Rules for accessing lounges at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) are continuing to get more unreasonable and arbitrary (thanks to David for flagging this). It seems to be the airport authority, Airports of Thailand (AOT), that’s behind this…
In this post:
Bangkok Airport trying to stop lounge hopping
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how several airline-run lounges at Bangkok Airport left Priority Pass, all at once. Historically, Bangkok has been one of the world’s best airports when it comes to Priority Pass lounges, but that suddenly changed.
In this situation, though, it didn’t seem to be the airlines that were behind these policies, but rather the airport authority. Specifically, the airport authority reportedly banned airline lounges from belonging to Priority Pass, instead forcing Priority Pass to only partner with the Coral and Miracle lounges (which have several locations at the airport).
As it turns out, that’s not the extent of the new restrictions, though. We’re now also seeing the airport reportedly restrict the ability for travelers to lounge hop. Based on the published lounge access rules of oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance, you typically have quite a bit of flexibility as to which lounge you’d like to visit at an airport (within that alliance), either based on the class of service you’re traveling in, or your elite status.
For example, if you’re a oneworld business class passenger departing Bangkok, you could typically visit the Cathay Pacific Lounge, Japan Airlines Lounge, or Qatar Airways Lounge. However, there are increasingly reports of lounges now restricting these kinds of arrangements, not due to their own policy changes, but due to being forced to by the airport authority. There are stories of travelers being denied entry to the Cathay Pacific lounge, with agents there explaining this is due to a new airport policy.
There are also reports of this now being implemented at more lounges, including Star Alliance lounge locations. For now we’ll have to mark this as “developing,” and if anyone has any data points, I’d appreciate them. The airport authority hasn’t been terribly transparent here, so it’s hard to know exactly what’s going on.
Airports of Thailand is taking things a bit too far
It’s hard to know what exactly is going on here, other than that it’s the airport authority pushing these changes, and not the lounge operators. Like, there’s no chance that the Air France-KLM, Oman Air, and Turkish Airlines lounges all wanted to leave Priority Pass, since that was a major revenue source, and key to making the economics of these lounges work.
Obviously there’s a new push to sending people to Coral and Miracle lounge locations. Now, why that’s the case is anyone’s guess:
- Did the lounge operators sign an agreement with the airport authority whereby they pay higher rent in exchange for more (forced) business?
- Does someone senior in the airport authority and/or government have a stake in these lounge operators?
No matter how you slice it, these are some pretty customer unfriendly changes, which are clearly intended to serve some party other than the traveling public. It’s going to be interesting to see how soon there are lounge closures, given that the business models of some lounges just don’t work without this additional revenue.
Bottom line
We’re increasingly seeing arbitrary lounge restrictions added at Bangkok Airport (BKK), in an initiative that Airports of Thailand (AOT) seems to be behind. First we saw all airline lounges removed from Priority Pass, so that all passengers are sent to the Coral and Miracle lounges. Now we’re seeing the airport authority override typical alliance lounge access policies, to prevent passengers from visiting multiple (or different) lounges.
What do you make of these new lounge restrictions at Bangkok Airport?
A dumb policy coming out of Thailand? Who could have guessed it lol
Lounge hopping is getting the big problem here in BKK. Their own lounges have to restrict some of pax who done this and made the issue with the airlines’ passengers and the lounges said they don’t need to follow the central policy because it depends on the situation at that time. Because of many complains, the CX lounge has already lifted the restriction a few days ago. But Silverkris lounge here has already restricted non-SQ...
Lounge hopping is getting the big problem here in BKK. Their own lounges have to restrict some of pax who done this and made the issue with the airlines’ passengers and the lounges said they don’t need to follow the central policy because it depends on the situation at that time. Because of many complains, the CX lounge has already lifted the restriction a few days ago. But Silverkris lounge here has already restricted non-SQ pax even they hold the eligible Krisflyer status (Solitaire is including) with the reason of traffic. Hope it will be better soon.
I guess you're one of the Thais who think that Paetongtarn is the legitimate PM, and take other bootlickling positions as well.
Typically, you must use the lounge your ticket is issued to for first and business, or if that airline doesn’t have a lounge in that airport the handling agent will designate a lounge (eg, in Frankfurt and Munich LH handles for TG and hence they ask you to go to LH lounges). I tried to choose at various airports and always and everywhere in the world got knocked back to ‘my’ lounger. For Priority Pass:...
Typically, you must use the lounge your ticket is issued to for first and business, or if that airline doesn’t have a lounge in that airport the handling agent will designate a lounge (eg, in Frankfurt and Munich LH handles for TG and hence they ask you to go to LH lounges). I tried to choose at various airports and always and everywhere in the world got knocked back to ‘my’ lounger. For Priority Pass: Just ask PP to clarify. In BKK Several deals with Thai Credit Cards for TG lounges, AIS and KIngPower for their own lounges, exists and are recommended.
Crony Communism at its best. Someone important is getting a kickback and using the government to regulate this
I was just in the Silver Kris Lounge yesterday in BKK. I noted that there were many people in the lounge on economy tickets that were in there based on their star alliance “gold” status. Did not observe anyone being turned away based simply because they were entering on their star alliance “gold” status
Can't confirm some of the commentators. Flying with MH and got accesss without any problems to CX lounge. Time now 9:22 am.
I recently took a Malaysia Airlines Business flight from BKK to KUL and was not allowed entry to the Cathay lounge due no "new rules". I responded to the Malaysia customer feedback email and told the airline that the difference between the manky Miracle lounge and the excellent onboard service was chalk and cheese. I don't know how corrupt KLIA is in comparison with Suvarnabhumi, but at least passengers get a good lounge in the opposite direction!
I bet AOT owns or co-owns the Miracle / Coral Lounges. Pretty sure Coral is.
TK lounge has a shower & SQ / TG / EVA has better food.
Quick note... For some time now, Qantas does not have its own lounge at BKK.
Qantas passengers get an invitation to the "standard" airport lounges, but having experienced those once, I am unlikely to ever return.
Instead, my preference is to use the Cathay Pacific lounge, the JAL lounge or the Qatar lounge, subject to their opening times.
I suspect BKK airport has noticed that many passengers prefer the alliance lounges to...
Quick note... For some time now, Qantas does not have its own lounge at BKK.
Qantas passengers get an invitation to the "standard" airport lounges, but having experienced those once, I am unlikely to ever return.
Instead, my preference is to use the Cathay Pacific lounge, the JAL lounge or the Qatar lounge, subject to their opening times.
I suspect BKK airport has noticed that many passengers prefer the alliance lounges to the ones provided by the airport, and that must have hurt the lounge operators. I am guessing there is a minimum assurance those operators have in their contracts or, more likely, airlines have been requesting to use the alliance lounge instead.
We were at BKK yesterday and the first Miracle lounge we approached turned us away (capacity issue). The second lounge was available, however. If AOT is intent upon diverting passengers to indie lounges, they should also be looking at freeing up more space for more or bigger indie lounges, as the policy’s “success” will have consequences!
We were at BKK yesterday and the first Miracle lounge we approached turned us away (capacity issue). The second lounge was available, however. If AOT is intent upon diverting passengers to indie lounges, they should also be looking at freeing up more space for more or bigger indie lounges, as the policy’s “success” will have consequences!
Corrupt country doing corrupt things. I just dont route through BKK anymore.
1. Miracle/Coral lounges suck. I rather not enter any of their lounges even “First” ones as even 7eleven food is better.
2. Really sad QR is moving their lounge to cut off access from OW.
3. Lounge hopping is an earned privilege that should be honoured by OW. They should be the one pushing back as a group.
As long-time Thailand residents/observers will already know, this is going to be about $$$$, and who is getting a slice of it (same old story). I could tell you nearly two decades worth of tales about the airport, ranging from how a certain well connected person got the duty free monopoly, to how a bribe secured the contract to install the air-conditioning systems (which still don't work properly after 19 years!), to how the taxi...
As long-time Thailand residents/observers will already know, this is going to be about $$$$, and who is getting a slice of it (same old story). I could tell you nearly two decades worth of tales about the airport, ranging from how a certain well connected person got the duty free monopoly, to how a bribe secured the contract to install the air-conditioning systems (which still don't work properly after 19 years!), to how the taxi and coach companies came up with a cosy 'arrangement' with the airport, to how the hierarchy of telecom outlets (to sell you sim cards) has been 'fixed', etc etc. Oh, yes...this just off the top of my head, there are dozens more of these tales. The situation with the lounge is just another tale, and like ALL the others, it boils down to $$$$
And you suffer and whine because it went to junk mail.
Corrupt lot and have always been so.
That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I remember staying at the Novotel in BKK Suvarnabhumi and reading an expensive-looking hardcover book about the airport and how wonderful it has been for the residents who live nearby. There are plenty of alleged quotes from travellers worldwide, all using the same poor grammar and syntax, singing the praises of the airport like "the staffs (sic) are always smiling" etc etc. These comments are attributed to visitors...
That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I remember staying at the Novotel in BKK Suvarnabhumi and reading an expensive-looking hardcover book about the airport and how wonderful it has been for the residents who live nearby. There are plenty of alleged quotes from travellers worldwide, all using the same poor grammar and syntax, singing the praises of the airport like "the staffs (sic) are always smiling" etc etc. These comments are attributed to visitors from New Zealand, Australia, and Denmark, who clearly wouldn't use such phraseology like that. It's so obviously written by a local, as smiling is everything in Thailand. Visitors from other countries have higher priorities such as no queues through immigration or lounge access that isn't a dumpster fire, as is currently the case. If you can get a copy of the book, it's an obsolute cracker of a read!
@Lucky
Above "Airports of Thailand is getting bossy with airlines," I think the photo there is CX's lounge at HND, not BKK.
This is confusing. How would the airport authority know which lounge the pax is using? And what does it have to do with them? There has to be more to this story. This seems like something airlines themselves would do as there is a cost to the airline for pax to lounge hop.
If it were the airlines' decision, it should not have only happened to BKK but not other airports.
Cost to airline = Revenue to lounge.
The question is which lounge the revenue is forced to flow into.
How would the airport authority know?
Mystery shopper, reading trip report. etc.
And what does it have to do with them?
Follow the money.
There has to be more to this story.
There is. Keep digging.
If the airport authority has a financial interest in Coral or Miracle lounges, they'll know which lounges passengers are not using (as is alleged to be the root of the issue here).
Lucky: Glad that you are exposing this!
This is just FYI not even close to exposing.
Their airport their rules. Oh well. You can avoid the airport if you value lounge hopping. For me it doesn’t matter much as long as I have a lounge to go to.
Customer is always right. Airlines are customers. And, they pay for the staff, they pay the rent and power, they pay for the food and drink. The airport should have no say whatsoever who the airline allows in, least of all a status member of an alliance.
I was in BKK on the 2nd April. Tried to visit CX lounge based on being a business pax with Sri Lanka Air/OW but was told the lounge was reserved solely for CX pax as it was at 'full occupancy'. This was at 12PM, I asked to take a quick look in and there were zero people in the lounge excluding staff. When asked if OK to sit for just 30 mins before the bank...
I was in BKK on the 2nd April. Tried to visit CX lounge based on being a business pax with Sri Lanka Air/OW but was told the lounge was reserved solely for CX pax as it was at 'full occupancy'. This was at 12PM, I asked to take a quick look in and there were zero people in the lounge excluding staff. When asked if OK to sit for just 30 mins before the bank of CX flights began was told it wasn't possible due to new CX policy for BKK.
The lounge staff told me to leave negative feedback about the policy and gave me an email belonging to Cathay to complain to
What's the email address to complain to?
Transited BKK 3 times in the last month. I wish I known and I'd have tested this out.
I was asking international blogs to put pressure and expose about this for months. And no one did anything.
If BKK travellers are not pushing back, worst is yet to come. (and more coming soon).
It's conflicts of interests sphere is quite big, dig deeper.
And for now, PP users take a longer walk and don't finance the bully.
"I was asking international blogs to put pressure and expose about this for months. And no one did anything."
That's because they saw your name and sent it straight to junk mail..
So what else is coming soon?
Flown CI out of Bangkok on Apr 7 with SkyTeam ELPS. Attempted to first go to the CI lounge for food then to the Flying Blue lounge for a shower. Was informed by the Flying Blue lounge attendants that lounge hopping is not allowed and I’m not allowed to enter despite ELPS status because I already went to the CI lounge — though they made a one time exception for me.
Was surprised because...
Flown CI out of Bangkok on Apr 7 with SkyTeam ELPS. Attempted to first go to the CI lounge for food then to the Flying Blue lounge for a shower. Was informed by the Flying Blue lounge attendants that lounge hopping is not allowed and I’m not allowed to enter despite ELPS status because I already went to the CI lounge — though they made a one time exception for me.
Was surprised because I’ve done this many times in the past. It’s good to know it’s a new rule implemented by the airport authority…and I might avoid having long layovers in BKK in the future…
How did they know that you have been to a previous lounge? Doesn't make sense unless you had a stamped or marked printed ticket, wich you can avoid by using a digital boarding pass.
CI usually issues a printed lounge pass that is taken when you enter the first lounge. And yes, each lounge also stamps your boarding pass. In the past, when you go to the second lounge they’ll just photocopy your boarding pass and let you enter.
This time I was informed that the lounge pass is mandatory for entry and therefore I can only choose one lounge to use (and if I’m using a digital boarding...
CI usually issues a printed lounge pass that is taken when you enter the first lounge. And yes, each lounge also stamps your boarding pass. In the past, when you go to the second lounge they’ll just photocopy your boarding pass and let you enter.
This time I was informed that the lounge pass is mandatory for entry and therefore I can only choose one lounge to use (and if I’m using a digital boarding pass, I need to get a lounge pass issued by the transit desk nearby).
In my experience, lounge passes are usually only required when using contract lounges (and not airline / alliance lounges), so it definitely came as a surprise.
To add another data point, I also flown TG out of BKK on Apr 4 with *G. Was able to first use the TK lounge then TG lounge. So guessing the new rule was implemented incredibly recently or it wasn’t being consistently enforced.
I do wonder if this rule will negatively affect smaller airline lounges in terms of visitor numbers and revenue (there’s a number of smaller lounges at BKK like CI, BR, WY, etc...
To add another data point, I also flown TG out of BKK on Apr 4 with *G. Was able to first use the TK lounge then TG lounge. So guessing the new rule was implemented incredibly recently or it wasn’t being consistently enforced.
I do wonder if this rule will negatively affect smaller airline lounges in terms of visitor numbers and revenue (there’s a number of smaller lounges at BKK like CI, BR, WY, etc that doesn’t have washrooms or showers — casual travellers probably won’t know any better, but frequent travellers might choose to visit a more fully featured lounge if they can only choose one to visit). This combined with the banning of Priority Pass visitors really doesn’t bode well for the economics of some of these lounges eh?
@Ben, before you know it, the airport authority starts posting videos of lounge hoppers online...
In the last couple of weeks I visited the Coral and Miracle lounges several times at BKK as a Priority Pass member. They are fine. They were a bit crowded but they are better than 99% of US lounges, with a nice buffet and drinks available. Yes, the Cathay and JAL lounges are nicer but this is not that big of a deal from the traveler's standpoint.
"Nice buffet" lol.
I am a Oneworld Emerald member. Yesterday 13 April 2025, I flew on Malaysia Airlines economy class from BKK to KUL. I went to the Cathay Pacific lounge and entered without any issue. I also brought an economy class guest who was also allowed to enter the lounge.
Did the check in staff let you know which lounge to go to? There are more OW airlines at BKK than there are lounges so presumably there's one for each OW airline, the interesting thing to see if you'd have been refused at JAL lounge having been in the CX lounge.
I'm guessing someone's payoff wasn't on time.
Either that, or someone has a financial interest in driving as many users as possible to the Coral and Miracle lounges.
@Pete
Sources/Rumors/Intel points to one not both.
They might even close other lounge and offer only Coral/Miracle Lounge to all passengers except Thai Airways. Similar is at KLIA in Kuala Lumpur where they closed all lounges except MH Lounge and Plaza Premium. There was a SQ Lounge at the satalite as well as
Unfortunately, in a country as infamous for corruption as it is famous for beaches and street food, there's unlikely to be any above-board resolution of this issue. I'm guessing any lounge, airline or alliance that wants to avoid most of its customers being sent to Coral or Miracle is going to need to pay the right person a pretty sum.
The priority pass thing I can understand, but why would the airport care about lounge hopping between airline-operated lounges? It doesn't affect airport's income in any way.
@ Samo -- It does, in the sense that some alliance airlines send their customers to the Coral or Miarcle lounges by default, and then customers would access alliance lounges based on alliance policies. But yeah, agree it's ridiculous, of course.
Aha! That didn't occur to me. Thanks.
Not sure this makes sense since if the customers already had access to the Coral / Miracle, they've by default "paid" AoT / the lounges. Them visiting an alliance lounge just means that their airline with which they have their frequent flyer elite status is paying for the membership lounge, it doesn't detract from the revenue already booked for being able to access a lounge.
If I as an AA Exec Plat bought an MH...
Not sure this makes sense since if the customers already had access to the Coral / Miracle, they've by default "paid" AoT / the lounges. Them visiting an alliance lounge just means that their airline with which they have their frequent flyer elite status is paying for the membership lounge, it doesn't detract from the revenue already booked for being able to access a lounge.
If I as an AA Exec Plat bought an MH ticket from KUL which sends me to MH's own Golden Lounge, the ticket price would've included the lounge acess and thus MH has already gotten paid. Me using my AA # to visit the nearby Cathay just charges AA, it doesn't reduce MH lounge's "take".