6 Things You Need to Know About the New Bangkok Airport
The old Don Muang airport (BKK) was recently retired and there is an entirely new, modern airport that has taken its place.
This took place ahead of schedule and caused some confusion, but things are now operating smoothly.
Here are the things you need to know before taking a flight to Bangkok:
1) The new airport is called Suvarnabhumi. This is pronounced really differently – say “sue-wah-na-poom” to the taxi driver (and leave off the last ‘i’ which is silent).
2) The switchover date was 28 Sept 2006: all flights moved to the new airport no later than 28 Sept 2006. However some international and domestic flights moved ahead of time.
3) After the 28th, NO airlines used the old Don Muang airport. It may turn into a large market.
4) Getting a taxi is a pain! The new airport requires a shuttle to go almost 6 kilometers (4 miles) to the taxi stands. This is a major hassle – you’re better off hanging out in the departures and flagging down a taxi driver who just dropped someone off. This way you avoid the airport fees as well as saving the shuttle time.
5) There were some disruptions on the 28th, but the airport is now operating smoothly.
6) Lounges were initially in disarray, but are now organized. Some Bangkok airport lounges were closed, some were operating under different rules.
Good luck! Enjoy the new Bangkok airport and enjoy visiting Thailand!