Airport Queues

[Leo_Bia]

Passengers are advised to allow at least 3 hours in advance for check-in. 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/12/18/suvarnabhumi-airport-recommends-3-hours-for-new-years-check-in/

[jaynewcastle]

1 hour ago, Leo_Bia said:

Passengers are advised to allow at least 3 hours in advance for check-in. 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/12/18/suvarnabhumi-airport-recommends-3-hours-for-new-years-check-in/

Arriving 3hrs before an international flight is standard around the world to be fair

I do hope they are manning more passport control booths now, to avoid the 1hr long queue's when leaving the country that I experienced on my last trip

[swede37]

2 hours ago, Leo_Bia said:

Passengers are advised to allow at least 3 hours in advance for check-in. 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/12/18/suvarnabhumi-airport-recommends-3-hours-for-new-years-check-in/

This reminds me of the other thread in newbie advice where one bm adviced to leave Pattaya 2.5 hours before departure, very risky advice.

[Leo_Bia]

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/12/25/thai-immigration-police-explain-viral-passenger-queue-images/

BANGKOK – On December 25, Immigration Police spokesman Pol. Maj. Gen. Cherngron Rimpadee verified video clips posted on foreigners’ Twitter accounts showing a huge queue of passengers waiting to have their passports checked.

Officials inspected VDO clips posted at about 1:44 a.m. on Dec. 25 showing people lining up to be checked into the country, a large line overflowing from the arrivals hall at the immigration gate at Suvarnabhumi airport, he said.

Between 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., there are roughly 22 inbound and outbound aircraft, with approximately 5,563 passengers pouring in and out at the same time. It was around 33% higher than usual due to compounded flight delays and a 1,000-person increase in total passenger flow.

The immigration police accelerated to activate officers for passport inspection in full force as soon as the wave of passengers poured in at the same moment, until they were able to inspect passengers in such a group from the point where the image was recorded. Moving all the way to the passport control lane took around 30 minutes, from 1:44 a.m. to 2:14 a.m., until it was totally emptied, he explained, along with displaying a confirmation image of the arrival screening hall.

“Typically, the time period from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. is critical.” Immigration will mobilise personnel to expedite the removal of passengers. “It took no more than 40 minutes, plus or minus a little,” the spokesman stated, holding up a timed image.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Cherngron stated that he would like to inform inbound passengers not to throw away their boarding passes. Immigration must record it in the system, according to the officials, so that it does not waste time.

He also affirmed that the Thai Immigration Bureau placed significant importance on providing convenience while following to security rules, particularly during the holiday season. The good news is that 70,000 people enter the nation each day, which is more than during the pre-pandemic period. According to government policy, this will serve to increase tourism.

 

 

[wickedd]

Line was like that in the pic recently...rough. 

[CampariO]

Arrival 1 at 7 a.m. very busy, arrival 3 much better.

 

[Leo_Bia]

Anybody arrived around 10am recently?

[Whalley]

On 21/01/2024 at 16:10, CampariO said:

Arrival 1 at 7 a.m. very busy, arrival 3 much better.

 

 

Encountered the very same situation at Arrivals 1, Gate D4 when I arrived on December 31.

It was difficult to squeeze past the crowd to make my way to the next immigration hall at Gate D6.

Arrivals 3 (@ gate D6) was very good and I was through Immigration in about 20 minutes.

 

.

[Leo_Bia]

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/immigration-system-malfunction-causes-passenger-backlog-at-suvarnabhumi-airport-450764

A disruption in the immigration biometrics system occurred early Wednesday morning at Suvarnabhumi Airport, leading to a buildup of passengers and prompting swift efforts to address the issue.

Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee, commander of immigration officers at the international airport said the system was currently undergoing repairs, causing delays at the immigration counters. This, in turn, extended the time required for the processing of passport checks from the usual 45 seconds per person to over 1 minute.

The malfunction primarily impacted the Automated channels for passport checks, leading to severe congestion during peak flight hours, particularly for outbound passengers. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in long queues extending to the baggage inspection points.

 

 

[ctp2018]

On 04/03/2019 at 04:21, usexpat46 said:

Keep getting older and when you reach 70 you can use fast track for free.

I am assuming the same process applies on departure from BKK? (Or is there a fast track lane on departure?)

[Luv2Phuket]

1 hour ago, ctp2018 said:

I am assuming the same process applies on departure from BKK? (Or is there a fast track lane on departure?)

There is a Priority Lane for departures, as well.

[Bonkabit]

47 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

There is a Priority Lane for departures, as well.

Location is about 20 m to the right of the principal Departure exit. Official checks your passport to confirm you qualify to use the Priority Lane.

[murrinman]

Busy on the way out at 1200 full after sercuity to passport control 

[swede37]

Be careful taking pictures in the security line ive seen them go crazy on people taking them out of the line checking every photo on the phone shouting delete! delete! Then sending them back to the beginning of the line

[KyleReading]

On 29/01/2024 at 07:57, swede37 said:

Be careful taking pictures in the security line ive seen them go crazy on people taking them out of the line checking every photo on the phone shouting delete! delete! Then sending them back to the beginning of the line

Agree entirely

Quite astonishing people need telling. I'd confiscate the phone in entirety they'd soon learn

[Leo_Bia]

On 22/01/2024 at 09:17, Leo_Bia said:

Anybody arrived around 10am recently?

We were an hour late (KLM, had to "wait for catering to arrive" might as well have left early, considering the crap they served) but 11am was fairly quiet, with no queues to speak of.

[jaynewcastle]

Came through BKK 9:30pm evening before last, shortest immigration queues I've ever seen,( apart from trip during Covid when there weren't any queues at all)

Just 5 people in front of me at queue for passport booth, through in several minutes. Downside was that it meant I had to wait 20mins for luggage, which I've never needed to do before at BKK (on international arriving flight)

Apparently last night, there were dreadful queues at immigration though, due to computer issues  😞

 

I normally arrive early afternoon, when 45mins is about normal

[davidge]

Friend arrived on Emirates today about 12.30 (lunchtime) and said the airport was very quiet. He was through very quickly. Flight only about a third full as well.

[reckless]

7 hours ago, davidge said:

Friend arrived on Emirates today about 12.30 (lunchtime) and said the airport was very quiet. He was through very quickly. Flight only about a third full as well.

I arrived at the beginning of March at 7am. No queue at immigration. Left 5.30pm on Monday. There were only a handful of people in front of me at security and passport control rather than 300. Never seen it so quiet on the way home.