Don Mueang Airport Will Reloacate To Suvarnabhumi On March 29, 2009

[asiaworld]

Seeing how divided opinions are , it's obvious, that one half of folks is going to be unhappy no matter, what those government 'wizards' would decide..

The new airport in Cobra Swamp can adequately and easily handle the volume of traffic.

^ that is something i completely disagree with! As someone who flies few times a month, i hated the place from the beginning !

The most inefficient design & operation award ! is the only thing 'suvanapuke' truly deserves ! Even Heathrow is much more efficient in the last few years ! Yes the walkways are very long making the false impression of space.. But try to watch the takeoff-landing times of the flights & you'll see, that it is not a drop better than good'old DM ! Now drop in a few more domestic flights sharing the same runway & it's back to the days, when no flight will leave or land @ swampy less than 30 min behind the schedule !!

[tartempion]

I've always used Don Mueang for domestic flights. Now going all the way to Suvarnabhumi is gonna make my taxi ride longer and more expensive. Tsk Tsk

Now NOT having to take taxis between DM and Swamy will save me 300/400B each trip plus better connection times saving 3h or so per trip

[perax]

D.M. was controlled by the Air Force, while it seems like Suvannaphum is army territory. Maybe the A.F. will find some other way to reinstate that source of income... we'll see how it goes when (or if) the estimable A.F. patrons will get higher up in the peckign order...

Do you remember that shootout a few years back between police and AF for the control of the taxi queues at D.M.?

[VBF]

I would also encourage more use of Pattaya Airport, which is just used by Bangkok Airlines and a few Russian International carriers at the moment.

I doubt that civil flights into/out of Pattaya (Utapao) airport will be increased any time soon. It's basically military with a very small civilian section. IMO the amount of work needed to expand it would be uneconomical especially as "swampy" is really quite close. Added to which, it is doubtful that the military would wish to see any more civilians in the place!

[Jonathanpattaya]

Another crass decision by the power that be!

[lifeisadream]

Some of us love D.M. because we can take the bus from up country, get out at the airport and conveniently get on our flight. D.M. is easier and friendlier...I haven't yet flown domestically out of Suwanabhum and probably won't, even if everything is relocated. I also use Don Mueng when I come into Bangkok on business, stay overnight, jump into a van to Future Park, get off at the airport all for 25B for a wuick trip. In the end you have to walk over the bridge which is just part of the adventure.

Swampy does have a proper bus terminal with free shuttles from the main terminal (express shuttle from departure and arrival floors), with buses to all over Bangkok, including Ekamai and Mo Chit. There's also an excellent van service to Victory Monument for under 30 baht.

Swampy is bad, but it won't become better by spreading the traffic between two airports.

[lifeisadream]

Some of us love D.M. because we can take the bus from up country, get out at the airport and conveniently get on our flight. D.M. is easier and friendlier...I haven't yet flown domestically out of Suwanabhum and probably won't, even if everything is relocated. I also use Don Mueng when I come into Bangkok on business, stay overnight, jump into a van to Future Park, get off at the airport all for 25B for a wuick trip. In the end you have to walk over the bridge which is just part of the adventure.

Swampy does have a proper bus terminal with free shuttles from the main terminal (express shuttle from departure and arrival floors), with buses to all over Bangkok, including Ekamai and Mo Chit. There's also an excellent van service to Victory Monument for under 30 baht.

Swampy is bad, but it won't become better by spreading the traffic between two airports.

You are focusing a bit much on your idea…you didn’t really read my point.

[warmwater7]

The people runnng the aviation show here are probably the biggest bunch of idiots in the history of aviation! Why can't they have two airports like other big cities? But his is what probably comes from rote learning, repetition without the ability to think

What on earth is the advantage with two airports? It's a waste of time for the passengers and time and money for the airlines.

Have you ever had the "privilege" of arriving with an international flight at Suvarnabhumi to be transferred to Don Muang for your inland flight to Chiang Mai or wherever? Not only does it take extra time, but you have to calculate more than you need in case of traffic jams etc.

PLAN " B " IS A NICE OPTION. GOOD IN ANY EMERGENCY.

LARGE CITIES WORLDWIDE OFTEN HAVE MULTIPLE FACILITIES.

[Crossy]

So presumably, this news means an end to the possibility of extending the Skytrain to Don Meuang.............Bugger!!!

Oddly enough no. The ARL extension to Don Mueang is still a go (at least at present), it just won't be an airport station (no free boarding, ride first pay later).

Express service to Bang Sue, Makkasan, Suvarnabhumi, City Service to a bunch of other intermediate stations.

Whether it really gets going with the Red Line covering much of the same route we shall have to wait and see.

[samgrowth]

Why order some (not all) domestic flight back to DM in the 1st place?

Why want them back at Swamp again?

Will there be an order to go back to DM, say in 1 year time?

Who on earth make such stupid order, and worst, who on earth is stupier to listen to the stupid order?

[ozfarang81]

Why order some (not all) domestic flight back to DM in the 1st place?

Why want them back at Swamp again?

Will there be an order to go back to DM, say in 1 year time?

Who on earth make such stupid order, and worst, who on earth is stupier to listen to the stupid order?

do a bit of research. they say it was because of teething problems at suvarnbhumi. mostly with taxiways falling apart and needing repairs. the place was basically sinking. those repairs have supposedly been done now

[Costas2008]

Have you ever had the "privilege" of arriving with an international flight at Suvarnabhumi to be transferred to Don Muang for your inland flight to Chiang Mai or wherever? Not only does it take extra time, but you have to calculate more than you need in case of traffic jams etc

Suvvanaphum faces no such restriction that I am aware of. From a traveler's point of view it is much better to have things all under one roof. I don't care what the country is, if I have to gather up my luggage upon arrival at the country's main international terminal and then make my own arrangements to schlep across town to make a domestic connection I call that ridiculous. Don Muang is finished, has been for some time, so it is time to get over it and move on.

Well said my friend, it is a nightmare to rush, from one airport to the other, so you don't miss the internal flight. At least if they had a descent bus transfer from one airport to the other, would make things easier. I had enough of that so I applaud the decision to relocate all flights to Suvarnabhumi.

[Alex8]

The people runnng the aviation show here are probably the biggest bunch of idiots in the history of aviation! Why can't they have two airports like other big cities? But his is what probably comes from rote learning, repetition without the ability to think

What on earth is the advantage with two airports? It's a waste of time for the passengers and time and money for the airlines.

Have you ever had the "privilege" of arriving with an international flight at Suvarnabhumi to be transferred to Don Muang for your inland flight to Chiang Mai or wherever? Not only does it take extra time, but you have to calculate more than you need in case of traffic jams etc.

Hello Marquess

The advantage is this. Supposing you are say, flying into Bangkok, an hour or two from landing, when fickle mother nature decides to confound the Met Office forecasters and socks it out in dense fog or, to put it another way, the duty landing runway is littered with debris from a previous emergency arrival and closed.

The airport is then suddenly reduced to a single runway operation and all traffic, both inbound and outbound, starts to back up. Arriving traffic cannot remain in the holding pattern for ever, with diminishing fuel. Arriving aircraft must soon consider diversion to an alternate airport.

Would you rather be landed at Don Muang, Phuket or Chiang Mai? Consider the costs, time loss and inconvenience both to you, the airline operator and other passengers. Would you want to be captured in surface transport, (bus, train or taxi) back to Bangkok from Chiang-Mai, Phuket or from Don Muang? Choose.

Alex8

[cookiesunshinex]

I always enjoyed arriving at DM International and after clearing imigration and customs taking my wobbly baggage cart up to the second floor and along the footbridge to the Domestic Terminal. Don Muang had an atmosphere, a chaotic and mad hustle and bustle that you kind of expect from Asia. I was never a big fan of swampy, grandiose as it may look and purport to be it smacks of the Emirates and those other big gateways to other places that you are just passing through. As a destination airport it lacks character, it doesn't say 'welcome to Thailand' with all its warts and all .... it says 'see this fantastic and modern architecturally designed state of the art airport, well you're gonna be disappointed when you get outside'

I for one will miss DM.

Well put! I totally agree.

[Alex8]

The people runnng the aviation show here are probably the biggest bunch of idiots in the history of aviation! Why can't they have two airports like other big cities? But his is what probably comes from rote learning, repetition without the ability to think

What on earth is the advantage with two airports? It's a waste of time for the passengers and time and money for the airlines.

Have you ever had the "privilege" of arriving with an international flight at Suvarnabhumi to be transferred to Don Muang for your inland flight to Chiang Mai or wherever? Not only does it take extra time, but you have to calculate more than you need in case of traffic jams etc.

Sorry. Marquess, I offer my unreserved apology. I should also have included Zakka9.

You could, of course, argue that there are too few occasions when diversions are necessary so the vast majority of flights are efficiently served with just one central hub.

Should you ever have the misfortune to be caught in a diversion you may slightly change your attitude. At the point when a decision is made to divert, safety becomes paramount and transcends all other considerations. Hope that your crew make a timely decision. Yours loss of time or misdirected baggage are the least among them.

There are other considerations too complex to air on this thread.

Alex8

[Alex8]

I think having 2 airports was fine if they were used similarly to some of the examples listed here such as Heathrow, Gatwick and may I add Stansted and Luton.

These airports have both domestic AND international flights. Luton and Stansted are certainly good for low cost airlines such as Ryan Air and Easyjet.

If Luton were to become just domestic UK flights and Stansted just international flights. then the folly of the Don Mueng/Suwarniboom setup is quite apparent.

Having to get a taxi to another airport to fly internationally seemed an idea doomed to failure when it was suggested.

So keep Don Mueng only if it will operate both international AND domestic flights.

I would also encourage more use of Pattaya Airport, which is just used by Bangkok Airlines and a few Russian International carriers at the moment.

dsfbrit

I have to agree with your logic based on your own personal experiences. I really do wish that other contributors could also see the wider picture and not only their own narrow perspective.

The travelling public have become so used to such great levels of regularity, comfort and punctuality that they have raised their expectations to almost impossible limits. They see none of these problems from either basics or worst case scenario. In other words, they never see the knock-on effects of disruption. They view only their immediate travel needs, in isolation.

A few are reaching the mental attitude of believing that the sun orbits the earth rather than the other way round.

My thanks go to the several posters who have thought outside the box.

Alex8

[hhgz]

"...He hoped that the situation would gradually recover in the near future..."

And, at that time, the domestic plights will move back to DM.

[IanForbes]

Oh great! Now we can get back to long delays, cancelled flights and over bookings in the pretty, but VERY inefficient and uncomfortable Suvarnaboomcrash airport. I NEVER had that problem with Don Muang in the 12 years I've been coming to Thailand (each year), but ALWAYS had that problem with Suvarnaboomcrash. I REALLY hate sitting in Suvarnabhumi for 8 to 12 hours while the airport tries to figure out how to make connections to other destinations. The toilets are inadequate, the food services minimal and expensive, the seating atrocious, and the lineups long. Then, unless you are heading for Pattaya directly by bus, you have to take a long and expensive taxi ride into the city fo find some over priced hotel to stay over night. Forget the long, expensive taxi ride out to the new Southern bus station if you want to travel to Kanchanaburi or other points west.

[Bjorn]

Excellent move since I'm doing a lot of business trips. I live outside Khon Kaen and the connection flights (from domestic to international flight) has really been a pain in the a-s. Sometimes even needing an overstay in Bangkok.

I'm really looking forward to this move!!!!!

[JimsKnight]

KEEP DON MUANG!

[Elwood62]

I dont think that the problem is to big depending how they use the both airports. if they mix it up a bit for domestic and international flights. what i find is the thing that this has done now has increased the uncertainity. i have booked a flight to BKK. then need to connect to KKC. but i can only book a flight opout of DMK. so will this cost me as thai airways can not confirm that there is the change to use Suvarnabhumi or not. so now have to wait to see if they can sort it out. I dont want to book and then have to pay to change a flight because now they are using a different airport. so time will tell how this will work for all concerned.

Mick

[Bjorn]

We can only hope that the move from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi will work. I do expect some mishaps in the beginning. Anyway, the move is excellent, much time to be saved here when you switch from a domestic flight to an international.

Most people who wants to keep Don Muang is most likely all the retired expats here in Thailand. They don't care if they loose half a day. It doesn't relly matter. They have all the time in the world.......

[tartempion]

Most people who wants to keep Don Muang is most likely all the retired expats here in Thailand. They don't care if they loose half a day. It doesn't relly matter. They have all the time in the world.......

Really? I guess you are not retired then.

At my local farangland supermarket retired people are shaking the doors at 08.55 to get in/out as soon as possible: we don't have any more time to loose

I have a flight arriving Swampy 07.15 and the next flight to Udon Thani is Thai 09.30 from Don Muang. No way one can get onto that flight departing from DM, but if departing from Swampy no problem.

Next flight to Udon is Nok Air, departing DM at 12.20.

Now if Thai is really moving their domestic flights to Swampy be assured I will be on the 09.30 and NOT the Nok Air 12.20 at DM, re-tired or not but -tired most certainly