Chaos unfolded at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) this morning as travellers in the Domestic Terminal face severe bottlenecks at both check-in counters and security checkpoints.
Passengers currently on the ground warn that arriving with the standard 1-2 hours notice is no longer sufficient. The combined time to clear check-in and security is now exceeding two hours, putting many at risk of missing their flights.
The congestion comes in two waves: the Check-in Hall Gridlock where queues to drop bags and check in are taking over 60 minutes. The situation is reportedly most critical at the Thai AirAsia counters, though other airlines are also seeing significantly longer lines than usual. And the Security Checkpoint Backlog: Once passengers finally clear check-in, they face a second hurdle. Security queues are currently taking more than 1 hour to clear. This morning, the line for the main security area (Gates 5-14) stretched over 100 metres, crossing the main corridor and backing up all the way to the escalators used by arriving passengers.
Captions and PHOTO CREDIT TO: Discovering Stays
In the check-in photo, you can see the red Thai AirAsia counter in the far background, with a snaking line stretching back about 100 meters and 1h+ waiting. For the security checkpoint, the queue spans the entire corridor and then wraps around to enter the boarding control gat.
Discovering Stays, a travel blogger who was at the airport this morning, wrote to CityNews to ask us to warn our readers:
- Arrive 3+ Hours Early: Do not underestimate the time needed. You need at least 2 full hours just to process through the terminal before reaching your gate.
- PRO TIP – Use the Gate 4 Shortcut: If your boarding pass is for Gates 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, do not strictly follow the signs to the main security line.
- Look at the security checkpoint for Gate 4. If the line is shorter, go through there.
- Why? The departure lounge is connected airside. Once you pass security at Gate 4, you can walk internally to Gates 5-14.