Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport Finally Resumes Operation After 4-Month Closure

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Don Mueang Airport finally resumes operation after 4-month closure

BANGKOK, 6 March 2012 (NNT) – Don Mueang Airport finally opened its doors to passengers early this morning after having ceased all operations four months ago due to the flood.

Don Mueang Airport Director Flying Officer Aniruth Thanomkulbutr stated that the runway and taxiway are 100% ready for the airport's first day back in operation to ensure the safety of all passengers. Meanwhile, the terminal building and other facilities are now 95% ready. The airport director insisted that all service systems of Don Mueang Airport are according to universal standard.

He added that the airport will speed up the construction of the 6.5-km. floodwall along Vibhavadi Road. The floodwall which is carried out under a budget of over 100 million baht, is expected to be completed in May in order to prevent future flooding.

Nok Air was the first airline to operate in Don Mueang Airport this morning, with the first three flights taking off at 06.00 from Bangkok to Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Si Thammarat. All the three flights were fully booked. Meanwhile, Orient Air and Solar Air are also scheduled to resume their operations at Don Mueang Airport in the near future.

-- NNT 2012-03-06

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Bangkok's Don Mueang airport reopens after 4-month flood closure

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Don Mueang airport reopened for business Tuesday after a four-month closure caused by last year's devastating floods.

"The first flight took off at 6 am (2300 GMT Monday) for Udon Thani," Nok Air chief executive Pathee Sarasin said. "The operations of the airport are back to normal."

He said the airport would service about 120 domestic flights per day

-- The Nation 2012-03-06

[HLover]

Nose clips are optional.

[alexakap]

Don Mueang Airport finally resumes operation after 4-month closure

...for the next 8 months ahead of the coming flood...

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Don Muang Airport Reopens

BANGKOK: -- Don Muang Airport resumes normal services today after having been closed for over four months due to the devastating floods

Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan said Don Muang Airport reopened today with the first flight leaving the airport at 6 A.M. bound for Udon Thani Province.

The airport, which had been used for domestic flights, was abruptly shut down last October after floods hit its buildings and runways.

Jarupong noted that the Civil Aviation Department already conducted an aviation safety inspection before resuming operations. Sanitary measures were applied in accordance with international standards and by the Airports of Thailand, or AOT, to kill microbes and foul odors caused by mud and moss on the airport building and air-conditioning system.

Several health authorities such as the Health Department, Mahidol University's Public Health Faculty and Bangkok's Public Health Office have certified the airport is free of health risks.

He further said that during Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's inspection of readiness of the airport yesterday, she said with the airport's capacity to serve a large number of passengers, more low-cost airlines should provide services at the airport and also underlined the flood prevention plans.

The transport minister stated that he explained the flood prevention plans at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Maung airports to the premier. The plans are expected to completed before the rainy season arrives.

In the meantime, AOT President Anirut Thanomkulabut said the budget of over 392 million baht from the government has been spent on restoring the airport.

As for the flood prevention plan for Don Muang Airport, Anirut stated that a three-meter high concrete wall is being built around the perimeter of the airport to protect it from future floods with the Royal Thai Air Force responsible for construction in the eastern side and the AOT in the western side with a 1.2 billion-baht budget allocated by AOT. The construction is expected to complete at the end of April.

So far, only Nok Air, one of the airlines previously operating at Don Muang Aiport, has moved back from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. Orient Thai Airlines and Solar Air are expected to resume services at the airport soon.

-- Tan Network 2012-03-06

[PoodMaiDai]

Wonder who's really cashing in on this new flood wall they are building.

[MEL1]

1. I'd really love to know how this new 'floodwall' is going to counter a flow of water, which generally comes up from underground, and can get past anything!

2. Why wasn't Thai Air the first to fly out?

3. They sure advertised the first flight. I live in Lak-si, and at 5.30am this morning I thought a lost and damaged, or fuel low 747 was flying over our home at about 500ft!!! I didn't need my alarm clock, as it circled twice at very low altitude. I thought some plane had been re-directed as an emergency it was so low, and off its normal flight path!!

-mel.

[BookMan]

Good to hear it is back in operation.

What happened to all the airports employees and businesses during the airport's closure?

[airconsult]

Good to hear it is back in operation.

What happened to all the airports employees and businesses during the airport's closure?

Most of them would have been working at Suvarnabhumi, which operates a lot more than 120 flights per day.

Why weren't Thai first? Because operations at Don Mueang *cost* Thai money - by having everyone in the same place at Suvarnbhumi, their margin improves.

The only reason Nok Air moved back quickly is that AOT charges less for Don Mueang - but if you had seen some of Nok Air's prices.... you know they're not low-cost, they just enjoy their increased margin, and who cares about passengers who want connecting flights.

[mikebell]

Will this mean shorter queues at Sewer Ban a Broom?

[alexakap]

this new flood wall they are building.

They're not.

I am passig DM on a daily basis. Twice.

All I can see is the removed sandbags and cleaning the roadsides (~1month ago), and some fixes&repairings on the old weak red-bricked border, partially damaged by the waters.

So far is nothing more than just this.

Even the DM's traffic exits are not yet repaired, and everyone have to "jump-jump-jump" on the failed, damaged part of the Viphavadee rd.

Once again: I am passing that twice a day. F.uck Google - ask me!!

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SPECIAL REPORT

Passengers give top marks to Don Mueang restart

Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Passengers at Don Mueang Airport were happy with its trouble-free reopening yesterday after its temporary closure during last year's flood crisis.

According to a survey by The Nation, only budget airline Nok Air was in operation at the airport. Passengers said they found the service convenient.

Security guards said there had been no disruption since the early-morning opening. Passenger traffic flowed well and the air-conditioners kept the building comfortable.

Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer of Nok Air, said on Monday that the airline was ready to resume 80 flights at Don Mueang Airport as usual. Reopening of only two routes was to be delayed. On the same day, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presided over the airport's reopening.

Yesterday, the first flight took off at 6am, headed to Udon Thani, and the last one was at 8pm, travelling to Chiang Mai.

A man headed for Ubon Ratchathani said his flight was to take off at 6pm, but he came early because he was not sure how efficient the service would be on the first day of the reopening.

Two lecturers who hold PhDs and teach environmental health at Rajabhat Ubon Ratchathani University were somewhat worried about the airport's cleanliness, especially the air-conditioners, after the flood. They said some bacteria might be lurking on the floor or somewhere if disinfecting had been inadequate. Since bacteria are invisible, it can be difficult to make sure they have been eradicated.

The airport should display signs inside telling passengers that the building is kept clean according to high standards to make sure that it will not harm passengers' health, they said.

A man who declined to be named was waiting for the flight to Nan. His Nok Air flight was scheduled for 3.40pm, but was delayed to 4.20pm. Nok Air staff said the plane itself was late, and the delay was not due to the smog situation in the Northern region. Despite the delay,

overall this passenger felt OK about the airport facilities on the first day.

Nok Air staff said they had spent a week preparing to provide service for all passengers. Twelve check-in counters were opened and all staff was in high gear. Previously, only seven or eight counters were in operation.

The two lecturers, who are regular Nok Air passengers, said Don Mueang was more convenient than Suvarnabhumi Airport. Access to downtown was easier and facilities for passengers were good, and not congested. At Suvarnabhumi, Nok Air had too few check-in counters and the number of shuttle buses was limited, causing them inconvenience.

"Nok Air's operation at Suvarnabhumi looked like a son of the second wife,'' one of them said.

When asked whether Bangkok should have two airports or just one, most people said the separate airport was a good idea. They felt it was more convenient and easier to get transport to downtown.

-- The Nation 2012-03-07

[Johnice]

Now with 2 airports open and the Don obviously handling the domestic low cost airlines, what happens if one arrives at The Sewer and you are booked on Nok to Chiang Mai? Do you have to find your own way to Don? Just curious.

[chrisinth]

Now with 2 airports open and the Don obviously handling the domestic low cost airlines, what happens if one arrives at The Sewer and you are booked on Nok to Chiang Mai? Do you have to find your own way to Don? Just curious.

I think so as I don't believe Nok are affiliated to any international carrier (may be wrong here). I believe there is still a bus service between the two, and the taxi service between them is painless as long as you use the tollway

[GentlemanJim]

Now with 2 airports open and the Don obviously handling the domestic low cost airlines, what happens if one arrives at The Sewer and you are booked on Nok to Chiang Mai? Do you have to find your own way to Don? Just curious.

Yep, just get in a taxi. Depending on your destination of course there are domestic flights to many locations from the main airport.

[sirchai]

The airport director insisted that all service systems of Don Mueang Airport are according to universal standard.

C'mon....that's nout enough! Why not "World Class Standard?"