Top 10 international airports

[kwchang]

Guess where do KLIA stand in the results of the top 10 international airports in the world (http://relax.com.sg/relax/media/731604/Top_10_international_airports_in_2011.html) for 2011?

Hint: we beat Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok), Schipol and Heathrow :D

[Naka]

From the list of top 10, I also think HK is the best. The staffs are so efficient, the setup and the other services excellent.

[ceo684]

From the list of top 10, I also think HK is the best. The staffs are so efficient, the setup and the other services excellent.

HKIA T2 feels like a terminal one by itself, not a 1970s factory a la LCCT.

[Naka]

HKIA T2 feels like a terminal one by itself, not a 1970s factory a la LCCT.

True, but KLIA is excellent :D

[birdy]

KLIA got no. 4? :eek: This must not be true... the survey is incomplete. I always feel bored when I am at KLIA waiting for boarding. :o

[kwchang]

KLIA got no. 4? :eek: This must not be true... the survey is incomplete. I always feel bored when I am at KLIA waiting for boarding. :o
Hahaha, Suvarnabhumi of Bangkok is so exciting and interesting with all the excellent and expensive shops.... but while KLIA is boring, it is very easy to get to your departure lounges because KLIA is so small by comparison. Travellers going thru KLIA get much less hassle unlike what they face in the other huge airports.

I guess a traveller only wants to make the connection to their destination. The frills make life difficult. Do you know how far you need to walk in Suvarnabhumi and Schipol? They are both huge airports and to make matters worse, Schipol has a terrible security check when you move thru the European "border" - the last time I had an 1.5 hour transit and nearly missed my connection because the security check took so long.

[CS Chua]

One has to bear in mind that Schipol and Bangkok handle more passengers than KLIA, thus congestion happens at security checks. Bangkok's immigration's queue is terrible. But KLIA is no better. Despite having substantially lesser passengers per year, if you go through KLIA during peak hours, you face long waiting time for taxis, long queue lines for immigration (foreigners) and luggage too. Even though I take premier taxi all the time, I have to wait occasionally for it. But for the budget taxi, the queue is very bad during peak hours.

Btw, since Tony took over, one thing has changed. Last time, when my luggage handle was broken, they changed it. This time, they refused citing regulations that handles are not part of item reimbursable. I must have changed my handles at least 5 times so it is quite a surprise that they are rejecting such claims now (good thing I have travel insurance for plan B.) I can only surmise that Tony is tightening things up.

[Rhiga]

Schiphol, Frankfort and Heathrow are the 3 main hubs in Europe for international arrival/departure and for transit to other smaller European airports..

Among the three, Schiphol is the worst especially if you don’t have a EU passport. The counter/queue for non-European passport make you wonder why the heck you pay such an expensive airport tax. Airport tax is about 40-50% of the ticket price..!! :eek: And when you travel with kid, the kid have to pay full airport tax (same amount with adult), only the flight ticket is cheaper.

The security measures drive you crazy. Always make sure you don’t queue behind African/South Asian/middle-east group, they will always take longer time to be cleared by immigresen.

I like KLIA – for one simple reason, much lesser crowd and much relax when clearing immigresen and custom.

Of course, the airport limo is a pain... I call my taxi friend or other limo taxi.

[ng]

Bangkok's immigration's queue is terrible. But KLIA is no better. Despite having substantially lesser passengers per year, if you go through KLIA during peak hours, you face long waiting time for taxis, long queue lines for immigration (foreigners) and luggage too..

I prefer Bangkok airport anytime than KLIA.

The only complaint I have is that the queue is long, but when you compare the number of overseas passengers coming to bangkok, it is not a surprise as they are one of the top tourist countries in Asia beside China. Everytime, I meet some Ang Moh in bangkok, they prefer to 'miss' Malaysia and go to Singapore or China instead.

KLIA is a BN crony managed airport, their monopolised taxis and KLIA express/transit are very expensive when compared with Bangkok and Singapore.

In Bangkok, I just pay RM 5 to reach bangkok city center from the airport whereas we have to pay RM 35 to reach KL central. This is considering their cost of living is almost the same as KL (with similar salaries) :rolleyes: Taxi is only around RM 40 in bangkok whereas it is twice as much in KL.

In Singapore, I can't remember but I think it is only SGD 2-3 when taking the MRT.

[CS Chua]

In Bangkok, I just pay RM 5 to reach bangkok city center from the airport whereas we have to pay RM 35 to reach KL central. This is considering their cost of living is almost the same as KL (with similar salaries) :rolleyes: Taxi is only around RM 40 in bangkok whereas it is twice as much in KL.

In Singapore, I can't remember but I think it is only SGD 2-3 when taking the MRT.
For RM5 that means you took the MRT, so it is up and running already? I usually take the Bangkok taxis for about RM25 to the town but it costs me RM101.00 from KLIA to my home. :mad: When we have loads of luggage which will not fit into the Nissan or Perdana, we will take the Mercedes which cost RM165.00. Like you say, monopolised taxi services. But then, even though LCCT is not monopolised, the rates are the same.

[ng]

For RM5 that means you took the MRT, so it is up and running already? I usually take the Bangkok taxis for about RM25 to the town but it costs me RM101.00 from KLIA to my home. :mad: When we have loads of luggage which will not fit into the Nissan or Perdana, we will take the Mercedes which cost RM165.00. Like you say, monopolised taxi services. But then, even though LCCT is not monopolised, the rates are the same.


I don't know how you got your taxi fare so cheap because it's the standard rate of around rm 40-50 if we want to go to bangkok downtown.

The airport link has been operational since LAST year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport_Rail_Link

I don't see why Malaysia cannot charge RM 5 to Kl central when it can be done in Bangkok. The time taken for both trips are around the same ie. 30 minutes and the train speed is comparable !

As for Bangkok LRT/MRT, I went there last month and they already have additional stations (extension) and planning to add more in the future. While KL is still 'talking' after so many years since the last construction ended in 1998 !

[CS Chua]

I don't know how you got your taxi fare so cheap because it's the standard rate of around rm 40-50 if we want to go to bangkok downtown.
Use meter - always insists on it and use shortest way. :D Like all taxis they will try to make more money. Once a taxi left his meter running and when I got in, it was already close to 70 baht (RM7) So, when I used my broken Thai to remind him what the start up fare should be, he reluctantly deducted the excess amount.

To be fair, I do not have problems with taxis there. They are much better than KL taxis. KL taxis are the pits of this world. I have taken taxis in places like the Middle East, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia etc and KL taxis are the worst. :mad: :mad:

[ng]

To be fair, I do not have problems with taxis there. They are much better than KL taxis. KL taxis are the pits of this world.

Malaysia loses a lot of 'return tourists' because of the exorbitant train and taxi fares from the airport.

It would be better if the government practise a free for all market which will bring down prices and increase tourism just like bangkok.