Thailand Looks to Bolster Suvarnabhumi Airport as Southeast Asia's Top Transit Hub

[snoop1130]

 

The Suvarnabhumi Airport, internationally renowned and Thailand's busiest, is in for a significant overhaul with plans to be the top transit hub in Southeast Asia. The Airports of Thailand (AOT) have released an ambitious master plan aimed at boosting the percentages of transit flights from a mere 4% to a lofty 20%. The ultimate aim is to join the ranks of the world's top 20 airports by the year 2030.

 

“Our goal is to accentuate Suvarnabhumi's strength as a regional hub by increasing transit flights to at least the 20% mark," said AOT President Keerati Kitmanawat. "Currently, we are only at 4%, while Singapore's Changi Airport has 40% of its flights under the transit category."

 

To attain these lofty goals, AOT is looking at embedding themselves into discussions with leading airlines that include Thai Airways International and Star Alliance members. Their purpose is to establish more transit traffic at Suvarnabhumi. The AOT will also dip into its pockets to massively boost infrastructure. This ramping up has already begun, with the recent inauguration of a third runway which has escalated hourly capacity from 68 to a staggering 94 flights.

 

 

Further projections include a proposed expansion of the East Terminal, which will be a 9-billion-baht project expected to receive cabinet approval in December. This expansion, slated for completion in 2027, will add carrying capacity to the tune of 15 million passengers on an annual basis.

 

In a move to modernise, AOT will roll out an advanced biometric identification system across six Thai airports. This should augur well for the cause of both security and passenger convenience. This system, reliant on facial recognition, has already been launched for domestic passengers and is set to be available for international travellers from December 1st.

 

With its portfolio of six airports, including Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, AOT accounts for a staggering 95% of Thailand’s air traffic. This firmly establishes Thailand as a major player in both regional and international aviation. Thus, the transformation of Suvarnabhumi Airport, by embracing transit flights and state-of-the-art infrastructure, offers a dynamic new chapter in Asian aviation.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-11-15

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

Suvarnabhumi v Singapore Airport.

Hmm - that may take a while to become No 1.

[Iron Tongue]

Yes, Suvarnabhumi with 4% of total SE Asian flights vs Singapore's Changi Airport which has 40%... you can barely notice the difference!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NoDisplayName]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the top transit hub in Southeast Asia

 

Another hub announcement?

 

Today must end in a "Y".

[drgoon]

Hahahahahahaha..  gotta be consistent I guess

[daveAustin]

Thailand Looks to Bolster Suvarnabhumi Airport
 

That’s all AOT needed to say.   Everything else in that title thereafter is superfluous. 

[thaibeachlovers]

Swampy is a disaster with the traffic it already gets. I can't begin to imagine the horror if it did become an international hub.

However, I doubt any other country will agree, as they probably know how Thailand manages to mess things like that up.

 

The only thing that exceeded other airports was the height of the control tower.

[thaibeachlovers]

28 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Thailand Looks to Bolster Suvarnabhumi Airport
 

That’s all AOT needed to say.   Everything else in that title thereafter is superfluous. 

I'd say it's the usual attempt to create something that involves a large amount of money which can then be diverted to the usual suspects.

[NemoH]

For years I have wondered why Thailand had not taken any serious effort in doing this… 

 

If you look at locations, Thailand is better located than Singapore in that within a 2-3 hour flight range, Thailand connects with more countries or cities than Singapore. 
 

The fight is in Thailand favour - but the Thais need to step up effort in system facilities and infrastructures. 
 

Strange that Singapore Changi airport has always been no.1. Surprisingly, Changi Airport has no direct dedicated speed train or public bus connectivity into the city and it takes 45 min into the city by taxi n more than 1 hour by a transit rail which stops at more than 15-20 stops. Compare this alone with Hong Kong n Thailand, Singapore Changi fails. 

Edited November 15 by NemoH

[Srikcir]

Becoming more popular in airports are single and double sleeping pods, ie., Hanoi Noi Bai airport. See video by Probably Lost.

There is Boxtel near the airport about 4km away. How successful has this been for transit traveller's?

[RichardColeman]

I mean seriously , who cares what an airport looks like ? You are only there for maybe 3 hours going out and an hour coming in (on a good day).

 

If it does the job , I'd rather have it just a concrete block and reduce all the costs in the shops by 50% and more staff clearing you through

[Aussie999]

3 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

Yes, Suvarnabhumi with 4% of total SE Asian flights vs Singapore's Changi Airport which has 40%... you can barely notice the difference!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice photo angle... but hardly even similar

[Luuk Chaai]

Thailand giving Heinz a run for their money 

[Andrew65]

It will be tough trying to lure airlines away from long-established hubs at Singapore and HK. Also, some years ago B A & QANTAS dropped Bangkok from it's 'Kangaroo' routes between Oz & Europe?

Edited November 16 by Andrew65

[AhFarangJa]

May I suggest they fix what they already have first. The Air Conditioning for one.

[Robin]

"The Suvarnabhumi Airport, internationally renowned ".... For its long lines and slow, surly, immigration officers.

Also try taking baggage on the Airport rail link.   Txi to town compared with S9ingapore; no nonsense about 'highway charge' in Singapore.

[Patong2021]

The BKK bashers are out in force. How about some honesty? I am a frequent flyer and have had an opportunity to fly into some of the major airports in the world and BKK is one of my favourites. Compared to most airports in the EU and North America, BKK holds its own.  I clear customs and immigration relatively quickly. My bags are delivered quickly. There are some days I am off the international flight and walking to my driver pickup or hotel in 30 minutes. 

 

5 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

Yes, Suvarnabhumi with 4% of total SE Asian flights vs Singapore's Changi Airport which has 40%... you can barely notice the difference!

 

How about looking at the original models? Singapore was always set up as a transit hub.  The Singapore flights are not delivering visitors to Singapore. Thailand's flights were delivering visitors who stayed and spent money. Singapore  had 13 million visitors in 2023. Thailand had 28 million visitors in 2023. Now Thailand is  looking to picking up some easy business by attracting transit flights. It won't have to do much to be successful.

 

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Swampy is a disaster with the traffic it already gets. I can't begin to imagine the horror if it did become an international hub.

However, I doubt any other country will agree, as they probably know how Thailand manages to mess things like that up.

The only thing that exceeded other airports was the height of the control tower.

 

It is not a "disaster". On what basis can you term the airport a disaster other than your  own bias? The airport has some of the lowest delays in the region due to tarmac and ramp congestion. It has  baggage delivery times comparable to ICN, NRT and HND. Customs and Immigration are relatively fast for most people.

 

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Becoming more popular in airports are single and double sleeping pods, ie., Hanoi Noi Bai airport. See video by Probably Lost.

There is Boxtel near the airport about 4km away. How successful has this been for transit traveller's?

 

Have you ever considered that there has to be a demand for such options?  There are  many low cost 4* quality hotels all within easy access of the airport, so smart transit passengers don't bother with the pods.   I usually stay at the Novotel. It is comparable in cost to the HND hotel. NRT and TPE do not have in terminal hotels. The Holiday Inn at  SIN is further from some arrivals than the  BKK Novotel and more expensive. The Regal at HKG is further too and more expensive, and not as nice.

 

25 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

It will be tough trying to lure airlines away from long-established hubs at Singapore and HK. Also, some years ago B A & QANTAS dropped Bangkok from it's 'Kangaroo' routes between Oz & Europe?

 

The airlines stopped flying to BKK because there wasn't a customer base to support the operation of the route. BA has resumed flights to BKK.   There is no need to lure anyone away from SIN. The airlines will consider the potential for 5th Freedom flights. EVA does it now for VIE, LHR and AMS. Air Canada is a relatively new addition to Bangkok and is looking at a regional shift because of the issues with  China. The same goes for US based airlines.

 

15 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

May I suggest they fix what they already have first. The Air Conditioning for one.

 

There is nothing wrong with the AC. You do know that Bangkok is in the tropics and the  daytime temperature regularly reaches 32C+ and sometimes 40C. The terminal temperature is usually at 23-25C which is more than acceptable. Asian people often find the terminal cool.  The new Satellite terminal is very cool.  

[Andrew65]

2 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

The BKK bashers are out in force. How about some honesty? I am a frequent flyer and have had an opportunity to fly into some of the major airports in the world and BKK is one of my favourites. Compared to most airports in the EU and North America, BKK holds its own.  I clear customs and immigration relatively quickly. My bags are delivered quickly. There are some days I am off the international flight and walking to my driver pickup or hotel in 30 minutes. 

 

 

How about looking at the original models? Singapore was always set up as a transit hub.  The Singapore flights are not delivering visitors to Singapore. Thailand's flights were delivering visitors who stayed and spent money. Singapore  had 13 million visitors in 2023. Thailand had 28 million visitors in 2023. Now Thailand is  looking to picking up some easy business by attracting transit flights. It won't have to do much to be successful.

 

 

It is not a "disaster". On what basis can you term the airport a disaster other than your  own bias? The airport has some of the lowest delays in the region due to tarmac and ramp congestion. It has  baggage delivery times comparable to ICN, NRT and HND. Customs and Immigration are relatively fast for most people.

 

 

Have you ever considered that there has to be a demand for such options?  There are  many low cost 4* quality hotels all within easy access of the airport, so smart transit passengers don't bother with the pods.   I usually stay at the Novotel. It is comparable in cost to the HND hotel. NRT and TPE do not have in terminal hotels. The Holiday Inn at  SIN is further from some arrivals than the  BKK Novotel and more expensive. The Regal at HKG is further too and more expensive, and not as nice.

 

 

The airlines stopped flying to BKK because there wasn't a customer base to support the operation of the route. BA has resumed flights to BKK.   There is no need to lure anyone away from SIN. The airlines will consider the potential for 5th Freedom flights. EVA does it now for VIE, LHR and AMS. Air Canada is a relatively new addition to Bangkok and is looking at a regional shift because of the issues with  China. The same goes for US based airlines.

 

 

There is nothing wrong with the AC. You do know that Bangkok is in the tropics and the  daytime temperature regularly reaches 32C+ and sometimes 40C. The terminal temperature is usually at 23-25C which is more than acceptable. Asian people often find the terminal cool.  The new Satellite terminal is very cool.  

I wasn't 'bashing' Thailand or Bangkok, it's just that with airlines it's about cold-hard-cash, and 'bums on seats'.

Edited November 16 by Andrew65

[Patong2021]

14 minutes ago, Robin said:

"The Suvarnabhumi Airport, internationally renowned ".... For its long lines and slow, surly, immigration officers.

Also try taking baggage on the Airport rail link.   Txi to town compared with S9ingapore; no nonsense about 'highway charge' in Singapore.

 

The lines are no longer than in Hong Kong or Narita. Certainly better than PEK and PUD.  Taking baggage on the airport link  is  an easier setup than the train from NRT or the subway link from HND. It is not anymore difficult than at YYZ, FRA or LHR.  

 

Singapore airport taxis have a surcharge of S$8 and the fare to the  city is between S$25 and S$40 approx 700-1000 baht. My taxi fares from BKK are typically less than 500 baht.   Singapore is a city state with a population half the size of Bangkok.The distance from  the airport to the key central districts is 15-20km. The distance from BKK to the key central districts is  twice as far. It is to be expected that there will be  differences. 

 

[mran66]

... And how do you define a flight being or not being in the 'transit category'? 

[Yagoda]

9 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

The BKK bashers are out in force. How about some honesty? I am a frequent flyer and have had an opportunity to fly into some of the major airports in the world and BKK is one of my favourites. Compared to most airports in the EU and North America, BKK holds its own.  I clear customs and immigration relatively quickly. My bags are delivered quickly. There are some days I am off the international flight and walking to my driver pickup or hotel in 30 minutes. 

 

 

How about looking at the original models? Singapore was always set up as a transit hub.  The Singapore flights are not delivering visitors to Singapore. Thailand's flights were delivering visitors who stayed and spent money. Singapore  had 13 million visitors in 2023. Thailand had 28 million visitors in 2023. Now Thailand is  looking to picking up some easy business by attracting transit flights. It won't have to do much to be successful.

 

 

It is not a "disaster". On what basis can you term the airport a disaster other than your  own bias? The airport has some of the lowest delays in the region due to tarmac and ramp congestion. It has  baggage delivery times comparable to ICN, NRT and HND. Customs and Immigration are relatively fast for most people.

 

 

Have you ever considered that there has to be a demand for such options?  There are  many low cost 4* quality hotels all within easy access of the airport, so smart transit passengers don't bother with the pods.   I usually stay at the Novotel. It is comparable in cost to the HND hotel. NRT and TPE do not have in terminal hotels. The Holiday Inn at  SIN is further from some arrivals than the  BKK Novotel and more expensive. The Regal at HKG is further too and more expensive, and not as nice.

 

 

The airlines stopped flying to BKK because there wasn't a customer base to support the operation of the route. BA has resumed flights to BKK.   There is no need to lure anyone away from SIN. The airlines will consider the potential for 5th Freedom flights. EVA does it now for VIE, LHR and AMS. Air Canada is a relatively new addition to Bangkok and is looking at a regional shift because of the issues with  China. The same goes for US based airlines.

 

 

There is nothing wrong with the AC. You do know that Bangkok is in the tropics and the  daytime temperature regularly reaches 32C+ and sometimes 40C. The terminal temperature is usually at 23-25C which is more than acceptable. Asian people often find the terminal cool.  The new Satellite terminal is very cool.  

I agree with this poster.  I have a ton of airports since Covid (BKK, DMK, SAI, PNH, Singapore, Frankfurt, Paris, Instanbul, Baku, Iceland, Tokyo (both), Seoul, plus JFK, LAX, EWR, RDU, Seattle, Chicago, ATL, Dulles, Reagan, BWI, Houston and Swampy is one of the least crappy.

[mran66]

18 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Singapore was always set up as a transit hub.  The Singapore flights are not delivering visitors to Singapore. Thailand's flights were delivering visitors who stayed and spent money. Singapore  had 13 million visitors in 2023. Thailand had 28 million visitors in 2023. Now Thailand is  looking to picking up some easy business by attracting transit flights. It won't have to do much to be successful.

 

This is exactly the challenge to increase PERCENTAGE of 'transit flights' when primary target remains to bring cash spending tourists to Thailand. Sure there is and has always been transit passengers, I was one of the frequent ones of them for 20yrs when working in the region. However that is different from airlines counting on business to bkk being driven by transit passengers.

[mran66]

26 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

How about looking at the original models? Singapore was always set 

It is not a "disaster". On what basis can you term the airport a disaster other than your  own bias? The airport has some of the lowest delays in the region due to tarmac and ramp congestion. It has  baggage delivery times comparable to ICN, NRT and HND. Customs and Immigration are relatively fast for most people.

 

The most irritating thing in BKK is when you come to immigration, either arriving or leaving, and you see long queues of passengers, and substantial percentage of immigration counters unstaffed. The absolute waiting time may not be any longer on average vs other main airports, however it just irritating to wait in queue in such situation, and makes the whole airport operation feel like being run by idiots not caring about their cash-bringing visitors. Other that that, I agree bkk is okay. 

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Have you ever considered that there has to be a demand for such options? 

Have you ever considered that there is demand for such options?

 

 

[SOTIRIOS]

...All These "Big Money Plans'....Alarm Bells Should Be Ringing...

... Just Think Back To All Those Similar Schemes & Aspirations...

...How Did They End...

...Any Accountability...(?)

 

[Patong2021]

9 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Have you ever considered that there is demand for such options?

 

There is insufficient demand. The existing pod stations are not used to full capacity. I pass by during peak and off seasons and there are many vacancies. On what basis do you say there is demand? The Miracle Transit hotel  on floor 3 almost always has vacancy as does the landside Novotel. There are 50+ hotels within 4km of the airport. They range in price from 500 baht to 5,000 baht+.

What is it that you want? 

[ModdaPunk]

On 11/15/2024 at 9:51 AM, snoop1130 said:

internationally renowned

 

Fake news.

 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

What is it that you want?

Your substantiation, albeit personal observations.

Thank you.

[PDP11]

Typical Thai response to immediately tumble to large infrastructure projects like a third runway when the gap is that BKK was never designed as a transit hub in the first place (it was designed as an origination / destination airport only). Further, the anchor carrier Thai International seems uninterested in being a transit carrier … they focus on bringing people to / from Bangkok and that’s it. 
 

Assuming TG wants this to happen (they’ll have to start behaving like Singapore, Cathay, JAL / ANA, KLM, Turkish, Emirates, and other serious transit traffic carriers), the core design inside BKK will have to change. Serious thought on how you efficiently hold and move people gate to gate while separating those originating / terminating in Thailand. Look at transit at, say, Schiphol (AMS) to see this done well. Heck, BKK can’t even manage moving people efficiently from international to domestic. Look at airports like Vancouver (YVR) to see how you do that well … avoiding the delays of requiring a new security screen while simultaneously separating the flow of transit / terminating passengers through separate immigration/ customs flows.

 

I think BKK could get this done if they would just focus on emulating what makes the world’s best transit airports work well (hint: it’s not runway capacity). 

[john donson]

please NO