Don Mueang Airport vs KLIA2 Review
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.
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The new terminal two of Don Muang International. |
Since September 2006, all major airlines moved to the new international airport, and Don Mueang closed shortly for some renovations, only to reopen in March 2007. Since then, the former airport was known as the low-cost carrier airport in Bangkok.
- 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.
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Nok Air is one of the airlines that flies from Don Mueang. |
What Airlines Fly To Don Mueang Airport?
- AirAsia
– Malaysia
– Thailand
– Philippines
– Indonesia - Malindo Air
- Nok Air
- NokScoot
- Scoot
- JC International
- Thai AirAsia X
- Thai Lion Air
- Tigerair Taiwan
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Don Mueang International Airport, outside. |
Comparison of Don Mueang Airport and KLIA2
With that, I assumed that our budget terminal would also be on par or better than other countries. Malaysia Airports has been trying hard to make airports world-class over the last decade.
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The distance of both airports, using Google Maps. |
Distance to the Airport
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The main drop-off area of KLIA2. Photo by www.klia2.info. |
Arriving at the Airport
I always notice the urgency of people that get dropped off at KLIA2. Sometimes, the entire family and neighbours want to tag along, and they spend a good ten minutes saying their goodbyes at the drop-off areas.
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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 great thing about this drop-off area is that people get dropped off, and the cars dropping them will move on. If they want to say long goodbyes, they will usually park at the airport parking.
Authorities are extremely strict 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.
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One of the check-in counters at KLIA2. |
Check-In Counters at the Airport
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.
Honestly, this concept only works for a budget terminal, but I do not blame the airport designers for trying to be different, and in the end, it shows how passengers are always rushing to check in for their flights.
There is no direct drop-off to the airport’s departure hall; hence, please note this flaw.
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The distance from where you get dropped off and the check-in counters. |
Don Mueang Airport – The minute you walk into the airport door, the check-in counters are located just meters from the main doors. All you need to do is find out which row your counter is and head straight there.
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Even how busy or stressed, the Thai AirAsia staff know how to maintain a pleasant smile. |
The only setback I found is that some of the check-in counters can get crowded due to the airlines’ popularity. But the airlines have overcome this with fast and efficient staff that keep the momentum moving to avoid jamming up the areas.
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Gateway KLIA2, the main shopping mall before the airport terminal |
Shops Layout at the Airport
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When your gate is right at the end, you tend to hurry and will continue at the retail shops along the way. |
How many times have you stopped to look at some of the shops, and if your gate is at the other end, you just 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 then explore the mall, provided you are not rushing.
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How some of the restaurants and fast food shops are laid out conveniently |
Don Mueang Airport – Somehow, I find the departure area very straightforward; when you first arrive, you will be greeted by the check-in area. Only after checking in will you start seeing the retail lots, which is how an airport layout should be.
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The perfect layout for passengers as they head to the boarding gates |
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The automated passport gate for Malaysians at KLIA2 |
Passport Control at the Airport
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The kind of sign you do not want to see when you are coming home to Malaysia |
For local Malaysian, there are passport gates, which are meant to make passengers go through much faster and smoother. But often, their passport gates may need to be fixed, which can create really long lines.
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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.
Another plus point is that they have a dedicated lane just for PRC travellers, where the staff of the officer manning those counters are Mandarin-speaking.
This all makes perfect sense as it divides the majority of China travellers and the general other country travellers. I call this thinking ahead and not making matters worse.
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A security check towards Gate Q at KLIA2; is after the first check. |
Often, they are seen chatting away, laughing and treating it like a casual fast-food job. There have been times I notice how they harshly treat passengers, especially when they do not know about the security check procedures.
There are also times I see some of them on their smartphones. Wow, how did this behaviour become part of their jobs? They often have a very ‘sempoi‘ or laid-back attitude, compared to ten years ago when a bit of professionalism was involved.
Yes, they do talk, but they keep it to a minimum and constantly pay attention to the passengers undergoing security checks. At most airports worldwide, certain positions require strict professionalism rather than a casual, fun job.
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Often at times, passengers are seen rushing through the duty-free to get to their gates on time. |
Duty-Free Area at the Airport
Have you wondered why? Simple, the duty-free selection that we carry is limited. This means the choices are different from other international airports.
For example, chocolates are one of the things that I personally avoid. Why? Because most of the 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. But due to the poor selection, passengers buy duty-free from the departing country rather than from KLIA2.
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Well laid out duty-free section in the international departure area. |
Don Mueang Airport – Their duty-free section is conveniently located just after your screening check, and the area is huge, well-lit, and inviting. Probably due to the 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.
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The lively duty-free section of Don Mueang Airport |
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At KLIA2, if your gate is J22, then good luck walking there. |
Boarding Gates at the Airport
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.
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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 really need to find which wing your gate is located in and then find your way there.
The airport authorities may claim that they have a buggy service for the elderly and disabled, but if you have been travelling as long as me, 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, meaning that you are in the main boarding walk area after you exit the passport control. All you need to do is find your gate, which is either left or right.
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An aerial view of the main departure gate system at Don Mueang Airport |
Most times, when I exit the passport control and security checks, I am in the main departure area, and I just 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 its own convenient shops or cafes selling coffee, soft drinks, snacks and quick bites. This is what passengers want; the best part is at affordable prices.
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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 if it is a modern-style airport, and for KLIA2, when it first opened, it was very clean.
However, over the years that I have been using the airport, I noticed that many areas need to be addressed, which simply 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 to be 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.
An example, to maintain the cleanliness of an airport daily, specificuire a workforce of 50 staff to do so. Still, with certain budget cuts or just trying to save some money, there are probably only 20 workers doing the work of 50 people.
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This was after I reached the baggage area of Don Mueang. It looks spotless |
Don Mueang – Because Don Mueang is an old airport, the original terminal building looks old, but somehow they manage 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.
Every 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 main path that passengers use, but I was surprised that I could not find any.
Conclusion – Vote for Don Mueang Airport again, and this is probably due to the airport management’s strict procedures for keeping an airport clean. Staff are all local and not seen chatting or lazing, and some might conclude that there is an oversupply of local workers.
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The outdoor smoking areas on both wings of KLIA2, with 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. But for KLIA2, I am quite 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 huge 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 if you want to locate it, as it is hidden away from general view and with little or no signs.
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The international departures smoking room at KLIA2 is in horrible condition. |
They also need adequate signs to show where the smoking rooms are located, and you will have to ask someone.
For some reason, airports in Malaysia are the worst in terms of smoking rooms. Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand all have proper smoking rooms that are clean and with good ventilation systems.
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The smoking rooms are convenient at each main gate area in Don Mueang. |
Don Mueang – The smoking rooms outside Don Mueang are clearly 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 are smoking rooms at each gate, making it convenient for smokers to just pop in and have a cigarette before the flight. Yes, every main gate area has one smoking room. And 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 gets the vote because they care for all passengers, smokers or non-smokers.
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Outside the Don Mueang International Airport. |
Overall Conclusion
After writing all the above, Don Mueang International Airport is the clear winner in all the categories discussed. And as Malaysian writing this, I feel ashamed about this.
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, when you look 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.
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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 truly not passenger-friendly.
We tend to always have a vision, but only sometimes will we manage to fulfil it, and at many times, things are done half-heartedly or just plain mismanagement of everything.
When an issue arises, we are quick to point fingers at others, which is one of our worst traits in any business. If things cannot change, the local airports should be managed and operated by a private entity. 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 Don Mueang Airport and KLIA2 review, please leave it in the comment form below. Again, this is a very personal review after years of being an air commuter utilising these two airports.
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