Bangkok Suvarnabhumi - Phuket

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Gates

Gates are constructed so that the upper floor that is parallel to the check in floor will be filled with duty free shops along the entire terminal building… the gates will be as well divided into letters A, B, C, D…etc…

The access to the gates will be downwards where you go down to your final gate and wait for departure.

I used the domestic terminal which is actually the same as the international only you have to access the ground floor. It is the same floor as arrivals and where passengers will be going through to passport control.

I found the ground floor very dark and SO much concrete is visible… I hope that there will be more artwork and colors visible since at this stage it looked far from elegant





The ground floor tunnel as I call it. Its the way to the domestic departures which is on the bottom side of the terminal tubes…. Its as well the arrivals that is separated by glass walls to the right…



Acouple of test shops in the domestic area taking you to gates A and B with a total of 6 gates at each side… this area will cause trouble as it proved small and confined.. a bottle neck that will make crowds.

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The space at gates A1 till A6 is more confined and claustrophobic than the ones in B1 till B6. The general atmosphere was rather dark and the lights from the ceiling were not sufficient.



Domestic gates B1 till B6 with international departures upstairs



Will be more of an attraction to tourists rather than a food venue…



As mentioned… gates B are more spacious and airy than the A gates for domestic. The airport is trying to add some art work. In my opinion there should be considerably more and more to dampen the cold grey feeling of the airport

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Looking at gates A1 till A6 from the B concourse… Bangkok air A320, Thailand boutique airline and Thai B747 400 push back








Gates waiting to be filled in a couple of months



Operating flights on domestic routes… PG is Bangkok air to the beautiful island of Koh Samui



The B gates of the domestic. The area is being eaten by offices on the top left and some prepared lounges on the ground floor…



Another Bangkok air flight… this one was an ATR72 waiting on the airport field

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I had an escape from the domestic terminal… once you pass passport control you can connect to international through this passage taking you to the upper floors



Half way up you see that the gates are as well divided into letters A B C D E F G almost as the check in…. However of your flight is domestic and you are connecting to e.g. G9 then you have a looooong way to go…



The nicest focal point in the international departures…its in t he main part where domestic connects to intl. As well as entry point of passengers from the check in and passport control from the departure hall







This entry point will serve D till G … there will be as well other entry points that will be closer to the check in, pass control and gates A till C which I presume will be used by Thai and star Alliance…

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Nothing prepared yet for Duty free… all shops are already designated and named… the small signs also mentioned what kind of shop it will be.. I saw designer boutiques, electronics, massage parlours, food….etc…etc… and it seems that there will be a LOT on offer as the concourse is LONG and it will be filled with shops…

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One of the few art works in the terminal departure hall… love to see more as the airport does NOT show any Thai symbols or typical architecture…





Another reminder of how the airport wil look like…. The square terminal building is the departure check in and arrival area and the rest are gates, shopping…



Just testing the screens but it will become a reality soon enough…. NO intl flights today… Only from 28 SEP

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Once you pass the shops you will see individual gates access…. So all D1 till D10 will be accessed through this point and then you go downwards to the floor level to wait for boarding…



Going down to the gates.. as you see the completely ground floor is the arrival tunnel to passport check…



The only test screen for international departures….. Germany won!



Now we are in the middle ground between the shops above and the gates down where you wait for your final boarding…. Air-conditioning boxes/speakers are visible along the glass windows below…



Grey metal seats…. Grey concrete…cream but colorless floor…. White neon lights… white signs and information system… brrrrrrr… coooooold



One of the few aspects that can tell you that you’re in Thailand… the glass gates to the air bridge to the plane…

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OK.. Turning around again as if I just arrived and left the air bridge… This is the first thing that you will see as a passenger…. To the right and left are the departure pass angers waiting to bard… I have just arrived and will go straight on and see the white sign with directions. Now we are in the heart of the tube on the ground floor…





I turned right to get to passport control… if you continue till the end of the tunnel (will take some effort and time) you will get to the connection point between domestic and international.



Passport control will be located in different points to serve pass angers closer to the arrival point.. I believe I saw Three pass control points.. again only concrete and grey colors… nothing but to refresh this part other than the gentle giants that protect Thailand on arrival… its a nice touch….I like it a lot and love to see more of these statues…

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After walking a bit the passport control points are to the left protected by the giants on each side and along… The ceiling and columns are really high…



In protection of Thailand





Passport control… many booths.. lets hope that their system will as well be improved…. Bangkok till today takes a long time to process each passenger. Besides the electronic input of info by scanning the passport they have to manually do many procedures as well...



Arrivals and information for your baggage and where it will be

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HUUUUGE baggage claim with 14+ belts … 1-7 in one part and 8-12 on the other part of the hall separated by this nice wall with lots of art work… brightens the grey interior a lot…





9 till 15……far far away at the back. I hope that the baggage service and claim will not be there…





Some flights already arrived that day from domestic destinations

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I left the baggage area back to the arrival tunnel to connect to domestic floor… you can see that the tunnel is loooooooooooooooooooong with columns and Huge air-condition towers between each column…



Some art work to brighten the day







International meet domestic… with pass control in between on the ground floor

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My flight to Phuket ..gate open in the smaller A2 gate …



People waiting already at my gate... I wonder if that guy in red is connected to wifi as I did not have my vaio with me…. Many people in yellow T shirts… the ones used to commemorate the kings 60th anniversary on the throne… Thai people will wear this yellow t-shirt now every Monday till the end of the year



One Two Go boarding at gate A6…



Our plane landed and preparing for flight southwards to Phuket… I love the A300… my father flew it for more than 25 years

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Passed boarding check and already in the air bridge boarding my flight



Our larger neighbor the B747 just landed



Push back and ready for taxi

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The distance to the runway was very short but I think that waiting times will increase once normal operations start



Full throttle and take off…. Thank god... My feet are killing me!



Some tropical clouds onwards to HKT

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Approaching Phuket with wonderful islands and great shores



Landed in HKT… … The airport is one of the hidden secrets as the run way approach and t/off is by the sea … there is a beach there that resembles the Princess Juliana airport in the Dutch Antilles….. planes land and t/off above your head



The retro interior of the Thai A300s … love the painting on the walls and the seats are REALLY COMFORTABLE. Leg room could put ANY European airliner to shame…