Should Don Muang Airport Be Shut Down And All Airlines Should Operate From Suvarnabhumi?

[thailandlover]

I've just had to rush from Suva to DM to catch a flight and feel like having two airports in Bangkok is one airport too many. How do you feel about this situation, especially now that Thai will be moving back to Suva?

[twschw]

Hate it. It sucks to have to take a cab to Suva when DM is in the neighborhood.

[tartempion]

Arriving BKK 07.15 next month I booked a domestic Thai airways flight out of Swampy at 9.45.

Won't be flying Nok thus, the choice is now Air Asia or Thai, no more taxis between the 2 airports.

[Ricardo]

No problem with closing DM, but the authorities really should get on with building the simple/cheap terminal at Swampy, for low-cost-carriers, which they have been announcing since before the place even opened ! Actions speak louder than words, guys.

If the latest government needs ideas, on where to spend money to boost transport & the economy, then this is surely a quick/easy option, especially compared to things like a new rail-network, which can only be seen as a very-long-term project.

[mdechgan]

BKK doesn't have the flight volume internationally or domestically to support two airports in the same general area. London can but not BKK. AOT has enough problems trying to make swampy work efficiently. I think they are having problems just trying to maintain the cracks and dirty windows.

[samran]

No problem with closing DM, but the authorities really should get on with building the simple/cheap terminal at Swampy, for low-cost-carriers, which they have been announcing since before the place even opened ! Actions speak louder than words, guys.

If the latest government needs ideas, on where to spend money to boost transport & the economy, then this is surely a quick/easy option, especially compared to things like a new rail-network, which can only be seen as a very-long-term project.

why build a new one when you have an existing airport that can serve as a low cost terminal. It is not as if they are going to rip Don Muang down...it will still be used as an airforce base.....

[PhilHarries]

There's no reason why they shouldn't operate two separate airports, one international and one domestic, provided there is a fast, reliable, convenient mass transit link between the two. It's no bluddy good expecting passengers to lug their baggage via the public taxi service subject to the vagaries of Bangkok traffic.

But of course the ideal, for all parties, must be to operate out of one single airport of sufficient capacity.

The plan was for one airport therefore it is down to the government and AoT to achieve that goal asap. As Ricardo says, where the hel_l is the LCCT they have been talking about virtually since the day Suvarnabumi opened? As anyne who has used the LCCT at KL knows this kind of terminal is little more than a freight shed with some frills so how come they can't even do that in a reasonable timeframe?

[thailandlover]

I would prefer a low cost terminal similar to the one in Singapore to a separate airport, I agree. It makes more sense in terms of economy as well as passenger convenience.

Edited March 11, 2009 by thailandlover

[neverdie]

Your not expecting a logical decision, are you?

[londonthai]

decision was already made of relocating all flights from DM to BKK airport - all should happen on 29.03 (so only in a few days). Lenghty disscussion http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Don-Mueang-A...va-t238224.html

in my opinion a wrong move, as good to have a second airport for emergencies, but now looks like they are going back to BKK for good.

How they are going to cope with an overstreched capacity of the airport without a budget terminal is another question. At some stage some airlines will stop flying to BKK and use Phuket or Chang Mai

Edited March 11, 2009 by londonthai

[samgrowth]

I am sure the decision will reverse again, maybe say next year, to get domestic back to Don Muang. The airforce needs money from Don Muang airport rental.

This is Thailand.

[toybits]

Shut down DM airport services, convert the area into an F1 race track, use the old terminal building as a convention center or casino (ha ha as if the **** ***** would allow competition).

[worldfun]

for sure move the majority of the flights (TG) to swampy as planned 29mar as that would mean less noise polution in an otherwise pleasent nort-western bkk residential areas

sure sin or kul single airport several terminals setup is the only proper/logic way to do it.

no need for BKK to emulate the failures of lon/par multiple city airports - well not total failures - alternative setups or should we say 'constraints' ...

[tartempion]

I would prefer a low cost terminal similar to the one in Singapore to a separate airport, I agree. It makes more sense in terms of economy as well as passenger convenience.

Did you notice concourse A and B were designed to handle domestic traffic (not a small part of the airport) AND that Don Muang handles about 50 plane movements/day, wow that much yes, beware congestion is near

[TruthWillOut]

total hassle arriving at swampy internationally & having to schlep across town to DM. Esp if flying up north as flights are limited so if the timing is wrong then you have to wait all day or say in BKK overnight.

[IMA_FARANG]

I would prefer a low cost terminal similar to the one in Singapore to a separate airport, I agree. It makes more sense in terms of economy as well as passenger convenience.

Did you notice concourse A and B were designed to handle domestic traffic (not a small part of the airport) AND that Don Muang handles about 50 plane movements/day, wow that much yes, beware congestion is near

Don Muang is still a Thai Air Force base as far as I know. Irregardless of what happens, the Thai Air Force will still be there.