Photos from Wikipedia.org

Both airports have had their share of criticism over the years; usually justified. Suvarnarbhumi, in particular, seems sometimes to have gone out of its way, to be inconvenient and uncomfortable. It’s easy to criticize of course, and even when problems are identified it takes time, and above all money, to put things right. The effort is still a work in progress, but at least it is progress. I don’t know who is responsible for the all this but in fairness one would have to say that the much-maligned Airports Authority of Thailand [AOT] can at least step forward now, and take a small bow. Let’s run the rule over both operations and see what’s changed.

When Suvarnabhumi first opened four years ago, it was a disaster. Basically, it began operations when the infrastructure was unfinished and the systems untested – a case of politicians not professionals, calling the shots.

The Arrivals hall was like one gigantic rugby scrum. Passengers, friends meeting them, legitimate hotel and tour representatives all rubbed shoulders energetically with a totally unregulated bunch of con artists and spivs. In spite of costing a pretty penny, the baggage handling system just didn’t work. So there you were – bags lost, pushed and shoved, baffled and bewildered and getting ripped off by an unlicenced limo driver. Have a nice day!
The taxi rank signage was conspicuous by its total absence and the fast transit rail link to town was [and still is, of course] a twinkle in the Minister of Transport’s eye. There was even dark mutterings about subsidence on runways and lots of unanswered calls from IATA.

In Departures, the seats were insufficient and indescribably uncomfortable. Walkways were constricted by the intrusive fronts of retrofitted shops which offered stuff you didn’t want, at prices you couldn’t afford. Direction signs were often handwritten on cardboard, and the walk to the gate lasted longer than some flights. A restorative beer cost a king’s ransom.

Overall, the experience was abysmal. OK, you can call this ‘teething problems’. Remember when the new Hong Kong airport opened and the computers crashed on day one? Heathrow, of course, has been an unmitigated disaster for as long as records have been kept.

Now cut to Suvarnabhumi in 2010. Signage has been transformed – it’s coherent, professional and even accurate. If you want the taxi rank you can find it, and once there, the allocation and administration is orderly and user-friendly. All taxis are registered and metered. There are still a few scams but I’ve experienced worse in Charles de Gaulle; however, that’s another story!
The length of the walks to the gates obviously cannot be shortened, but more thought has gone into the logistics of connecting flights, and transit services are now of a good standard. The walk seems shorter if you’re sure you’re going in the right direction. The security system has definitely changed for the better.

Now let’s look at Suvarnabhumi’s smaller sibling, our very own Phuket Airport. If you’re leaving, both the domestic and the international terminals now have vastly improved eating and drinking facilities. The domestic terminal has had a much needed makeover and has been re-designed to handle the ever-increasing numbers. The only downside that’s immediately obvious, is that if you’re booked with a low-cost carrier you’ve to walk to what is essentially another terminal to check-in, and then back again to immigration. But, hey, you’re doing things on the cheap. What do you expect?

Immigration control, long the subject of intense criticism, is also better, with more booths both outbound and inbound, more officers on duty and a computer system which is slightly less glacial, than of yore. Lines seem to be shorter, and to move faster.

At the international terminal there’s now a decent range of shops and restaurants. They still charge highway robbery prices, but is there any traveller left on the planet, who doesn’t know that airports are not the place to do your Christmas shopping? At least the coffee and ambiance are much improved.

And it’s all set to get better. The AOT has a 5 billion baht master plan to upgrade Phuket Airport to maintain standards consistent with the increasing number of passengers; almost four million in 2009. This is a remarkable throughput for such a small airport.
It isn’t all perfect. The taxi touts are still active, but even they seem to have been reined in a little. The parking fee went from 50 baht to 200 baht per day overnight; but it seems to have worked, as getting a space when you arrive, is easier. Poor people shouldn’t fly. More car parks are planned.

Airports are notoriously difficult and complex facilities to run, with huge numbers of people with conflicting needs congregating in a confined space, further constrained by security and safety considerations. The art of keeping them occupied while waiting for their journeys revolves around variety and service. We’re getting there.

While Phuket International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport still have a way to go to match some other airports in the region and around the world, it’s heartening to see positive progress on upgrading them both to a standard that will make Thailand proud to welcome more than 13 million visitors a year.

By Alastair Carthew, a Phuket based writer and communications advisor.
Tel: +66 (0)76 317929 Email: alastaircarthew@gmail.com