Thai Airways (THAI) and Airports of Thailand (AOT) can’t agree on waiting occasions at Suvarnabhumi Airport. THAI recommends that passengers on international flights should arrive four hours forward of departure as a end result of delays at the airport.
AOT says this is “not true” and asks passengers to reach three hours forward of schedule.
In a Facebook submit, THAI asks for passengers’ cooperation in arriving four hours before their flight, citing that Suvarnabhumi Airport’s international checkpoint Zone three is closed as a outcome of installation of Automatic Return Tray Systems (ARTS) going down from March 1-29, 2023.
Yesterday, AOT released a press release calling THAI’s post “inaccurate.” AOT says that two ARTS have been put in at worldwide checkpoint Zone 3 and the checkpoint reopened on March 10, which means that a three-hour wait is enough.
So ought to international passengers arrive three or four hours earlier than departure?
On Sunday, one passenger said…
“Three hours before departure time is really required at BKK Airport now. All procedures (check-in, baggage inspection, immigration) have a long queue.
Ironclad Check-in, baggage inspection, and immigration take a minimum of one and a half hours. Thai individuals cross via immigration with automated machines, which might be faster.
“Will foreigners miss their flights? Everyone looks worried. Should I be happy or dissatisfied with Thailand?
“If it didn’t take so lengthy foreigners would spend more cash within the airport on souvenirs and meals.
“The news attributes the lengthy queues to the advance of the bags inspection space which can reduce waiting times (but cause delays in the course of the set up process).
“If there have been more Chinese vacationers than this, the airport could be overwhelmed.”
Kapook reported that many worldwide passengers missed their flights this weekend, especially nighttime flights, due to the lengthy queues at Suvarnabhumi Airport and a few panicked passengers requested to jump the queue to try and make their flight.
One Thai passenger said…
“On my final two worldwide journeys, I arrived three hours forward of departure. I didn’t have time to eat or chill before flying. If I didn’t have a Thai passport, I would have undoubtedly missed the flight. I really feel sorry for foreigners.
“I’m #TeamThaiAirways. Arriving 4 hours forward of schedule is best.”
Both AOT and Thai Airways released statements within the Thai language only. One Twitter consumer complained…