the new bangkok airport is a giant cockup so you have to get their
early ,and bags get lost a lot, so get plenty insurance .
My Experience as Today!
Departure hall:
* Two restaurants upstais managed by same owner just 200m apart have
same manu, and they are extremly expensive
* Checkin counters looks cheap I think. Nok Air has nicely decorated
them. Nobody else did.
* Virtually no place to sit. You will find people sitting on the floor.
You better not to go there too early, because you will find yourself
waiting at the super-expensive restaurant
* A/C units are blowing super-cold air, you get easily sick I think
* Two bookstores, and one Boots store managed by KingPower
* Two Bentley Cars offered by KingPower when you stop at their shops
with VISA
* Only one decent store to buy a water is FamilyStore, they have normal
prices.
At the departure hall I complained to the stuff and they told me it's
all because former Prime Minister who wanted to open this early. So I
guess it's Thaskin's fault, there is no place to sit and A/C is too
cold.
Immigration:
What a possitive change. No lines, no delays. Nice, but maybe there
were not enough people...
Duty Free zone:
* 90% of Duty Free shops are operated by KingPower, and their prices
are higher then in BKK. Well I get parfumes at Hong Kong, no change
here.
* Bars are nice, cool design. Just nobody enjoys 360 Baht Cesar Salat,
why ?
* Food Stands (Burger King, Pizza Company, Coffee Shop and Dairy Queen)
are placed together, because they are operated by one company. Not too
many people can sit there. Cockroaches everywhere! Disgusting.
* No more small food businesses. All are large shops, selling
overpriced items.
After XRays
Folks, be careful here. After you pass the XRay and metal detectors you
enter Gate area
: There are no more shops. You will not be able to buy a water,
nothing! You get into the glass cube and that's it. People waiting here
hours and hours for a plane will find it very frustrating.
Seats are made from thin metal - VERY CHEAP. My GirlFriend refused to
sit on them, because they were so cold and she did not want to get
sick. No way, you could rest on those chairs. A/C units are blowing
everywhere.
Arrival Hall
There are now total of THREE Arrivals Gates, (A,B,C). A - Domestic,
B,C=International. So you better check with friends where you will meet
them. Then there are those people trying to offer you a "TAXI", which
is not operated by AOT Limousine. AOT Limos are at the same level and
there are many people trying to sneek in and put you to this limo for
900 Baht!!!! What a rip off! Meter Taxis are no longer at the level
where you arrive. You must find an escalator and get lower. Poor taxi
drivers. They got moved to the area, where nobody goes. I think
somebody from AOT got a nice business here! Taxis are
Design
I am sorry guys, but I am not a fan of super-modern construction hall
design. Raw concrete & pipes. They want to compare this airport to Hong
Kong, but it is not even close. Outside it's nice, inside feels small,
especially in Duty Free zone.
KingPower & AOT have a clear power over this place. Both companies are
controling major merchandise like Liquor, Cigarets, Parfumes and Taxis.
Someone should stop kick them out. I wonder if anybody will ever make
this place for people, not for businesses wanting make more money!
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