Bangkok: Unclear Airport Policy Taking A Toll

[webfact]

Unclear airport policy taking a toll

BUSINESS DESK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The government's indecision over whether Bangkok should have one or two airports has caused vast economic losses for the country, longer waits in the air for passengers, and possibly unfair treatment for rival airlines providing services at the old Don Mueang Airport.

Due to the lack of a clear policy, Suvarnabhumi Airport's Phase 2 expansion project has been delayed from last year. It was designed to be the city's only airport when it opened in late 2006.

Don Mueang at that time was to become an aircraft-repair centre. The Phase 2 project, which got Cabinet approval just last month, is being studied by a project adviser. Construction is most likely to start next year.

(click for larger image)

Two factors that have resulted in congestion at the airport are the temporary closure of its eastern runway for repairs and the limited capacity of the control tower. In the meantime, the number of flights is mounting rapidly.

According to Airports of Thailand (AOT), Suvarnabhumi has 48 million passengers a year, while its capacity is 45 million. Moreover, the passenger figure is expected to soar to 52 million this year.

"In fact, we experience many peak-hours slots from 10am every day. The airport's two runways can handle 76 flights per hour or 1,824 flights per day. But the control tower has the capacity to handle only 60 flights per hour or 1,440 flights per day," said Somchai Sawasdeepon, director of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

However, Somchai said that closing Suvarnabhumi's eastern runway has little impact in terms of delayed flight landings, as the temporary changes only affect flights taking off.

"The main point is the larger number of flights using Suvarnabhumi Airport in addition to the limited capacity of the airport's aeronautical radio and technology," said Somchai, adding that the airport is fixing this problem.

To follow the "single" airport policy, the post-coup government in 2006 tried hard to relocate all carriers based at Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi. Without any incentives, Nok Air volunteered to stay, except during the flooding period last year, when it temporarily moved to Suvarnabhumi. Don Mueang then was almost two metres deep in floodwater. For Nok Air, Don Mueang is more suitable than Suvarnabhumi as it provides point-to-point services. However, the government wanted to make Don Mueang a centre for charter flights. The "dual" airport policy was also a non-starter as the extension line of the Airport Rail Link between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang would not be easy to accomplish in a short period.

What the government can do to wipe out the congestion problem as quickly as possible is to make some flights disappear. Even if the eastern runway repairs are completed on August 9 as scheduled, the congestion problem will remain. The best choice at this time is to relocate all low-cost carriers to Don Mueang. By doing this, it can buy time as long as the Phase 2 project is completed in 2017, enabling the airport to handle 15 million more passengers.

Thai AirAsia recently agreed to relocate its operation to Don Mueang, effective October 1. Thirteen other airlines are in talks with AOT. If successful, this would help reduce by 8 or 9 million passengers a year the load at Suvarnabhumi, according to AOT.

Based on a total of 850 flights a day at 150 flights per day ((??)) operated by Thai Air Asia, if being moved, this will help Suvarnabhumi reduce congestion by 17 per cent.With the government's relocation policy to Don Mueang, AOT was asked to offer those airlines who move big discounts of as much as 95 per cent on landing and parking fees for three months this year, and between 10-30 per cent on a sliding-scale basis from 2013-2015. The discounts are not for those who are carriers operating at Don Mueang, where Nok Air and Orient Thai airlines are operating.

Not surprisingly, the government has tried to tell the world that it manages Suvarnabhumi as a "single" airport, which is positioned as a flight hub serving full-service and connecting flights, while Don Mueang is positioned to serve low-cost carriers and point-to-point flights.

Although Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government has tried hard to resolve the airport congestion problem, this passes the suffering to other parties in one way or another.

First, AOT would lose income, though it would be compensated with possibly higher airport fees, meaning that the government is pushing this cost to passengers at a later time. Being a listed company, the firm's shareholders should not be happy with it.

Secondly, landing delays at Suvarnabhumi have caused passengers to waste at least 15 minutes in the air. Daily, about 120 flights were delayed during June 11-26, doubled from 60 flights on normal days.

Lastly, a possibly unfair situation between the newcomers and current occupants at Don Mueang looks set to begin.

-- The Nation 2012-07-09

[Skywalker69]

Swampy HUB airport.

[Moruya]

What a mess. The control tower is maxed out too?

[canopus1969]

What a mess. The control tower is maxed out too?

Takes a long time to climb down for the SomTam cart

[Payboy]

What the government can do to wipe out the congestion problem as quickly as possible is to make some flights disappear.

I've got a spare pair of Bermuda shorts that I could donate for this noble cause.

[saltandpepper]

From the OP

Thai AirAsia recently agreed to relocate its operation to Don Mueang, effective October 1. Thirteen other airlines are in talks with AOT. If successful, this would help reduce by 8 or 9 million passengers a year the load at Suvarnabhumi, according to AOT.

I am not sure if they have considered that a lot of Air Asia customers will now use Thai in order to avoid all the hassle with connections...

They surely need to revise their numbers

[OzMick]

"Somchai said that closing Suvarnabhumi's eastern runway has little impact in terms of delayed flight landings..."

Strange, AA said in an earlier thread that one of the biggest savings of the move would be on fuel not wasted while waiting for a landing slot at Swampy. At that time Somchai(?) said that the fuel saving would be due to shorter taxiways.

[Katipo]

The hub of congestion.

[khunano]

From the OP

Thai AirAsia recently agreed to relocate its operation to Don Mueang, effective October 1. Thirteen other airlines are in talks with AOT. If successful, this would help reduce by 8 or 9 million passengers a year the load at Suvarnabhumi, according to AOT.

I am not sure if they have considered that a lot of Air Asia customers will now use Thai in order to avoid all the hassle with connections...

They surely need to revise their numbers

Of course, they have, this is how you get rid of your competitors....

[belg]

why not stop the dementing visa run business? many many tourists have to leave just for a few hours to get a new stamp ... i guess they all count as high value new tourists each time

[gudtymchuk]

Thai's did not invent the wheel but have mastered the art of screwing it up.

[mozzieslapper]

From the OP

Thai AirAsia recently agreed to relocate its operation to Don Mueang, effective October 1. Thirteen other airlines are in talks with AOT. If successful, this would help reduce by 8 or 9 million passengers a year the load at Suvarnabhumi, according to AOT.

I am not sure if they have considered that a lot of Air Asia customers will now use Thai in order to avoid all the hassle with connections...

They surely need to revise their numbers

Of course, they have, this is how you get rid of your competitors....

This is what it is all about

[swillowbee]

What a mess. The control tower is maxed out too?

Takes a long time to climb down for the SomTam cart

.

... guys, guys! ... c'mon, get your priorities right!

... this is not about if Thai air traffic control works, it is all about appearances! ... Thai cultural values 101.

... jeez, don't you know that Suvarnabhumi Airport control tower is the tallest free-standing airport tower in the world ... woo-hooo!

Edited July 9, 2012 by swillowbee

[Colabamumbai]

It all makes me want to travel by ox cart.

[jaiyen]

Could somebody explain to me why the control tower can only handle 60 flights per hour. What is their problem ?

[rotary]

I vote for one airport.....but it ain't SWAMPY.

[Ohyesuare]

why not stop the dementing visa run business? many many tourists have to leave just for a few hours to get a new stamp ... i guess they all count as high value new tourists each time

I am pretty sure most travel by minivan so they would have nothing to do with the airport tourist numbers.

[ginjag]

Ohyesuare, Pretty true, but you would be suprised how many fly to reach their nearest consulate/border. example teachers and the like who travel from Chiang Mai to Nong Khai-Laos-air, and the rest of the visa runners from similar places. Unlike Bkk-Cambodia--Pattaya-Cambodia etc 2,000Bht half day.

[fareastguy]

Swampy is the 1st choice with Don Mueang becoming a natural open air water park!!

[Skywalker69]

Could somebody explain to me why the control tower can only handle 60 flights per hour. What is their problem ?

English exam from KSU?

[ginjag]

Jaiyen, control tower question, 60 per hour, DO NOT ask Yingluck, ask our lady from Burma you will get an exact answer. she will not have to make a call.

[HOOD Robin]

What a mess. The control tower is maxed out too?

Takes a long time to climb down for the SomTam cart

Maybe they can do a Tarzan-Jane boogie woogie....

Or better bring some real chimps in to get the pok pok

[Spalpeen]

This Somchai bloke doesn't seem to have much of a clue. He says that only take offs will be affected by the closure of a runway, not landings. Surely you need the same number of take offs as landings if you don't want your airport to fill up with planes.

[mic6ard]

Yep Somchai is really out of his depth. How can u say that losing 50% of your runway won't affect anything??? What an idiot.

The problem would be to those with flight connections, the CIQ peoples. How the heck are they going to connect between low cost domestics, and the larger international flights without losing at least half a day in traffic.

Would these connection includes hotel rooms to stay for the night???

Or better yet, extend the airport link to Don Muang using the old Hopewell structures.

[atyclb]

"clear airport policy" might require "clear thinking"

[rakman]

Third runway would be a good thing to have now. Maybe the new one will use lessons learned from the first two.

[trainman34014]

I love the part that says '' What the Government can do to wipe out the congestion problem as quickly as possible is to make some flights disappear '' ! Well; seems their trying to make them vanish by falling into sinkholes, and if it doesn't work they will have to find a way to make bigger holes appear.

[salty]

Bloody farangs. All their fault.

[Crushdepth]

Planning? Alai na?

[SouthernMan3]

From the OP

Thai AirAsia recently agreed to relocate its operation to Don Mueang, effective October 1. Thirteen other airlines are in talks with AOT. If successful, this would help reduce by 8 or 9 million passengers a year the load at Suvarnabhumi, according to AOT.

I am not sure if they have considered that a lot of Air Asia customers will now use Thai in order to avoid all the hassle with connections...

They surely need to revise their numbers

That is exactly what my wife just said !