Suvarnabhumi Offers Visitors a Free Headache

Filed in archive En Route on August 28, 2007

Suvarnabhumi airport opened to much hoopla. It has replaced the charmingly old-school Don Mueang International as Bangkok's main airport. It wasn't until after Suvarnabhumi officially opened that the problems began. Cracks on the runways soon became the least of the Airport commission's problems. Aside from passenger problems like lack of easily accessible bathrooms and endless queues at immigration, airlines have balked at increased user fees. In some cases, airlines are now offering fewer flights to Bangkok.

Is there a fix in Suvarnabhumi's future? Don't hold your breath (for you will turn blue and eventually pass out). For the time being, authorities prefer to point the finger at others:

For Suvarnabhumi to become one the world's best airports, AoT, subcontractors and concessionaires must all make a collective effort to solve the airport's problem.