Thai Airways Moving Back To Don Muang

[george]

DON MUANG AIRPORT

THAI going back to the future

SUVARNABHUMI: -- National carrier to move all but three of its domestic routes from Suvarnabhumi to old airport to save on operating costs

Thai Airways International is moving all of its domestic routes, except those involving Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen, to Don Muang airport once the Cabinet approves its reopening.

The move aims to save on operating costs, which are higher at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. The flag carrier recently said the move to Suvarnabhumi had added Bt3.7 billion to its annual operating costs.

THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said yesterday that only flights on three routes would be operated at Suvarnabhumi as they carry a large number of foreign passengers who are taking connecting flights to overseas destinations.

On Thursday, Airports of Thailand's (AOT) board approved in principle the reopening of the old airport following an outcry from low-cost airlines over the higher operating fees.

Budget airlines have complained about the higher costs of using the new international airport, which took over domestic and international flights when it opened on September 28.

Yesterday, AOT informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that its board had approved reopening the capital's old airport for domestic flights, a move that would reduce operating costs for budget airlines.

Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said the reopening of Don Muang would relieve AOT from the future investment of Bt1.4 billion for the construction of a low-cost airline terminal.

However, he is unsure whether the move will be permanent. The issue will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval, possibly next week.

"This should help AOT delay the new investment for four or five years," Sansern said yesterday, adding that the authorities are also addressing the reported cracks on Suvarnabhumi's taxi ways.

AOT said in the statement that if the Cabinet approved the plan, airlines flying non-transit domestic routes would have the option of moving back to Don Muang.

Low-cost carriers including Nok Air and One Two Go have shown interest in moving their operations to Don Muang airport. However, AirAsia wants to move both domestic and international routes back to the old airport.

Apinan said few passengers would be troubled by THAI's intended move. The airline will provide a shuttle-bus service serving the two airports.

He added that THAI would finalise a domestic flight timetable and a comparison of operating costs between the two airports within two weeks.

"Operating costs at the former airport would be cheaper than Suvarnnabhumi Airport. Moreover, Don Muang will be less of a problem for matters such as landing fees, parking fees and ground services, as well as leading to shorter delays. Meanwhile, passengers will also save on travel time and transportation expenditure," said Apinan.

The airline chief also said THAI was proceeding with a plan to set up a new airline, details of which are expected to be completed in six months. The new carrier will operate only domestic routes, using Don Muang airport.

However, investment costs and a formal name have not yet been decided.

"THAI will take a 100-per-cent share in the new airline," Apinan added.

The carrier is will be a full-service airline positioned between low-cost operators and THAI.

THAI will transfer aircraft and facilities to the new airline.

-- The Nation 2007-01-15

[endure]

If they move all the lowcost airlines back to DM Thai will then realistically have a monopoly on farangs flying to Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen as nobody's going to be bothered to hack across town to save 1000(ish)bt.

[Rinrada]

Any mention over there about the terminals they intend to re-open?

Domestic or International.....or BOTH....Bit of Leg Room....

[endure]

Perhaps Thai could call the new domestic airline it's going to set up Nokair?

[britmaveric]

Perhaps Thai could call the new domestic airline it's going to set up Nokair?

They already have BKK Air - oh right thats not exactly low cost!!!

[Rinrada]

RipOff Air...springs to mind....

[cdnvic]

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

[TLloyd]

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

How about "Bangkok Lite"

Better still "BKK Lite"

Edited January 14, 2007 by TLloyd

[hardy1943]

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

What will they dream of next.One has to live here to beleive all of this BS.No one else would beleive it.

[TLloyd]

TIT dude...

[cdnvic]

Had they kept it open for some flights it would have been one thing, but to shut it down and then re-open just makes a laughing stock out of the whole AOT. A brand new airport is already not able to handle its own domestic traffic? What kind of fools are in charge of AOT?

[dseawarrior]

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

What will they dream of next.One has to live here to beleive all of this BS.No one else would beleive it.

Agreed.

[roego]

Why be so negative. The actual domestic move is a good idea,but it should be all, all domestic.

Air Asia should be made to use the two airports,so no confusion arrives. Not that they arrive on time anyway.If Anyone wants to use Internatial at THe Don, then those airlines should pay 100% of the cost of immigration and customs that would have to be set up.

Thai Airways has long been an inefficient high cost operator,and needs a good over haul.

[chiang mai]

Any remaining credibility has just gone down the pan.

[sukanyacondo]

lets just screw the farang some more have you seen the price of Oishi at suwannaphoooooooom ? 70 baht when you can buy it locally for 19 baht!!

[britmaveric]

Well we all knew this would happen and they should of been using both airports in the first place. I am not surprised by this move, but heaps of embarrassment could have been avoided if they left DM open.

However I blame this on Thaskin......new airport wasn't ready, and pushed to have DM closed. (stupidity rules over common sense and practicality)

[Virgil]

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

Re: Airport names:

Well, I've conferred with my wife and ... killing ourselves laughing ... we have agreed that the airports should be renamed to:

"go-diss-way"

"go-datd-way"

Don't ask which one is which ... that would spoil all the fun.

Virgil, Out!

[p1p]

This is Thailand. Reactionary as ever.

Next we will see screaming from budget airlines because their passenger feeds will have dried up - stuck in Cobra Swamp.

[Schiz0phren1c]

Yet another chance for Taxi drivers to rip us(well not us,but tourists/1st time TIT'ers) off rotten,

"Where you go?",

"Eh,Phuket mate,first time in thailand,I dono which airport,Don,eh,Don johnson or something",

"OK no problem 500 baht"

"OK thanks"

*Drives to Suvarnabhumi*,

"Oh!,so sorry,wrong airport,you late for flight,no problem,I take you quick quick,cheap cheap...1000baht"...

[Johpa]

Any remaining credibility has just gone down the pan.

What?!? Someone out there had imagined some remaining credibility accruing on the part of the AOT?!? Does there exist any Thai government arm or agency that one can give a nod of respect to? I would eliminate off the list the military, the police, the Forestry Department, the Tourism Dept, the Customs Dept, and the State Lottery for starters. Can anyone name even one that has retained some credibility over time?

Chaiyo!

[chiang mai]

"The carrier is will be a full-service airline positioned between low-cost operators and THAI".

The "low cost" carriers such as NOK and Air Asia charge, if I recall accurately, 1,400 baht from Chiang Mai to BKK, provided you catch the early flight, otherwise the cost of the ticket fast approaches that of Thai. In that context there's not a lot of room to squeeze another airline into the pricing model, especially not one owned by Thai. It strikes me that this is nothing more than a ploy to allow Thai to push its prices even higher by introducing yet another carrier into the fray. Incidentally, tried to buy a ticket from BKK to Manilla from Thai at CM airport yesterday and they quoted me 28,000 baht. The Thai Airways lady then said " that's very expensive, better if you go next door and buy the ticket there". Next door I was able to buy the same ticket, on Thai, for 12,900 baht. Now that's great for me and thank you to the lady from Thai Airways, but ..........!

[Martin]

This is a great decision.

At the 'surface' level, it is just a decision to do something that makes sense in the development of infrastructural services of the country.

But, at the 'stature of the nation' level, it sends out the message: "We have the maturity and self-confidence and self-assurance to do what makes sense, regardless of the fact that a huge number of lesser minds of other nations will pour scorn and derision on us for changing our minds".

As one who was brought up as a Brit, but became partly Canadianised in later formative years, I look at the Thais and think: "You are as bright as the Brits, and there is roughly as many of you as there are of them. Of course, differences of personality (explainable as being the effects of climate on many successive generations) means that you Thais will have a slightly different set of pesonality facets so your brightness will sparkle in some different ways from the sparkles from the Brits. Lucky are those of us who can receive the best flashes of both sets of facets".

Congratulations to the new government that it lets this move to re-open Don Muang go ahead, having the maturity to say: "It makes sense; and it doesn't matter if we are scoffed at by those who don't matter".

I see it as a reflection of what his Majesty said about the benefits of putting the levers of power in the hands of the oldest generation. There are times and tides in the affairs of Man (such as at the election in 2001 in Thailand) when it is good to give the whizz-kid generation its head. And there are times when it is best to give the leadership to the older and wiser, who have the advantage of having been round the block a few more times.

I look forward to going through Don Muang again, and will be reflecting on its deeper significance.

[stao]

Yet another chance for Taxi drivers to rip us(well not us,but tourists/1st time TIT'ers) off rotten,

"Where you go?",

"Eh,Phuket mate,first time in thailand,I dono which airport,Don,eh,Don johnson or something",

"OK no problem 500 baht"

"OK thanks"

*Drives to Suvarnabhumi*,

"Oh!,so sorry,wrong airport,you late for flight,no problem,I take you quick quick,cheap cheap...1000baht"...

Sort of reminds me of trying to catch a Puke-Et air... Rather like catching a bus in the deep Southern USA except... Nothing for sure and no schedule.

While There's Life... There's Hope...

[sriracha john]

Any remaining credibility has just gone down the pan.

What?!? Someone out there had imagined some remaining credibility accruing on the part of the AOT?!? Does there exist any Thai government arm or agency that one can give a nod of respect to? I would eliminate off the list the military, the police, the Forestry Department, the Tourism Dept, the Customs Dept, and the State Lottery for starters. Can anyone name even one that has retained some credibility over time?

Chaiyo!

Admittedly it's not one of the larger components, but the 3 guys at the Sriracha Pilot Station, who provide pilotage of commercial seagoing vessels greater than 165 feet long, and who come under the Marine Department of the Ministry of Transportation (MOT), have done a great job for a long time.

I believe that among the huge, enormous, mammoth, gigantic, collosal, massive, gargantuan, and vast complex organization that is the Thai Government, they're it.

[Kerryd]

Had they kept it open for some flights it would have been one thing, but to shut it down and then re-open just makes a laughing stock out of the whole AOT. A brand new airport is already not able to handle its own domestic traffic? What kind of fools are in charge of AOT?

From what I got out of the OP, Thai wants to move their domestic service back to DM to save money on operating costs. They say the new airport has added B3.7 billion to their operating costs. How they never managed to figure that out before the place even opened I have no idea.

Is DM still open (perhaps for cargo flights) ? If not, then they would have to hire/train an entire crew to run it, from baggage handlers up to Air Traffic controllers. Someone would have to pay for all those people, plus the normal day-to-day expenses of running an airport. Don't know how much that would cost.

I thought the original plan was to keep DM open for domestic service after the new airport opened any ways ?

[farang62]

It appears that Bangkok Airways will remain at Suvarnabhumi Airport as they have spent a lot of money on their new facility.

I believe whoever is a domestic carrier at Suvarnabhumi Airport will have a definite advantage over those at Don Muang.

I also thing that the partial move will be very confusing, either move them all (domestic flights) or leave them as they are and deal with it as it is.

[raslin]

Had they kept it open for some flights it would have been one thing, but to shut it down and then re-open just makes a laughing stock out of the whole AOT. A brand new airport is already not able to handle its own domestic traffic? What kind of fools are in charge of AOT?

Old Thai Airforce officers?

[farang62]

It seems that London and Paris manage with 2 airports in operation.!

[Scott]

The concern here, I think, is not whether they open DM or not. It is that there are people in charge that are so poor at planning that they couldn't forsee the limitations of the new airport and the possible need to "phase out" DM. Instead they closed one, opened the other and now decide they have to reopen DM. What other problems, mistakes--possibly of greater consequence to everyone than the inconvenience--have they not admitted to.

Airports and airlines with the huge amounts of money and the regulation they receive need to work more smoothly than this.

Personally, I find it a little scary.

[john b good]

Perhaps Thai could call the new domestic airline it's going to set up Nokair?

Nok Air is already a subsidiary of Thai.

Perhaps I am missing something (an attempt at some form of humour perhaps)