PHOTOS: Construction of Suvarnabhumi’s new passenger terminal gathers speed

[webfact]

PHOTOS: Construction of Suvarnabhumi’s new passenger terminal gathers speed

 

Image: AOT

 

While Suvarnabhumi Airport might be all but deserted of passengers, construction of a new terminal is gathering speed.

 

This week, Airports of Thailand were keen to show off the progress being made in spite of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

A series of photographs shared to the AOT Facebook page appeared to show parts of the new terminal not far from completion, such one area with carpets laid and an escalator already in place, while swanky toilets and a luggage carousel could be seen in some of the other images.

 

AOT said that social distancing and other preventative measures have been strictly in place during construction.

 

The second phase expansion of the airport, which includes the new satellite terminal, is set to open in November 2020.

 

Following the expansion, capacity at the airport will be increased from 45 million to 60 million passengers per year.

 

The construction is part of a huge expansion planned for Suvarnabhumi which will eventually include a third terminal and fourth runway and which will ramp up passenger capacity to 150 million annually after completion in 2030.

 

 

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[tribalfusion001]

Looking good, but maybe a few years too late.

[OnTheGround]

Yes, and now its not needed, for a few years.

Big dreams though ... 150 million annually in year 2030

 

 

[jaiyen]

Who the hell chose the carpet ? It is so ugly.  But it will hide the dirt as it will never get cleaned.

[DPKANKAN]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

Who the hell chose the carpet ? It is so ugly.  But it will hide the dirt as it will never get cleaned.

Won't need to be cleaned!! No use!!! 5555????????????????

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Looking good, but maybe a few years too late.

Or now a tad early... cocoon it for 2025

 

[khunjeff]

This isn't a terminal, it's a satellite concourse (as correctly reported on AOT's page) - it provides more than two dozen additional contact gates for aircraft to board and disembark passengers, but does NOT have extra check-in counters, immigration or customs facilities, or baggage carousels. (The "luggage carousel" in the photo is under the building and is for baggage handlers to sort bags, not for passengers to collect checked items.) It should reduce the reliance on bus gates ("remote stands"), but won't reduce crowding at the arrival or departure areas.

 

Similarly, the reference to a planned "third terminal" is really talking about the second terminal, which has been hung up on arguments concerning where it should be built. That building, if and when it's eventually constructed, would be an actual terminal with all facilities.

[brain150]

According to the big plan of the WHO [Bill Gates] there will not be any more travel in the future ...

Unless you have COVID "Certification Of Vaccination ID" of course.

 

But that's not a problem because everybody will take the Vaccine ... what ever is IN the Vaccine !!!

[mfd101]

Just imagine all of Thailand's beautiful clean, lovely, well-maintained beaches and islands with 2 or 3 times the number of tourists each year. Wow! can't wait.

[Almer]

19 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Looking good, but maybe a few years too late.

Or a few years to early

[tribalfusion001]

3 hours ago, brain150 said:

According to the big plan of the WHO [Bill Gates] there will not be any more travel in the future ...

Unless you have COVID "Certification Of Vaccination ID" of course.

 

But that's not a problem because everybody will take the Vaccine ... what ever is IN the Vaccine !!!

Gates is a nerd and a control freak, he can stick his vaccine up his ****!

[The Word]

3 hours ago, rhyddid said:

lovely, but where will be the passengers ? 

 

They'll be there.

[Redline]

14 hours ago, brain150 said:

According to the big plan of the WHO [Bill Gates] there will not be any more travel in the future ...

Unless you have COVID "Certification Of Vaccination ID" of course.

 

But that's not a problem because everybody will take the Vaccine ... what ever is IN the Vaccine !!!

You don’t have to.  Stay inside 

[gk10002000]

19 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Who the hell chose the carpet ? It is so ugly.  But it will hide the dirt as it will never get cleaned.

it is like casino carpets.  Designed to hide everything.

[gk10002000]

outdoor baggage area?  how can that be good?  Say a transferring flight where one must get baggage and check it in onto the next flight?  how about any theft control?

[daveAustin]

16 hours ago, khunjeff said:

This isn't a terminal, it's a satellite concourse (as correctly reported on AOT's page) - it provides more than two dozen additional contact gates for aircraft to board and disembark passengers

Save some bus transfers then . Can only be a good thing. Don't get the negativity. 

[khunjeff]

8 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Save some bus transfers then . Can only be a good thing. Don't get the negativity. 

I agree, it's a lot better than a kick in the head! The problem is that poor reporting - and not just on TV - has made many people think that this particular project will help with congestion at immigration (it won't), or that it indicates that the disputes about the location of the second terminal have been resolved (they haven't).

[josephbloggs]

8 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Save some bus transfers then . Can only be a good thing. Don't get the negativity. 

The negativity is purely because there is a large proportion of this forum that has to be negative on any news story about anything in Thailand even if it is a good news story.  And I guarantee you these same people will have been complaining that Thailand has no long term thinking and Suvarnabhumi needed expansion (even though these same people never leave their village).

This satellite terminal was badly needed.  The design is nice, it has an underground train to carry people from the main terminal, and it even has carpet - just like Changi.  Job well done and I look forward to using it when it opens.

[josephbloggs]

8 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

outdoor baggage area?  how can that be good?  Say a transferring flight where one must get baggage and check it in onto the next flight?  how about any theft control?

Come on, have you used Suvarnabhumi?  Do you really think they would have outdoor baggage collection in a new satellite terminal?  And then people have to walk back to the main terminal for customs?

That is under the terminal where the baggage handlers unload the bags off the plane and put them into the conveyor system - it is not a collection area.  

[Dazinoz]

I am Aussie who lives in Chiang Mai and transits through Swampy a bit. Always amazes me the number of international flights, arrival and departures where they park on the tarmac and bus it to or from the terminal. Thats ok but so many gates empty. Will the extra addition really help? Why not utilise existing gates and airbridges more? 

[gk10002000]

58 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Come on, have you used Suvarnabhumi?  Do you really think they would have outdoor baggage collection in a new satellite terminal?  And then people have to walk back to the main terminal for customs?

That is under the terminal where the baggage handlers unload the bags off the plane and put them into the conveyor system - it is not a collection area.  

yes I have used that airport well over 30 times.  As far as what I think is irrelevant.  What the Thais do is what is relevant

[ChaiyaTH]

Hope they build as many immigration booths too, as that is actually the only thing we need at the current airport.

Gonna be a very big and empty airport, for many years.

[Woolsgibb60]

Maybe they hoping for the 30 millions chickys tourist like at numpty said everything will be ok by april .maybe he might april year dot

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

I am Aussie who lives in Chiang Mai and transits through Swampy a bit. Always amazes me the number of international flights, arrival and departures where they park on the tarmac and bus it to or from the terminal. Thats ok but so many gates empty. Will the extra addition really help? Why not utilise existing gates and airbridges more? 

Nine times out of 10 they bus you when the same plane either arrives internationally and next will be used domestically, or vice versa.  The airport separates domestic and international travellers and thus the airbridges (domestic in concourses A and B, and international in C to G).  They can't move the plane from a domestic airbridge to an international airbridge inbetween flights so instead they park remotely and use buses for both flights.

So no, nothing will change with the new concourse.  As long as Thai uses the same planes for domestic and international flights then this problem will always exist.  And I agree, it is pretty poor.

[3NUMBAS]

wont be needed for 30 yrs so take your time guys

[Why Me]

On 4/23/2020 at 4:03 PM, webfact said:

ramp up passenger capacity to 150 million annually after completion in 2030

I pulled out my calculator. 150mil/year is 285 passengers/minute. Even if IOs are processing passengers in 30 secs. each this would need 140 immigration counters if they don't want a backup to start building.

 

Well, maybe they expect everything to be automated in 10 years, passengers just filing past a face/finger scanner.

[lee b]

Looks like they are planning on deailing with some XXL suitcases with the size of the luggage collection belt

[josephbloggs]

17 minutes ago, Why Me said:

I pulled out my calculator. 150mil/year is 285 passengers/minute. Even if IOs are processing passengers in 30 secs. each this would need 140 immigration counters if they don't want a backup to start building.

 

Well, maybe they expect everything to be automated in 10 years, passengers just filing past a face/finger scanner.

That figure is passenger movements - incoming and outgoing combined.   There are already over 200 immigration desks in the current terminal (130 ish incoming, 70 ish outgoing).  Considering by 2030 they would have a standalone second terminal it's fair to assume there would be at least double that number.

 

 

[steven100]

but somethings missing !!    ....   tourists

[treetops]

38 minutes ago, Why Me said:

I pulled out my calculator. 150mil/year is 285 passengers/minute. Even if IOs are processing passengers in 30 secs. each this would need 140 immigration counters if they don't want a backup to start building.

 

Well, maybe they expect everything to be automated in 10 years, passengers just filing past a face/finger scanner.

Thais and those from Hong Kong and Singapore alread have automated gates on arrival at immigration.  These will be expanded to passport holders of other nations well before the airport reaches 150 million passengers a year.