To those with their finger on the pulse and living in Phuket..........Is the Airport there operating more or less as normal

or have there been "PAD/disruptions" as well???

I'm living in Pattaya and "have to" leave the country on 3/4th December.If Bangkok/Chiang Mai etc... are still chaotic then I'm

exploring options.....so what's Phuket like at the moment?

If it comes to it,I'll have to fly out of Kuala Lumpur/Singapore......if the situation got even worse,I'd even "taxi/minibus" it to

one of these other locations,but obviously I hope it won't come to that.

Anyway,take care all,and never a dull moment here in the LOS

So far Phuket airport is ok but all flights to/from Suvarnabhumi cancelled. Flights to/from Don Muang still operating, though there are likely delays since its taking in diverted flights.

Phuket based PAD members appear to be joining the cause in Bangkok rather than doing any activity here, so let's hope they stay away from Phuket airport.

For now, as long as you're not needing to route through Bkk, you should be ok to depart from Phuket.

Online story from yesterday: http://phuketwan.com/article/tourism/phuke...urists-trapped/

Don Muang Airport has been occupied since midnight, so now no flights to Phuket:

Protesters Close Don Muang Airport

Bangkok's second airport seized

Full story:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Protesters-C...rt-t225375.html

Whoops, I just spotted news that Don Muang has now been closed, too.

Welcome to Thailand!

To those with their finger on the pulse and living in Phuket..........Is the Airport there operating more or less as normal

or have there been "PAD/disruptions" as well???

I'm living in Pattaya and "have to" leave the country on 3/4th December.If Bangkok/Chiang Mai etc... are still chaotic then I'm

exploring options.....so what's Phuket like at the moment?

If it comes to it,I'll have to fly out of Kuala Lumpur/Singapore......if the situation got even worse,I'd even "taxi/minibus" it to

one of these other locations,but obviously I hope it won't come to that.

Anyway,take care all,and never a dull moment here in the LOS

So far Phuket airport is ok but all flights to/from Suvarnabhumi cancelled. Flights to/from Don Muang still operating, though there are likely delays since its taking in diverted flights.

Phuket based PAD members appear to be joining the cause in Bangkok rather than doing any activity here, so let's hope they stay away from Phuket airport.

For now, as long as you're not needing to route through Bkk, you should be ok to depart from Phuket.

Online story from yesterday: http://phuketwan.com/article/tourism/phuke...urists-trapped/

Unfortunately, Flights to KL & Sing. which originate in BKK are down as well. We're having a heck of a time getting out of Phuket and to Singapore. Original booking for 26th - cancelled, rebooked for next day (27th) - cancelled, now gave them a couple of days to sort this <deleted> out and have rebooked for Nov. 30. We'll see what happens.

Edited November 27, 200817 yr by típ-yá-jàk-sòo yaan

I've just got the information that many international flights to Thailand(Bangkok) will be redirected for landing in Phuket.

Gerd

Edited November 27, 200817 yr by thaigerd

Just got an email from a customer saying that AirAsia had cancelled their flight to Phuket from Singapore because of the mess. Seems a bit odd, as Phuket airport is just fine. Anybody hearing anything else like this?

Just got an email from a customer saying that AirAsia had cancelled their flight to Phuket from Singapore because of the mess. Seems a bit odd, as Phuket airport is just fine. Anybody hearing anything else like this?

http://www.airasia.com/site/th/en/page.jsp...=airportclosure

Just found this which looks like only 1 ingoing and 1 outgoing phuket flight was cancelled.

I flew in yesterday from KL without incedent.

Need to get to Cha-Am Sunday. What are my options if my Air Asia flight doesn't go to BKK? There must be some bus service. Maybe a bus to Hua Hin then taxi toi Cha-Am?

I've just got the information that many international flights to Thailand(Bangkok) will be redirected for landing in Phuket.

Gerd

Source? I know that they are talking about redirecting flights to Phuket, Chiang Mai and U Tapao, but I doubt these airports are big enough to accomodate the biggest types of passenger planes.

Phuket does handle 747's, not sure about 777's though.

Thai International used to operate Boeing 777's from Bangkok to Phuket.

Phuket can handle incoming Boeing 747's, but, 747's that are fully fueled with a full compliment of passangers cannot take off as the runway is not long enough.

The missus has just told me that Phuket based PAD supporters have been instructed to head to the airport with the intention of closing it down.

I have no idea if this is true, or, not.

I flew Phuket to Bangkok on a pretty full Thai Airways 747 last year.

Sorry for not posting earlier - I was at the airport!

The status as of 16.00 is as follows:

Flights to Bangkok - (both airports). All cancelled until further notice, (which includes tomorrow etc).

Flights to Singapore, KL, Hong-Kong, Korea, Samui, Munich etc. - All flights are operating OK as normal with some small delays. But flights to Singapore and KL are fully booked up for the next few days.

Charter flights to Scandanavia still operating OK (but usally have big delays anyway)

Airport is quiet, no PAD protesters (as yet!). Free sandwiches and water for passengers in the departure lounge, some Tourist Police giving advice. Also the Phuket-BKK bus company has set up a desk to sell tickets at 800 baht single.

So, if you're trying to get to BKK, take a bus. Or (if you have the time), stay in Phuket, enjoy the rain and wait for this crazy scene to come to a conclusion.

Simon

I've just got the information that many international flights to Thailand(Bangkok) will be redirected for landing in Phuket.

Gerd

Source? I know that they are talking about redirecting flights to Phuket, Chiang Mai and U Tapao, but I doubt these airports are big enough to accomodate the biggest types of passenger planes.

At 3.5km long U tapao is long enough

Stats here

Simon, everyone....

thanks for the info.

would appreciate if you could update again perhaps late tonight? with both bangkok airports taken over, and depending on how things move on the court case against PPP tomorrow, I have a bad feeling things could escalate, and phuket airport could be next.....

(hope not!!)

thanks!

Bangkok Airways are flying daily from Phuket to U tapao, which is near Pattaya. From there it takes 2 hours by car to Bangkok.

Utapao flight was more than full today, so I doubt if there any seats for tomorrow. worth checking if you don't want the 12+ hour bus journey.

Simon

I flew Phuket to Bangkok on a pretty full Thai Airways 747 last year.

But it will have been one of the shorter varieties (200 or 300) and will have had just enough fuel to get to BKK.

I flew Phuket to Bangkok on a pretty full Thai Airways 747 last year.

Phuket to Bangkok?

The plane's fuel gauge was just above empty.

To add a light-hearted story....

An American arrived this evening at my hotel to stay the night

HIM 'Hi, I'm just booked for one night and then I'm off to BKK in the morning'

ME 'Oh yes? How are you travelling to BKK and why?'

HIM'Oh, I'm flying up to BKK and then catching my longhaul flight back to the good ol U S of A!!'

ME ' Where have you been for the past few day or so?'

HIM' On a dive-boat for the past 4 days, no TV, no radio - just great!! Why, what's happened???'

:)

Simon

I flew in yesterday from KL without incedent.

Need to get to Cha-Am Sunday. What are my options if my Air Asia flight doesn't go to BKK? There must be some bus service. Maybe a bus to Hua Hin then taxi toi Cha-Am?

VIP Bust to BKK, tell them you want Cha am. Will have to pay full price for BKK but they turn off the bypass at Bang kwai and will drop you on the main Petchkasem Road at Cham am crossroads....just dont fall asleep if your getting the night one as they may forget

Phuket can handle incoming Boeing 747's, but, 747's that are fully fueled with a full compliment of passangers cannot take off as the runway is not long enough.

hmmm.... how do you suppose airline will operate B747 on return flight? half-empty or half-fueled?

sorry but that bllks

I flew Phuket to Bangkok on a pretty full Thai Airways 747 last year.

Phuket to Bangkok?

The plane's fuel gauge was just above empty.

I didn't check the fuel, oil nor kick the tyres before takeoff.

When I said full I was referring to the pax loading.

Thai International used to operate Boeing 777's from Bangkok to Phuket.

Phuket can handle incoming Boeing 747's, but, 747's that are fully fueled with a full compliment of passangers cannot take off as the runway is not long enough.

Phukets Runway is 3km long, a 747/400 is 1.8km not fully fueled will make it easy for take off and landing. A fully loaded 747/400 requires 3048m of runway.

The MTOW is 910k from 3048m at sea level/standard day.

The MTOW is about 712k from 1800m of runway at sea level/standard day.

Pretty amazing what they can do

SAA 747 landing in Rand, South Africa. The runways there are only 4900 and 5600 feet by 50 wide.

Just got an email from a customer saying that AirAsia had cancelled their flight to Phuket from Singapore because of the mess. Seems a bit odd, as Phuket airport is just fine. Anybody hearing anything else like this?

Sorry for not posting earlier - I was at the airport!

The status as of 16.00 is as follows:

Flights to Bangkok - (both airports). All cancelled until further notice, (which includes tomorrow etc).

Flights to Singapore, KL, Hong-Kong, Korea, Samui, Munich etc. - All flights are operating OK as normal with some small delays. But flights to Singapore and KL are fully booked up for the next few days.

Simon

I've been waiting since the 26th to get to Singapore on Air Asia. They say its fine everyday, then I get the 3am sms saying its cancelled. I'm taking the wait and see attitude for tomorrow (oops today now!!).

EDIT: Problem is Air Asia's flights FD3524 (out) and FD3525 (in) come from & go to BKK, so they're grounded.

Edited November 27, 200817 yr by típ-yá-jàk-sòo yaan

Phuket can handle incoming Boeing 747's, but, 747's that are fully fueled with a full compliment of passangers cannot take off as the runway is not long enough.

hmmm.... how do you suppose airline will operate B747 on return flight? half-empty or half-fueled?

sorry but that bllks

Jeez, you're dumb.

They fly on to Bangkok, get a full load of fuel and use a nice, long runway.

I'm on Korea Air from LAX > Seoul > Phuket on 30/11

I am waiting to hear of the HKT airport closure.

KA hasn't said anything.

Is the post about PAD members going to close the HKT airport true?

?a?

Friday, November 28.

A customer who had to catch a flight to Germany called me from Phuket Airport at 7.30 this morning, and he told me the situation at the airport was completely normal.

Kees.