle luggage even for its own passengers as it did not provide enough luggage lorries.
AoT said the conveyor system functioned properly but the problem was caused because luggage lorries had not reached Suvarnabhumi from Don Muang.
THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said all 880 lorries were moved from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi by 2pm yesterday, but the airline later apologised for the problem.
AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya had to solve the luggage problem by urgently hiring Thai Airports Ground Service (TAGS) to work at the new airport until this morning. . TAGS was a ground service firm at Don Muang but it lost out in its bid to work at Suvarnabhumi.
The check-in system run by AoT did not work properly from the morning-scheduled flights, causing delays for 17 out of 19 flights operated by THAI. About 200 pieces of luggage did not accompany planes carrying passengers out of the airport. The delays were between 15 and 45 minutes, the THAI president said.
THAI staff had to issue boarding passes and luggage tags by hand. The problem was due to an information overload in the system, transport permanent secretary Wanchai Sarathulthat said.
Mr Wanchai admitted that signs inside the terminal were inadequate, causing several passengers to struggle to find their way once they disembarked from aircraft.
The official ordered AoT to relocate a duty free shop and its advertising signs operated by King Power out of the arrival zone, saying they blocked the passage of passengers from airplanes to the immigration area.
King Power chief executive officer Vichai Raksriaksorn said the problem was not serious and added that the firm, which runs commercial areas at the airport, was still ready for negotiations.
AoT and Transport Ministry executives had said before the opening that the problems were not beyond their expectations for the first day of a new airport's operations. ''This is a minor problem and will not happen again once the transition period is over,'' Mr Chotisak said
Bangkok Post 2006-09-29
Baggage and check-in delays at new airport
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK
Frustration and confusion were among the sentiments of many passengers using Suvarnabhumi airport, which opened for full operations yesterday. The new airport, which took over duties from Don Muang at 3am, encountered several problems. The most serious was the luggage handling system run by Thai Airways International (THAI).
Other problems, less serious, were the failure of the check-in system run by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) and the dearth of signs inside the terminal.
Complaints from 400 South Korean passengers highlighted the dissatisfaction. ''I lost my baggage,'' one told TV crews last night after waiting for five hours after Orient Air flight OX301 from Seoul landed at 2.30pm with no sign of the luggage.
In fact, the problems began early yesterday morning. Some passengers on delayed flights, including THAI flights TG951 from Copenhagen, TG326 from Bangalore, TG945 from Rome, and Etihad Airways flight EY403 from Abu Dhabi, ran out of patience and complained when they had to wait for more than an hour to get their bags, with not an official in sight to help them out.
The opening was low-key, without an official ceremony. Only senior officials from AoT, the Transport Ministry, THAI and the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) attended.
The atmosphere may well have been different had Thaksin Shinawatra still been in power. The launch date was set by the ousted prime minister, despite warnings from airlines and some officials, when he was head of the government before the coup on Sept 19.
Mr Thaksin, now in London after the CDR's takeover, hoped to use the airport to boost the popularity of his Thai Rak Thai party ahead of a general election.
''Had Mr Thaksin been here, the airport would have had an extravagant opening ceremony that would have been remembered for a long time,'' said an AoT official who insisted she was not pro-Thaksin.
Suvarnabhumi, located in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district, hosted 813 flights on its first day of operations.
The airport commissioned THAI and Bangkok Airways for the ground handling services. Most airlines, including Orient Thai, hired the national flag carrier.
But THAI could not provide services for everyone. It struggled to handle luggage even for its own passengers as it did not provide enough luggage lorries.
AoT said the conveyor system functioned properly but the problem was caused because luggage lorries had not reached Suvarnabhumi from Don Muang.
THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said all 880 lorries were moved from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi by 2pm yesterday, but the airline later apologised for the problem.
AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya had to solve the luggage problem by urgently hiring Thai Airports Ground Service (TAGS) to work at the new airport until this morning. . TAGS was a ground service firm at Don Muang but it lost out in its bid to work at Suvarnabhumi.
The check-in system run by AoT did not work properly from the morning-scheduled flights, causing delays for 17 out of 19 flights operated by THAI. About 200 pieces of luggage did not accompany planes carrying passengers out of the airport. The delays were between 15 and 45 minutes, the THAI president said.
THAI staff had to issue boarding passes and luggage tags by hand. The problem was due to an information overload in the system, transport permanent secretary Wanchai Sarathulthat said.
Mr Wanchai admitted that signs inside the terminal were inadequate, causing several passengers to struggle to find their way once they disembarked from aircraft.
The official ordered AoT to relocate a duty free shop and its advertising signs operated by King Power out of the arrival zone, saying they blocked the passage of passengers from airplanes to the immigration area.
King Power chief executive officer Vichai Raksriaksorn said the problem was not serious and added that the firm, which runs commercial areas at the airport, was still ready for negotiations.
AoT and Transport Ministry executives had said before the opening that the problems were not beyond their expectations for the first day of a new airport's operations. ''This is a minor problem and will not happen again once the transition period is over,'' Mr Chotisak said
Bangkok Post 2006-09-29
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
Thought I'd add my 10 pence worth, as I flew into Suvarnabhumi last night from Shanghai.
Arrived on time, disembarked in normal time.
First impressions as I walked along the very long walkways was of dim lighting, a very industrial concrete finish to everything. No decorative ceilings, just exposed Services (calbes, Air Con, pipes etc...)
Definitely the odd sign or two of the very familiar Thai level of workmanship, also several areas of scaffolding still in place, adn some piles of dismantled scaffolding.
Not very pretty, not at all welcoming, and very large.
As you get closer to the main areas, the odd plastic coconut tree, statue or painting starts to add a little colour. But still not welcoming in any way at all.
Immigration was a dream, with ALL counters open. Maximum queue length anywhere was 2 people. The officier at my counter even spoke excellent English and entered into some jovial banter! (unlike the counter next to me, where a female officer was truely losing it with a Korean guy - perhaps she was in order, I have no idea what was going on).
Didn't check in any baggage so avoided the reported baggage problems.
My overall opions where that is was working OK, all seemed a little confused, but I that's only to be expected.
The place is big, and really not so beautiful. If these guys truely think that this is a real challenge to Changi, they are in for a very major dissappointment - its really not a patch on Changi.
Dirty, many of the windows, both large external ones and the glass panels/walls and glass balconies inside where absolutely filthy... Dust, spilt coffee staines, suction marks from the 'suction handles' used during installation .... Now this can be understood perhps, but of course we all know that these will never be cleaned now that is is opened.
Finally, gettnig a taxi!
This was not so bad. On arrival after going through Customs, I couldn't really see where to go for a Taxi - no signs. I went outside.. no Taxis. I went back in and saw and AOT Help Desk with the sign Public Taxi above it. I enquired and was told that I must go downstairs one level to get a taxi (not so good if you have a lot of baggage - but perhaps this arrangement is not permananent).
Went down one level following some A4 Photocopied signs saying Public Taxi, went outside. No real queuing process - so decided to walk to the front where a guy put me straight in the taxi and off I went. Using Meter.
Howver, please not ethat you DO have to pay the THB50 Airport Charge - I understood that this was not going to be used yet at Suvarnabhumi.
Anyway, overall and 'not bad' experience, but the airport is really nothing special, at least not on the arrival side, its bigger adn more modern than Don Muang, but thats about all really.
Will be flying on Monday so will have opportunity to experience the Departure side of things, maybe these are better, but, as this airport promises gret things for the tourist industry, I would have thought that the Arrival side would have had some built in 'Tourist appeal'
Anyway, now the fuss is over we can all get on with life now......
Bas,
Do you have some kind of personal vendetta against the new airport?
You seem to have devoted a larger portion of your life to posting anything you can find
Winkie
Arrived on time, disembarked in normal time.
First impressions as I walked along the very long walkways was of dim lighting, a very industrial concrete finish to everything. No decorative ceilings, just exposed Services (calbes, Air Con, pipes etc...)
Definitely the odd sign or two of the very familiar Thai level of workmanship, also several areas of scaffolding still in place, adn some piles of dismantled scaffolding.
Not very pretty, not at all welcoming, and very large.
As you get closer to the main areas, the odd plastic coconut tree, statue or painting starts to add a little colour. But still not welcoming in any way at all.
Immigration was a dream, with ALL counters open. Maximum queue length anywhere was 2 people. The officier at my counter even spoke excellent English and entered into some jovial banter! (unlike the counter next to me, where a female officer was truely losing it with a Korean guy - perhaps she was in order, I have no idea what was going on).
Didn't check in any baggage so avoided the reported baggage problems.
My overall opions where that is was working OK, all seemed a little confused, but I that's only to be expected.
The place is big, and really not so beautiful. If these guys truely think that this is a real challenge to Changi, they are in for a very major dissappointment - its really not a patch on Changi.
Dirty, many of the windows, both large external ones and the glass panels/walls and glass balconies inside where absolutely filthy... Dust, spilt coffee staines, suction marks from the 'suction handles' used during installation .... Now this can be understood perhps, but of course we all know that these will never be cleaned now that is is opened.
Finally, gettnig a taxi!
This was not so bad. On arrival after going through Customs, I couldn't really see where to go for a Taxi - no signs. I went outside.. no Taxis. I went back in and saw and AOT Help Desk with the sign Public Taxi above it. I enquired and was told that I must go downstairs one level to get a taxi (not so good if you have a lot of baggage - but perhaps this arrangement is not permananent).
Went down one level following some A4 Photocopied signs saying Public Taxi, went outside. No real queuing process - so decided to walk to the front where a guy put me straight in the taxi and off I went. Using Meter.
Howver, please not ethat you DO have to pay the THB50 Airport Charge - I understood that this was not going to be used yet at Suvarnabhumi.
Anyway, overall and 'not bad' experience, but the airport is really nothing special, at least not on the arrival side, its bigger adn more modern than Don Muang, but thats about all really.
Will be flying on Monday so will have opportunity to experience the Departure side of things, maybe these are better, but, as this airport promises gret things for the tourist industry, I would have thought that the Arrival side would have had some built in 'Tourist appeal'
Anyway, now the fuss is over we can all get on with life now......
Bas,
Do you have some kind of personal vendetta against the new airport?
You seem to have devoted a larger portion of your life to posting anything you can find
Winkie
Semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat
-
HansMartin
- Professional
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:50 am
- Location: Back Home in CA
When Denver opened their new airport several years ago, it took them about a year to get the computerised bagage hadnling sytem right.
Also they only had taxis available (not even rental cars). To get you into town (20 miles to downtown) it cost $50 a pop.
Obviously this all gets worked out over time. There is just no way a huge shift can be made in a totally seamless manner
Also they only had taxis available (not even rental cars). To get you into town (20 miles to downtown) it cost $50 a pop.
Obviously this all gets worked out over time. There is just no way a huge shift can be made in a totally seamless manner
Winkie,
Nice report on arrival, look forward to your experience on the departure side.
To answer your question,
I dont have a vendetta against the new airport. It is more like a big personal interest that had me explore al the news i could find.
As you said, "now the fuss is over we can all get on with life now".........
I will arrive on Oktober 8
Greetings From Holland,
Nice report on arrival, look forward to your experience on the departure side.
To answer your question,
I dont have a vendetta against the new airport. It is more like a big personal interest that had me explore al the news i could find.
As you said, "now the fuss is over we can all get on with life now".........
I will arrive on Oktober 8
Greetings From Holland,
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
Sorry Winkie, a little more fuss:
Thai Airways sacks executive over luggage mess at new airport
Flag carrier Thai Airways International Plc said Friday it has sacked an executive over hours-long luggage delays on the opening day of Bangkok's new international airport.
"The luggage problem was caused by internal management disorders at Thai Airways. We have already sacked a top person in charge of handling luggage," airline president Apinan Sumanaseni told.
Suvarnabhumi airport officially opened on Thursday, with more than 800 flights carrying 120,000 travellers passing through the glitzy three-billion-dollar airport on the first day.
However, the new airport was flooded with complaints from disgruntled international passengers who had to wait for hours to collect their luggage.
Airports of Thailand, which operates Suvarnabhumi, blamed Thai Airways for causing long delays.
"Luggage handling equipment from Thai Airways did not arrive on time and some luggage handlers from the airline did not even show up at the airport," said Chotisak Aspaviriya, president of the airport operator.
"The airline must look after problems for passengers," he said.
The general manager of Suvarnabhumi, Somchai Sawasdeepon, said all operations, including luggage handling, went smoothly on Friday.
"So far we have smooth operations on the second day. To me, the disorders seen yesterday (Tuesday) were normal and acceptable for a new airport," Somchai said.
The airline's chief, Apinan, also said he received no reports of problems on Friday when another 800 flights were expected to pass through.
Agence France-Presse The Nation 2006-09-29
Thai Airways sacks executive over luggage mess at new airport
Flag carrier Thai Airways International Plc said Friday it has sacked an executive over hours-long luggage delays on the opening day of Bangkok's new international airport.
"The luggage problem was caused by internal management disorders at Thai Airways. We have already sacked a top person in charge of handling luggage," airline president Apinan Sumanaseni told.
Suvarnabhumi airport officially opened on Thursday, with more than 800 flights carrying 120,000 travellers passing through the glitzy three-billion-dollar airport on the first day.
However, the new airport was flooded with complaints from disgruntled international passengers who had to wait for hours to collect their luggage.
Airports of Thailand, which operates Suvarnabhumi, blamed Thai Airways for causing long delays.
"Luggage handling equipment from Thai Airways did not arrive on time and some luggage handlers from the airline did not even show up at the airport," said Chotisak Aspaviriya, president of the airport operator.
"The airline must look after problems for passengers," he said.
The general manager of Suvarnabhumi, Somchai Sawasdeepon, said all operations, including luggage handling, went smoothly on Friday.
"So far we have smooth operations on the second day. To me, the disorders seen yesterday (Tuesday) were normal and acceptable for a new airport," Somchai said.
The airline's chief, Apinan, also said he received no reports of problems on Friday when another 800 flights were expected to pass through.
Agence France-Presse The Nation 2006-09-29
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
savurnabhumi airport
as an ex British airways baggage handler, team leader and supervisor aircraft services at Heathrow. I was also there when terminal 4 opened trust me it was bluddy chaos but us brits are so good at hiding things it went down as a success
Mind you from what i have read on this thread it sounds to me this airport just wasnt ready my sister arrives thursday 6th will be going to meet her fingers crossed
Mind you from what i have read on this thread it sounds to me this airport just wasnt ready my sister arrives thursday 6th will be going to meet her fingers crossed
A Greatfull Guest of Thailand
Looks like it has opened
This was reported yesterday
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20 ... 96,00.html
BANGKOK'S Suvarnabhumi international airport, set to be South-East Asia's busiest air hub, officially opened with its first landing early today.
Lufthansa cargo flight LH 8442 from Frankfurt via Mumbai touched down at 6.02am (AEST) at the airport, the air control tower said.
The Suvarnabhumi or "Golden Land" airport, 25km east of the Thai capital, has a capacity of 45 million passengers a year, beating regional rivals in Singapore and Malaysia.
It replaces Bangkok's creaking Don Muang, which has hosted an airfield of some kind since 1914 and was straining under an annual load of 39 million passengers, two million more than it was designed for.
In recent weeks Thai Airways and other carriers have moved some flights to the new facility, but full operations officially shifted with the first of over 800 flights scheduled today.
That's a lot of planes and people
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20 ... 96,00.html
BANGKOK'S Suvarnabhumi international airport, set to be South-East Asia's busiest air hub, officially opened with its first landing early today.
Lufthansa cargo flight LH 8442 from Frankfurt via Mumbai touched down at 6.02am (AEST) at the airport, the air control tower said.
The Suvarnabhumi or "Golden Land" airport, 25km east of the Thai capital, has a capacity of 45 million passengers a year, beating regional rivals in Singapore and Malaysia.
It replaces Bangkok's creaking Don Muang, which has hosted an airfield of some kind since 1914 and was straining under an annual load of 39 million passengers, two million more than it was designed for.
In recent weeks Thai Airways and other carriers have moved some flights to the new facility, but full operations officially shifted with the first of over 800 flights scheduled today.
That's a lot of planes and people
Fewer Suvarnabhumi glitches on 2nd day of operations
Problems occurring on the second day of regular operations of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport lessened following Thursday's disturbance caused by long delays in collecting
passenger baggage during the official inauguration of the new facility.
Chotisak Asapaviriya, President of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), said services to passengers Thursday night and early Friday morning had significantly improved even though there were larger numbers of
passengers on both inbound and outbound flights at the airport.
He said AoT and Thai Airways International staff remained on duty overnight to ensure smooth service operations for passengers.
The check-in and conveyor service systems had returned to function properly.
However, AoT executives expected to continue to closely monitor operations for at least two weeks to make sure that all systems function efficiently.
Regarding the long delays in supplying passenger baggage, Mr. Chotisak said he had discussed and worked together with THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni all along.
So far, THAI had solved any malfunctions. Both organisations would cooperate in taking care of passengers, he said.
Mr. Apinan said THAI apologised to all passengers for any inconvenience that had occurred. It would take responsibility for mistakes which led to a delay in supplying passenger baggage on Thursday.
Staff concerned in the conveyor service system had been replaced, he said, adding that he believed problems would ease upon closer coordination.
Overall services provided to passengers last night went smoothly with check-in and conveyor service systems functioning properly despite a crowd of passengers.
TNA 2006-09-29
Problems occurring on the second day of regular operations of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport lessened following Thursday's disturbance caused by long delays in collecting
passenger baggage during the official inauguration of the new facility.
Chotisak Asapaviriya, President of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), said services to passengers Thursday night and early Friday morning had significantly improved even though there were larger numbers of
passengers on both inbound and outbound flights at the airport.
He said AoT and Thai Airways International staff remained on duty overnight to ensure smooth service operations for passengers.
The check-in and conveyor service systems had returned to function properly.
However, AoT executives expected to continue to closely monitor operations for at least two weeks to make sure that all systems function efficiently.
Regarding the long delays in supplying passenger baggage, Mr. Chotisak said he had discussed and worked together with THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni all along.
So far, THAI had solved any malfunctions. Both organisations would cooperate in taking care of passengers, he said.
Mr. Apinan said THAI apologised to all passengers for any inconvenience that had occurred. It would take responsibility for mistakes which led to a delay in supplying passenger baggage on Thursday.
Staff concerned in the conveyor service system had been replaced, he said, adding that he believed problems would ease upon closer coordination.
Overall services provided to passengers last night went smoothly with check-in and conveyor service systems functioning properly despite a crowd of passengers.
TNA 2006-09-29
With A Name Like Bas, It Has To Be Good.
Winkie wrote:
Went down one level following some A4 Photocopied signs saying Public Taxi, went outside. No real queuing process - so decided to walk to the front where a guy put me straight in the taxi and off I went. Using Meter.
Winkie, thanks for the report, I’m flying in on Monday; did you have any traffic problems getting into the city? (If thats where you were going.)
Went down one level following some A4 Photocopied signs saying Public Taxi, went outside. No real queuing process - so decided to walk to the front where a guy put me straight in the taxi and off I went. Using Meter.
Winkie, thanks for the report, I’m flying in on Monday; did you have any traffic problems getting into the city? (If thats where you were going.)
Re: savurnabhumi airport
Sargeant - baggage handling at T4 Heathrow still is a "bluddy" disgrace! I keep my fingers crossed everytime I arrive that my baggage will as well - and not many hours later with the couriers doing the rounds delivering all the bags that get "misplaced" daily.sargeant wrote:as an ex British airways baggage handler.....at Heathrow. I was also there when terminal 4 opened trust me it was bluddy chaos......
Talk is cheap