As a frequent traveller all these years, I have visited more than 50 different airports ranging from really small to mega world-class airports, and it is time that I focus on airport reviews now. This is not my first airport review, as, towards the end of this article, I will share some of my other airport reviews over the last few years.

Review of the Don Mueang International Airport vs KLIA2

However, in this review, I want to emphasise the current budget or low-cost terminals that have changed travel rapidly in the last decade. It will focus on the Don Mueang International Airport and KLIA2, Malaysia’s budget airline airport.

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2.

First and foremost, flying into Don Mueang airport requires you to be on a budget airline. For me, it was AirAsia that flew from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 or KLIA2 to the Bangkok budget terminal.

As I have been flying into Bangkok for the last 30 years, using various airlines, I would like to share how Don Mueang was entirely run down after Suvarnabhumi Airport took over as Thailand’s international airport.

The new terminal two of Don Muang International.

Since September 2006, all major airlines have moved to the new international airport, and Don Mueang closed shortly after for some renovations, only to reopen in March 2007. Since then, the former airport has been known as the low-cost carrier airport in Bangkok.

If you have been flying as long as I have, you would know how bad the condition of Don Mueang was from 2006 to 2013. But soon, it became one of the most efficient airports in the region.

Thailand values tourism very much, and from 2013 to 2018, much effort has been made to make this one of the easiest airports in Southeast Asia to visit.

Below is a timeline of what Airports of Thailand did and is still doing for the Don Mueang Airport;

• September 2013 to May 2014 – Three billion Baht renovation for Terminal 2.
• December 2015 – Completion of Terminal 2. Passenger capacity increased to 30 million a year.
• December 2018 – 38 million passenger capacity achieved.
• 2018 to 2024 – 38 billion Baht expansion plan, including Terminal 3.

When you look at the statistics and numbers for Don Mueang Airport, it is no surprise that Thailand is going full steam ahead for tourism arrivals, and to do so, you need a fully functional airport that can handle this.

Nok Air is one of the airlines that flies from Don Mueang.

There is no doubt that AirAsia is Don Mueang’s biggest customer, with AirAsia Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia all landing there. However, many other budget carriers land here as well. They include;

• AirAsia
  – Malaysia
  – Thailand
  – Philippines
  – Indonesia
• Malindo Air
• Nok Air
• NokScoot
• Scoot
• JC International
• Thai AirAsia X
• Thai Lion Air
• Tigerair Taiwan

As a hub for budget airlines, I have to say it is pretty impressive to have so many different airlines landing here in Don Mueang, and if you look at KLIA2, on the one hand, you can count the number of airlines that land here.

Don Mueang International Airport, outside.

Comparison of Don Mueang Airport and KLIA2

Malaysia is home to AirAsia, and we have our budget terminal, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, or KLIA2. I assumed our budget terminal would be on par or better than other countries. Malaysia Airports has been striving to make airports world-class over the last decade.

However, Malaysia is left far behind when you compare apples to apples. Even though KLIA2 launched as a modern lifestyle budget terminal, everything flowed differently than how an airport system usually flows. With that, let me share the simple process of what happens when you go to an airport to check in for your flight, comparing both airports.

The distance between the airports can be determined using Google Maps.

Distance to the Airport

KLIA2 – The distance from the city centre to KLIA is a whopping 58.3 kilometres, making this one of the furthest airports in Asia, if not the furthest.

It takes about 60 minutes to drive here, and sometimes up to 90 minutes one way, depending on traffic. The only good thing is that a train gets you from KL Sentral to KLIA2 in 30 minutes. A Grab car will cost you RM65.00 one way, minus toll charges.

Don Mueang Airport—The drive from the airport to Bangkok Central is only 23 kilometres and an average of 30 minutes. Grab Car charges around 300 to 400 Baht, or you can even take the local bus and then change to the BTS for less than that.

Conclusion—KLIA2 is a beautiful airport, but without a proper system, it does not work in favour of passengers. Don Mueang takes the prize here as the closest airport to a city.

The main drop-off area of KLIA2. Photo by www.klia2.info.

Arriving at the Airport

KLIA2 – When you arrive at the departure area, you will find multiple lanes, with cars always hogging the drop-off areas on the outmost lane. Police or authorities are hardly seen monitoring this, or often, at times, they are there but not doing anything.

Plus, the closest lane to the airport entrance is permanently blocked off for VIPs, and often, the second lane can also be closed, leaving only the third and outer lanes open. When this happens, there is congestion in the third lane during peak hours, which can be frustrating.

I always notice the urgency of people who get dropped off at KLIA2. Sometimes, the entire family and neighbours want to tag along, and they spend ten minutes saying their goodbyes at the drop-off areas.

The drop-off area at Don Mueang International Airport.

Don Mueang Airport – The main highway runs past the airport, and turning in is hassle-free. When you arrive at the terminals, there is only one main road for vehicles to drop off passengers, which is constantly monitored by airport authorities.

They are strict and no-nonsense and will chase away cars that wait there. Because of this system, there is hardly any traffic congestion here, providing a smooth traffic flow.

The terminals are also all laid out in an elongated format, so terminals one and two have their drop-off, which is part of a continuous road. Along with both terminals, you will also find bus stops, taxi stops and the general car stop for dropping passengers off.

The great thing about this drop-off area is that people get dropped off, and the cars that drop them off will move on. If they want to say long goodbyes, they will usually park at the airport parking lot.

Conclusion – Don Mueang wins this vote due to the simple and practical airport layout and flow. This makes it easy for travellers to manoeuvre from the drop-off to the check-in counter without much walking. Authorities are stringent at the drop-off areas in Bangkok, whereas in KLIA2, they may or may not be there, and this is a loophole for locals taking advantage of the system.

One of the check-in counters at KLIA2.

Check-In Counters at the Airport

KLIA2—Because of the lifestyle concept of linking a mall and terminal, Malaysia Airports requires passengers to walk through the mall before reaching the departure terminal of KLIA2.

If you have been here before, you will know that you must walk at least half a kilometre inside before arriving at the departure terminal’s check-in counters. Malaysians are always late, tend to rush for their check-in, and, in most cases, cut it close. This has also become a local habit for those travelling.

Honestly, this concept only works for a budget terminal, but I do not blame the airport designers for trying to be different. Ultimately, it shows how passengers always rush to check in for their flights.

This also means that you need extra time to walk from the main door of the drop-off point, and I estimate that it will take around 10 minutes before you reach the departure hall with a casual walk. There is no direct drop-off to the airport’s departure hall; please note this flaw.

The distance from where you get dropped off and the check-in counters.

Don Mueang Airport – The check-in counters are just meters from the main doors when you walk into the airport door. All you need to do is find out which row your counter is and head straight there.

This layout is highly functional and straightforward, with no hassles or distractions. Airports of Thailand, or AoT in short, has made it easy for passengers to check in once they arrive, which is what it should be.

Even when busy or stressed, the Thai AirAsia staff knows how to maintain a pleasant smile.

The only setback I found is that some check-in counters can get crowded due to the airlines’ popularity. However, the airlines have overcome this with fast and efficient staff that keep the momentum moving to avoid jamming up the areas.

Conclusion – Don Mueang Airport gets the vote due to a simple and functional system where you are already at the check-in area without walking too far after you get dropped off.

Gateway KLIA2, the central shopping mall before the airport terminal

Shops Layout at the Airport 

KLIA2 – Because the KL Gateway Mall is your main entry point, you can easily get distracted before check-in on your flight. Having this concept of a mall in an airport is good and evil.

The mall is spacious, but the outlets tend to be occupied by only the big names or chains. One thing for sure is that you will not find any small local brands here due to the excessively high rentals charged. The bad side is that most travellers are always in a rush, so many bypass the mall and head straight to the check-in areas.

When your gate is correct at the end, you tend to hurry and will continue at the retail shops along the way.

How often have you stopped to look at some of the shops, and if your gate is at the other end, you tend to worry about reaching your gate? This results in the retail shops needing to do better. Those retail outlets nearest to the departure terminal are doing well, as after checking in, you can explore the mall, provided you are not rushing.

But here’s the fun part—the main departure hall at KLIA2 also has some food, cafe, and retail outlets, which is somewhat confusing as the airport management just wants to fill the place with retail outlets.

How some of the restaurants and fast food shops are laid out conveniently

Don Mueang Airport – I find the departure area very straightforward; when you first arrive, you will be greeted by the check-in area. You will only start seeing the retail lots after checking in, which is how an airport layout should be.

The whole point of going to an airport is to check in for your flight, and then only you look for retail outlets, food or drinks. Correct me if I am wrong on this part, but it has been like that for all these years, so why change the flow? Don’t you think so?

After the second phase of renovations, Don Mueang Airport was very well laid out for the passengers. After checking in to your flights, you get your boarding pass, and those who do not want to shop or eat can immediately cross over to the passport control area without any hassle.

The perfect layout for passengers as they head to the boarding gates

And if you wanted to eat or walk around, you could do so in this elongated terminal concept. Priority outlets get closer to the check-in area, like the airport hospital, airport inquiry centre, toilets and prayer rooms.

All other general retail outlets follow after the priority ones, and you can find them at two primary levels of the airport with one of the best selections of fast food and other eateries and cafes.

Conclusion—Another vote goes to Don Mueang Airport for the overall shop layout plan. It only takes a rocket scientist to figure this out if you just want to fill an airport with shops anywhere you can find a slot.

The automated passport gate for Malaysians at KLIA2

Passport Control at the Airport 

KLIA2—After you have checked in, you will walk to the domestic passport or identification check and the first layer of body and bag screening. The domestic check is located in the leftmost corner of the airport.

The international passport section is in the centre of the departure terminal and is easy to notice. Here, you will first go through the first layer of the airport police check for your boarding pass and identification. Right after this, you will go straight to the immigration counter for your passport check.

The kind of sign you do not want to see when you are coming home to Malaysia

For local Malaysians, passport gates are meant to make passengers go through much faster and smoother. However, their passport gates may need to be fixed, which can create really long lines.

Plus, it only helps when there are staff there to assist confused passengers. Many times that I have gone through these gates, there were no immigration staff stationed there, which led to many passengers’ frustrations in trying to use the passport gates.

Non-Malaysians still need to line up at the manned counters, which usually works well. But many times, I noticed a lack of immigration officers manning the counters, resulting in long lines. Do I need to elaborate more on this matter?

Asean lane at the immigration counters. Photo by www.chiangraitimes.com

Don Mueang Airport – There are two entry points to the immigration checks for passengers, which the management thought ahead for this. One issue is for foreign travellers, and another entry point is for local Thai and Asean country citizens.

This way, you break up the different travellers, making it easier for the passengers lining up to get their passports checked. At the Asean counters, at least two immigration officers serve at any time. Towards the far right of the immigration, they have the Thai passport autogate. Other country travellers will line up at the ‘Foreign Passport’ counters.

Here is what I found interesting. There are always AoT and immigration staff at the beginning of the lines, where they ask you where you are from to smoothen out the process. And yes, they speak good English too.

This way, you will know which lane you are supposed to be in, and the lines at the passport checks will be clear. Another plus point is that they have a dedicated lane just for PRC travellers, where the staff of the officers manning those counters are Mandarin-speaking.

This all makes perfect sense as it divides the majority of Chinese travellers and the general travellers from other countries. I call this thinking ahead and not making matters worse.

Conclusion – As for smooth immigration or passport flow, Don Mueang Airport again gets the vote for efficiency, courtesy, and, most of all, friendly staff assisting passengers in this part of the airport.

A security check towards Gate Q at KLIA2 is done after the first check.

KLIA2 – Recently, the security scanning points at our local airports have gone from bad to worse, not only at KLIA2 but even at KLIA. I’m saying this because no professionalism is involved among the airport police who man the stations.They are often seen chatting away, laughing, and treating it like a casual fast-food job. However, there have been times when I noticed how harshly they treat passengers, especially when they do not know about the security check procedures.

I also see some of them on their smartphones. Wow, how did this behaviour become part of their jobs? They often have a very ‘sempai‘ or laid-back attitude, compared to ten years ago, when a bit of professionalism was involved.

Don Mueang Airport – The number of times I have been in and out of Bangkok, I never once saw the airport security personnel or police joking or laughing among themselves, as they treat their job with respect and professionalism.Yes, they do talk, but they keep it to a minimum and constantly pay attention to the passengers undergoing security checks. Certain positions at most airports require strict professionalism rather than a casual, fun job.

Conclusion—Another vote for Don Mueang Airport for its staff’s professional attitude. Malaysian security personnel lack integrity and professionalism, which is bad for our country. I hope that something gets done about this fast.

Often, passengers are seen rushing through the duty-free route to get to their gates on time.

Duty-Free Area at the Airport

KLIA2 – I have seen how our duty-free products have been getting worse for many years. Correct me if I am wrong, but most passengers don’t even stop at the duty-free areas anymore, and maybe to get cigarettes or liquor, and that is all.Have you wondered why? Simple: Our duty-free selection is limited, which means our choices are different from those at other international airports. For example, I personally avoid chocolates. Why? Most chocolates have a short expiry life and are usually sold with promotions like buy two, get one free.

The duty-free at KLIA2 is conveniently located as passengers have to walk through to get their luggage, and this is at the international arrival hall. However, due to the poor selection, passengers buy duty-free from the departing country rather than from KLIA2.

The duty-free section in the international departure area is well laid out.

Don Mueang Airport—Their duty-free section is conveniently located just after your screening check, and the area is huge, well-lit, and inviting. This is probably due to market research on what travellers want or what is in trend.

Promoters are seen all over and ready to attend to customers, while products are world-class, with great selections, from perfumes to liquor to local snacks, chocolates and cigarettes. This is exactly what travellers want to see when they travel.

The lively duty-free section of Don Mueang Airport

Even if I am not buying anything from duty-free, I will still detour to see what is new or available as sometimes there may be certain items on sale. Overall, the duty-free area layout is excellent for high traffic, as it is spacious and with many things to see.

Conclusion – Another vote goes to Don Mueang Airport, mainly for the wide selection, brightly lit duty-free] area and lively place with attentive staff.

At KLIA2, if your gate is J22, then good luck walking there.

Boarding Gates at the Airport

KLIA2 – This has been a joke since the airport opened up. Why have gates laid out in a one-kilometre-long row when only AirAsia seems to be utilising most of the gates? Honestly, have you ever been given Gate J22? That is like the end of the airport, and they expect passengers to walk over 700 or 800 meters.

Gate J layout map at KLIA2. Just look at the number of gates in one area.

As for design, yes, it looks nice on paper, but for functionality’s sake, it does not help at all, namely if the passengers are elderly. Moreover, you need to find which wing your gate is located in and then find your way there.

The airport authorities may claim a buggy service for the elderly and disabled, but if you have been travelling as long as I have, you will know that there are no buggies available at times, or you will have to wait over 20 minutes for one.

Don Mueang Airport—Their gating system is well-planned and highly functional for passengers. After you exit passport control, you are in the main boarding walk area. All you need to do is find your gate, which is either left or right.

An aerial view of the primary departure gate system at Don Mueang Airport

Most of the time, when I exit the passport control and security checks, I am in the main departure area and need to walk about a hundred or two hundred meters to my main gate. And once I enter that area, the gates are broken up into six or eight boarding gates.

Besides, each main gate has convenient shops or cafes that sell coffee, soft drinks, snacks, and quick bites. This is what passengers want; the best part is at affordable prices.

Conclusion – In terms of easy access and convenience, Don Mueang gets the vote, and one can stay aware of their system. Just look for your gate number, which is straightforward.

This is just one of the many photos I took at KLIA2.

Cleanliness at the Airport

KLIA2—Airport cleanliness has always been one of my top criteria whenever I visit any airport, especially a modern-style airport. When it first opened, KLIA2 was spotless.

However, over the years I have used the airport, I have noticed that many areas need to be addressed, which shows what the airport management is doing. It is an eyesore, and imagine the first-time visitors to Malaysia seeing the dirt and stains.

Not only KLIA2 but even KLIA, the national airport, are similar. The floors are clean, but the walls, glass and other areas seem overlooked. Is it because the airport management has cut back on the cleaners?

Just look at the photo above, which was taken along the walkway from the international arrival towards the main terminal building. Areas like these are visible to passing passengers, and it is a shame that no one did anything about it.

The best part is that I hardly see cleaners around; if there are, they are usually foreign contract cleaners. The contract budget was cut; hence, the company only provides a limited number of cleaners.

For example, to maintain the cleanliness of an airport daily, a workforce of 50 staff is required. Still, with certain budget cuts or just trying to save some money, there are probably only 20 workers doing the work of 50 people.

This was after I reached Don Mueang’s baggage area. It looks spotless

Don Mueang – Because Don Mueang is an old airport, the original terminal building looks old, but somehow, they managed to keep it clean. But when you compare the new terminal two, it has a modern look and feel of bright white lights and is extremely clean.

Now and then, I see cleaners pushing their cleaning carts, often working solo and doing their work as supposed. I tried to find fault by looking around for dirty areas along the passengers’ main path, but I was surprised that I could not find any.

Conclusion – Vote for Don Mueang Airport again, probably due to the airport management’s strict procedures for keeping an airport clean. Staff are all local and not seen chatting or lazing; some might conclude that there is an oversupply of local workers.

The outdoor smoking areas on both wings of KLIA2 have a great view.

Smoking Room and Areas at the Airport

KLIA2 – This section had to be included because I am a smoker, and there are also many smoking travellers worldwide. However, for KLIA2, I am sad that the airport management does not view this as a passenger service or facility inside the main terminal.

Outside the airport, the smoking area is found on both wings of the main terminal building, which is located outside. The area is vast and open-aired, which is also great for the view, and if it rains, you cannot utilise it.

Yes, there are only two smoking rooms inside the airport: one at the local domestic departure hall and one more at the international departure hall. However, good luck locating them, as they are hidden away from general view and have few or no signs.

The international departures smoking room at KLIA2 is in horrible condition.

They also need adequate signs to show where the smoking rooms are, and you must ask someone. When you find them, look at their condition. They are dirty and unhygienic, and there is not even a monitor for the flight details.

For some reason, airports in Malaysia are the worst in terms of smoking rooms. Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand all have clean smoking rooms and sound ventilation systems. Why are we so different? If you do not want to encourage passengers to smoke, do not sell cigarettes at airports.

The smoking rooms are convenient at each main gate area in Don Mueang.

Don Mueang – The smoking rooms outside Don Mueang are indicated, and with one look, you will see signs pointing to where you can smoke outside the airport. They have allocated several areas for this and have even provided chairs to sit down.

Inside the airport, there are smoking rooms at each gate, making it convenient for smokers to pop in and have a cigarette before the flight. Yes, every main gate area has one smoking room. The best part is that the airport cleaners are constantly in and out, ensuring the place is clean.

Conclusion – KLIA2 does not deserve any credit for this part as, for years, they have neglected the smoking rooms inside the airport and are one of the worst in the region. They have it there to have it but do not upkeep the rooms. So, Don Mueang got the vote because they cared for all passengers, smokers and non-smokers.

Outside the Don Mueang International Airport.

Overall Conclusion 

After writing all the above, I believe Don Mueang International Airport is the clear winner in all the categories discussed. As a Malaysian writing this, I feel ashamed.

First and foremost, we are one of the emerging countries in Southeast Asia for aviation and air travel, with award-winning airports and airlines. Still, looking beyond those, you see how we could improve in many areas.

Yes, there is so much room for improvement, but with our laid-back mentality of ‘if it is not broken, don’t fix it’, we will fall further back, and other up-and-coming countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos will overtake us.

KLIA2 only look good in terms of architecture, but for functionality, it lacks in many ways

Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport has clearly shown how efficient and traveller-friendly they are; where else, our KLIA2 is more than just a fancy lifestyle airport that is genuinely not passenger-friendly. We tend to always have a vision, but only sometimes will we manage to fulfil it, and many times, things are done half-heartedly or just plain mismanaged.

When an issue arises, we quickly point fingers at others, one of our worst traits in any business. If things cannot change, a private entity should manage and operate the local airports. If we never try, we will never know.

I only hope that our KLIA2 airport management bucks up and becomes on par with the other regional airports, or we will never move forward, especially with our backward or laid-back thinking. Over the years, I have also done several airport reviews, including STOL airports to international airports and from Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

If you would like to comment on my review of the Don Mueang International Airport vs KLIA2, please do so in the comment form below. Again, this is a very personal review after years of using these two airports as an air commuter.