Low Cost Airlines And Domestic Flights To Move To Don Mueang Airport

[airconsult]

Notice Air Asia said "Opening for International Flights is a requirement".

That's the stopper right there. There has been no immigration offices or processing at the Don for a few years now. So... 1 year for Royal Thai Customs to investigate and prepare a budget, 6 months (min) to get it approved, 12 more months for equipment selection and installation (that's roughly 600 meetings so far - not joking), recruitment/training for additional staff. Then there's the goodies AoT probably haven't counted yet. Replacement enhanced baggage and passenger screening equipment needed (the old stuff is worthless now), security checks, IATA review of security checks to recertify for Intl. passenger operations, and on, and on and on.

I think it should be ready for normal (not charter) intl passenger operations in 2015 - by which time *some* of the new facilities will be opening at Suvarnabhumi.

It should be done anyway, as while the growth at swampy was almost right on the money per the estimate, unfortunately the troubles since 2006 put the already planned expansions on hold for 5 years while various governments debated it. (See Interim govt suspending plans for review, TRT not resuming, Democrats calling for third runway construction to be delayed/re-examined). Of course, the various Govts were not the only reason for delays, the 5 extra years has allowed AoT (with their extremely high charges as someone noted) to save their pennies until now they can fully-fund the expansions instead of another Japanese loan. Unless of course they drain the piggy bank cross-funding the Don?

Cheers

Edited June 20, 2012 by airconsult

[lujanit]

If this means that the so called low cost air line Air Asia which is total crap in both service and cost suffers move them now. I will never fly with them again! Utter rubbish

[soidog52]

Seems quite short sighted considering they've announced no transport infrastructure in place to connect people for transfers between the airports. As if Bangkok needs another million passengers on the road each year clogging up the roads doing a Suvarnabhumi -> Don Mueang transfer! They desperately need a rail link. Is such a thing even possible though?

Sure. Absolutely they have a rail link between the Don and downtown....oh wait....that's right, they started it and built all the concrete platforms and structure and then decided to stop since Swampy was to be the main airport. Decided that the billions of baht already spent should be wasted since Swampy was the real deal. Hmmmm, I wonder what kind of shape all that concrete infrastructure is in?

Might want to check the history on the Hopewell Project. It was done way, way before the move to Swampy. The "new" airport had nothing to do with the stopping of Hopewell.

Looking forward to being able to fly internationally and domestically from DMK again.

[alant]

Seems quite short sighted considering they've announced no transport infrastructure in place to connect people for transfers between the airports.

They will most likely promote the airport transportation system that Thaksin said was good enough for Suvarnabhumi, taxis.

I can already hear the Minister of Transportaion, "We don't need no stinking rail line.".

Is that a comment on the ministers English?

[kjun12]

The worst is coming. What a bad decision. Time to sale my house, move definitively to Chiang Mai and never come back to BKK.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass as you leave.

[Debothai]

Dedicated Shuttle buses and a future rail link between the two airports will be a solution to this problem. Also automatic baggage transfers. This can be done, and Suvarnabhumi can be relieved of the additional traffic.

[bangkokbruce]

Anyone that has lived here for at least 6 years shouldnt be surprised, Swampy was doomed before it even opened. It can't even handle the international flight load let alone domestic flights. Built on a rice paddy using sub standard rock base under the flight lines and taxi ways made it a failure from day one. They should have just made it into the Mega Bangna Mall...oh, but then that would have pissed off King Power thieves. You can expect structural catastrophies next in the building when it starts sinking and glass will be falling eveywhere. And they are so proud

[hansnl]

For every person inconvenienced by this move (if/when it happens) there will be another who welcomes it. The real story here is that Suwannaphum, planned and promoted as a single airport for Bangkok, clearly is already having trouble performing that role, never mind five or ten years into the future.

What is more, never DM should have closed.

In fact the capacity of Swampy is not really much bigger as DM.

So anybody in his right mind should have decided to close down the old airport.

What is wrong with a capital this big to having two airports?

Anyway, what must be done very, very fast, is opening a good connection between teh two airports, be it train or bus.

However, a connection can be realised within 6-7 months, using the existing railway lines and making an extension from the existing Eastern line to Swampy

Oh well......

[IsaanUSA]

Who in their right mind takes Air Asia and transfers to an international flight? When Air Asia is delayed, or cancels a flight or if something goes wrong, that's it. The Pax is on his/her own.

BINGO. Nail on the head.

And boys and girls, how often are Air Asia flights delayed? All the time.

[geriatrickid]

Anyone that has lived here for at least 6 years shouldnt be surprised, Swampy was doomed before it even opened. It can't even handle the international flight load let alone domestic flights. Built on a rice paddy using sub standard rock base under the flight lines and taxi ways made it a failure from day one. They should have just made it into the Mega Bangna Mall...oh, but then that would have pissed off King Power thieves. You can expect structural catastrophies next in the building when it starts sinking and glass will be falling eveywhere. And they are so proud

How is it a failure? It moves tens of millions of pax and oins of cargo every year without any serious incidents. Any airport with the heavy traffic that BKK receives is going to have wear and tear. Runways need maintenance. On any given day there are in excess of 800 passenger flights landing or taking off. That's alot of traffic.

The funny thing about this is that the airport was called too big when it opened. There would never be enough passenger traffic was the complaint back then,

[cutter007]

Look at the voting 22 v 65 at the moment - and then please provide just one good reason having domestic in one airport and international in another - beside the personal preferences.

How about the best reason of them all? To reduce congestion at Suvarnabhumi.

Hopefully enough traffic is moved to Don Mueang so that the arriving airplanes can park at the jetways and we don't have to ride those silly busses to the terminal anymore.

I mean come on. You guys complain every single day about how terrible "swampy" is and then when the cabinet votes to move traffic over to DM you guys have an even bigger hissy fit. There's no pleasing you guys at all. Unbelievable.

Everyone knows suvarnabhumi is over congested because of incompetence of airport management.

Not because of the size of the airport.

Build another runway and hire people to work at all the empty desks and suvarnBhumi could handle

another 15 million more with no problem at all.

Best example was immigration, complaints were bad for weeks, then they finally put more officers on duty.

Problem solved!

[brianb1944]

Look at the voting 22 v 65 at the moment - and then please provide just one good reason having domestic in one airport and international in another - beside the personal preferences.

How about the best reason of them all? To reduce congestion at Suvarnabhumi.

Hopefully enough traffic is moved to Don Mueang so that the arriving airplanes can park at the jetways and we don't have to ride those silly busses to the terminal anymore.

I mean come on. You guys complain every single day about how terrible "swampy" is and then when the cabinet votes to move traffic over to DM you guys have an even bigger hissy fit. There's no pleasing you guys at all. Unbelievable.

Everyone knows suvarnabhumi is over congested because of incompetence of airport management.

Not because of the size of the airport.

Build another runway and hire people to work at all the empty desks and suvarnBhumi could handle

another 15 million more with no problem at all.

Best example was immigration, complaints were bad for weeks, then they finally put more officers on duty.

Problem solved!

Wasnt solved a week ago when, after staying in a holding pattern for 30 minutes due to no available runway, spent 30 minutes in a generic immigration queue before getting to a specific immigration queue where it took another 30 minutes to get processed. As a result of which, missed connecting flight, and arrived home 4 hours late.

[notime]

And Let the Games Begin; more time stuck in BKK, more money flowing thru BKK, what a great deal for the city

Wrong:

Piss off the travelers!

Less travelers!

Less money for Thailand!

Wrong Maseratimartin! The little Thai massage lady is such a freaking magnet Thailand doesn't need to worry about lack of foreign travelers. And since no news is bad news these crazy days even if they reported horrible traffic jams of travelers stranded between the Bangkok airports, MORE of them will travel to Thailand to see with their own eyes if the jams are really as bad as described :-)

[ginjag]

Geriatrickid,IssanUSA. Agreeing with each other for what??? I fly Air Asia Udon-Swampy, What <deleted> delays ?? their record is better than Thai, that is why they are the biggest, and cheapest and newest planes. You condone near-anything Thai-whatever wrong. Defending an airport that has a sorry record of problems (for a HUB) and mafia connections-like K.Power-rip off duty free--never duty free.

Traffic at Swampy is big-agree, it has to be for it's size and cost. Wear and tear-I agree BUT BUT in 6 Years never -have to have had cheap charlie foundations from the onset, and scandles from day 1. I would love to have a smile about the efficiency but it would be a lie. Sorry but again instead of bashing when things are not right you persist on a rosy picture. Strange !!!!!!

[Jimjim]

This would be a lot easier if they had connected both airports to each other with the rail link in the first place, no?

Isn't that the plan in the long run? For that elevated train to connect both airports?

Edited June 20, 2012 by Jimjim

[garrya]

This would be a lot easier if they had connected both airports to each other with the rail link in the first place, no?

Isn't that the plan in the long run? For that elevated train to connect both airports?

It is too obvious to build it. As we are talking about Thailand it might not get too much attention as the taxi crooks, touts or the excellent Airport link need more attention.

Anyway, does anyone know how long it takes to get from DM to Swampy in peak time. I guess around 2-2,5 hours.

Edited June 20, 2012 by garrya

[Jimmu]

When will you wingers realise that this country doesn't make her policies for the convenience of few Farang? To Thais who live here it's not going to make much difference. When they fly to visit family or on a business trip to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani or Suratthani they are going to go to Don Muang. When they go on international excursion or when their kids leave for an overseas study they are going to go to Suvarnabhumi. No big deal. Of course those Farang who need to change flights from international to domestic or vice versa are going to be inconvenienced. But nobody cares about them here. If they have to spend extra money for transportation between airports or for an overnight stay it's good for the local economy. They still are going to come no matter how many airports they will need to use. Look at London. It has about 5 airports and where are the complains about the distance between them, the loss of travel time, the cost of connecting? So, why Bangkok cannot have two? Yes, it would be easier to have just one big hub airport for all flights. Yes, they probably screwed up the design of SB if it's too small just few years after opening but having the old airport sitting there, gathering dust doesn't look like a bright idea to me either.

I agree! Some people seem to think that the world should be designed around and for them. I have flown domestically to Heathrow to fly out Internationally and vice-versa and it has, on occasion, taken two or three times longer to go through all the procedures/hassle there than it would take to go from the Don to Swampy. Also, the alternative cross town choice in London, you must add the costs and time of transferring , say, from Heathrow to Stansted or Luton, etc. I don't really see the point of all the angst and teeth-knashing with regard a trip between the Bangkok airports at the time and costs involved here.

[ginjag]

The wingers maybe people who live here, and speak their mind, BUT consider how many non Thai use the airports ?? without the winging foreigners you would only need Sattahip size airport.

Thailand has to make a decision about whether it wants business or not. If it has to split airports fine but before you do you put infrastructure in place. Biggest problem here is a 6 year old airport -an over cost building reaked in scams from day 1, a Thaksin flag (money)ship. Pity it wasn't built on a non corrupt basis with 20 years ahead planning rather than 6 years. Taking care of Tourists in general is a joke, it's grab and run, again with not forward vision. Hit and run Thai-in most areas. Care to name any areas where this is not happening. I have stated from the onset --Kicking the air force out of Don Mueang, using then it all for passengers. airport built just for military......But my brain is old and Thai government thinks clearer than me !!!!

[Jimmu]

The wingers maybe people who live here, and speak their mind, BUT consider how many non Thai use the airports ?? without the winging foreigners you would only need Sattahip size airport.

Thailand has to make a decision about whether it wants business or not. If it has to split airports fine but before you do you put infrastructure in place. Biggest problem here is a 6 year old airport -an over cost building reaked in scams from day 1, a Thaksin flag (money)ship. Pity it wasn't built on a non corrupt basis with 20 years ahead planning rather than 6 years. Taking care of Tourists in general is a joke, it's grab and run, again with not forward vision. Hit and run Thai-in most areas. Care to name any areas where this is not happening. I have stated from the onset --Kicking the air force out of Don Mueang, using then it all for passengers. airport built just for military......But my brain is old and Thai government thinks clearer than me !!!!

It took around 41 years of planning to fruition.

[PattayaParent]

If one uses Air Asia from Chiang Mai to Bangkok with a connecting flight with them or another carrier to another country Air Asia can sit back and watch their sales plummet. Hmmm,,,,. perhaps that was the end game.

It won't affect Air Asia internal flights connecting to Air Asia international flights as both services will be at the same airport.

It might even increase sales of Air Asia international flights for passengers that don't want the hassle of travelling over to Swampy to use another airline.

[PattayaParent]

I was always fond of the place. Lots and lots of memories. I am glad it is making something of a comeback.Thailand for me has somehow never been quite the same since Suvarnaphumi opened. It is all in the mind I know, but still....

Me too, I loved DM.

Hope they will re-open the BrewHouse pub there now!

[Kripe]

I have just recieved the following from Thai airways:

Dear Mr.Petersen,

According to the government policy planning to migrate some of the airline's operation (e.g Air Asia, NOK Air) to Donmuang airport from Suvarnabhumi (BKK), this is still not affected THAI's own operation both domestic and international flights to/from city of Bangkok at all. THAI has run its own flight operation at Suvarnabhumi and still since we are considered as National Premium airline. Hence, you are recommended to follow THAI at www.thaiairways.com for further information or any alteration if any.

More query, feel free to contact THAI offices worldwide by visit http://www.thaiair.com/AIP_WOA/OfficeQuery or simply call THAI contact centre at 66-2-356-1111, 24hrs service.

Thank you for choosing THAI as your carrier.

Sawasdee

[PattayaParent]

Look at the voting 22 v 65 at the moment - and then please provide just one good reason having domestic in one airport and international in another - beside the personal preferences.

They're not.

It says they are moving the international low cost carriers to DM and the internal flights.

So international AND domestic will be in the same airport, just not in Swampy.

[arch77778]

Extend the Skytrain line to DM airport.

[PattayaParent]

What a mess!

I can already see ten-thousands of people miss their flights for the first 2-3 years until everyone is informed.

Informed of what? Who books tickets without knowing what airport they are leaving or arriving? Large cities all over the world have multiple airports.

I am however curious about people that have already booked tickets for after August or are still booking them with airlines that may move later in the year.

Could be me.

One post says Air Asia plan to move in August so I could be flying out from Swampy in July and arriving back at DM in August and have to get over to Swampy to get my car which will be in their car park!

Edited June 20, 2012 by PattayaParent

[ginjag]

Smug Thai talking about they're the"premium" carrier, Wouldn't it be lovely if Air asia did a long haul to Manchester, example (please) or if Emirates/Ethidad moved to D.Muaeng then Thai Airways would start spitting blood. Don Muaeng would be big time again. Good luck Air Asia, but get European flights started ---you will have a fantastic market, Manchester-Frankfurt-Amsterdam-Paris.

[blazes]

Smug Thai talking about they're the"premium" carrier, Wouldn't it be lovely if Air asia did a long haul to Manchester, example (please) or if Emirates/Ethidad moved to D.Muaeng then Thai Airways would start spitting blood. Don Muaeng would be big time again. Good luck Air Asia, but get European flights started ---you will have a fantastic market, Manchester-Frankfurt-Amsterdam-Paris.

What planes would they be using? Fokkers?

[Nigel1500]

Look, it might be inconvenient, but in the 21st century we just can't afford to let assets like an airport waste away because they're abandoned. The mistake was building the second airport without a rapid rail link to the BKK CBD and Don Muang.

[IsaanUSA]

Geriatrickid,IssanUSA. Agreeing with each other for what??? I fly Air Asia Udon-Swampy, What <deleted> delays ?? their record is better than Thai, that is why they are the biggest, and cheapest and newest planes. You condone near-anything Thai-whatever wrong. Defending an airport that has a sorry record of problems (for a HUB) and mafia connections-like K.Power-rip off duty free--never duty free.

Traffic at Swampy is big-agree, it has to be for it's size and cost. Wear and tear-I agree BUT BUT in 6 Years never -have to have had cheap charlie foundations from the onset, and scandles from day 1. I would love to have a smile about the efficiency but it would be a lie. Sorry but again instead of bashing when things are not right you persist on a rosy picture. Strange !!!!!!

I'm not bashing the airports or the decision. I'm bashing the complainers in this thread! I know it's not ThaiVisa's fault, but this website does attract a lot of complainers. So I'll complain about the complainers

[ironhut]

Seems quite short sighted considering they've announced no transport infrastructure in place to connect people for transfers between the airports. As if Bangkok needs another million passengers on the road each year clogging up the roads doing a Suvarnabhumi -> Don Mueang transfer! They desperately need a rail link. Is such a thing even possible though?

Sure. Absolutely they have a rail link between the Don and downtown....oh wait....that's right, they started it and built all the concrete platforms and structure and then decided to stop since Swampy was to be the main airport. Decided that the billions of baht already spent should be wasted since Swampy was the real deal. Hmmmm, I wonder what kind of shape all that concrete infrastructure is in?

Might want to check the history on the Hopewell Project. It was done way, way before the move to Swampy. The "new" airport had nothing to do with the stopping of Hopewell.

Looking forward to being able to fly internationally and domestically from DMK again.

Yes, I am very familiar with the Hopewell Project. It was started without clear goals other than provide a link between the Don and downtown.

The Asian financial crisis in 1997 led to cease of construction with the eventual plug being pulled in 1998. Cost estimates for what had been completed are over 500M USD.

What most don't know is that a group of people finally organized for a new international airport in 1996 (NBIA or New Bangkok International Airport company) and subsequently reclaimed marshland east of downtown (ie: Swampy). Construction would have began in late 1990's if not for Asian financial crisis...which is what seemingly also halted the Hopewell Project. Construction on Swampy "officially" began in 2002 and was led by Thaksin...although many realize the idea and planning were well underway in the mid '90s.

Do you actually believe the Hopewell Project was stopped because of the Asian Financial Crisis? Well, maybe...at least that's the excuse they are using. The real reason the Hopewell Project was allowed to fizzle and never continue after the financial crisis is because the new international airport was underway and designated east of the city. The controlling families in Thailand knew it.....and so did those who allowed the Hopewell Project to disband. Although there was over 500M USD sunk into the project, there was no reason to continue the project when a brand new international airport was destiny for Bangkok.