Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport Ready To Buzz With Activity

[webfact]

Don Mueang ready to buzz with activity

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

THE NATION

File photo. Source: wikimedia

BANGKOK: -- AirAsia's move to Don Mueang seen as good news, but doubts remain over AOT plan. Low-cost airline Thai AirAsia's recently announced plan to relocate to Don Mueang Airport from Suvarnabhumi does not come as a surprise. As of October 1, the airline is expected to make the old airport buzz again with its 160 daily flights.

Chief executive officer Tassapon Bijleveld said he spent two months discussing the relocation plan with Airports of Thailand (AOT), because it is a huge move that will cost a great deal. So far, it is apparent now that Suvarnabhumi will be its permanent base.

It appears that everyone involved is happy with this development. AOT is happy because AirAsia's move helps bring it one step closer to turning Don Mueang into a hub for low-cost carriers while reducing congestion at Suvarnabhumi. As well, local passengers have welcomed the decision because Don Mueang is convenient to access from central Bangkok.

However, this momentary happiness hides some possible problems. Some local passengers have raised concerns over logistical connections between Bangkok's two airports. How will AOT provide effective and punctual transport facilities between the two? Of course, many of the travellers who will use Don Mueang are point-to-point, but there are many as well who use the low-cost carriers to connect with other flights. They will need timely service to Suvarnabhumi to make their journey smooth.

MORE BUDGET CARRIERS WOOED

AOT has been asked to prepare this service before it is too late. Currently, it has time to do so because the number of passengers remains small. In 2011, there were a total of 40,903 flights at Don Mueang, mostly Nok Air and Orient Thai, and 3.4 million passengers.

But the airport can accommodate 36.5 million passengers, and AOT will be in talks with 14 low-cost airlines, mainly foreign, to persuade them to use Don Mueang as their operational base. If successful, that will mean a rapid increase in passenger numbers.

Unequal treatment of airlines flying from Don Mueang will also be problematic. Flying Officer Anirut Thanomkulbutra, AOT's president, said it was clear that the incentives to be launched would be given only to those airlines shifting their operations from Suvarnabhumi. That doesn't sit well with Nok Air, which was already based in Don Mueang. Its CEO Patee Sarasin wants equal treatment on incentives; doing otherwise would lead to unfair competition. He is in talks with AOT to ask for such discounts on fees.

Under the current plan, AOT has offered incentives to persuade low-cost airlines to relocate from Suvarnabhumi to reduce congestion. The incentives begin this year and run in three steps to 2015, comprising discounts of 10-30 per cent on landing and parking fees, office and land rental, and check-in counters.

But in fact, AOT should thank Nok Air for helping rebuild confidence in Don Mueang after last year's flood crisis. The airport was temporarily closed and resumed operations in March this year. Nok Air restarted its 80 daily flights on March 6. Without Nok Air, Don Mueang would be left empty.

After October 1, a closer look will be needed to see if the airport can regain its previous international reputation as one of Asia's important hubs.

-- The Nation 2012-07-09

[tartempion]

Am I the only one to be convinced that running TWO airports comes cheaper than running just ONE?

No doubt it is also MORE convenient for passengers to run from airport A to airport B to catch a connecting flight than boarding a plane at the same airport.

Then WHY don't Thai Airways domestic flights move to DM also? Lack of consistency?

OK, I do understand Bangkok airports capacity will increase overnight to 45+36.5 million passengers =81.5 million.

Edited July 9, 2012 by tartempion

[Moruya]

There are no policies. Its like watching children's football.

[sawati]

Playing politics...nothing more than political games...

[Lakegeneve]

Am I the only one to be convinced that running TWO airports comes cheaper than running just ONE?

No doubt it is also MORE convenient for passengers to run from airport A to airport B to catch a connecting flight than boarding a plane at the same airport.

Then WHY don't Thai Airways domestic flights move to DM also? Lack of consistency?

OK, I do understand Bangkok airports capacity will increase overnight to 45+36.5 million passengers =81.5 million.

I think that you are seemingly missing something here as I can't imagine you would propose that TG move their domestic flights to DMK! That would patently be absurd. It seems that you may be misunderstanding that DMK will remain a domestic airport which it WILL NOT.

What would be the sense of moving TG domestic flights to DMK when many TG pax have TG international and domestic connections??? It would just be a patently absurd to move FD(Air Asia) domestic flights to DMK while keeping international flights at BKK!

All Air Asia flights are moving to DMK which again be will be an international airport. Most Air Asia pax are point to point but for those transferring within AA they connect at the same airport (DMK) as they currently do at BKK. For the very few pax travelling on a full service airline and transferring to a LCC airline flight at DMK, they'll need anywhere between 20-30mins (off peak) or 1hrish(peak) in a taxi. Or if they have time and want to save money they can take a public bus or a combo of the airport train and bus/taxi.

In the future the ARL will be extended from Phayatahi to Bang Sue and DMK.

Granted the last 4 govts have changed the airport policy 2 times so a large degree of this poor policy planning and poor implementation has been due to the political instability since 2006 affecting forward planning.

Moving LCCs to DMK makes a lot of sense given capacity issues at BKK and that delayed Phase 2 expansion has just been contracted and won't be complete until 2018 (60m pax capacity then). BKK is big enough to handle two airports and in a 1-2 years time no one will have any fuss.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Lakegeneve

[EyesWideOpen]

The two airport idea would work fine if there was a high speed light rail connecting the two airports. But having large numbers of transferring passengers being at the mercy of the taxi mafia is NOT going to work.

[LuckyLew]

I can see how the moving of budget airlines wold seem like a big inconvenience to many

People fly to Swampy then have to transfer to get forwarding flight to other destinations in Thailand

Personally, I would not want to fly for 10-12 hours on an overnight flight, land at Swanpy, then

have to travel for 1-1.5 hours to get air asia flight to phuket or krabi

I can see how Thai Airways flights within Thailand will see their capacity increase ... not doubt

so will their prices as that is the Thai way.

On another note. THe are setting all the budget airlines to fly out of one of the Internaitonal

terminals they used to use at Don Muang. It is all ready to go and all is nice and clean with a

few stores and restaurants all ready in operation. Flew out yesterday to UBON and it was

clean and easy

[clinique]

The ongoing airport saga is a joke, on again off again attempts to locate some airlines at Don Muang.

Hope thye have fixed the potential flood problem ?

I do have to say that the nation reporting is abysmal, who edits this c**p. Or is it a translation from Thai using google translate???

[Nisa]

Well the very few people who will need to connect simply will need to make sure they allow enough time between connections. Not that difficult to have buses running every hour.

[pac4155]

"AOT has been asked to prepare this service before it is too late. Currently, it has time to do so because the number of passengers remains small. In 2011, there were a total of 40,903 flights at Don Mueang, mostly Nok Air and Orient Thai, and 3.4 million passengers.

But the airport can accommodate 36.5 million passengers, and AOT will be in talks with 14 low-cost airlines, mainly foreign, to persuade them to use Don Mueang as their operational base. If successful, that will mean a rapid increase in passenger numbers."

Will the local infrastructure be able to take a ten-fold increase in passenger numbers? Congested roads around DMK will only add to BKK's already over-stretched highways. Also if planes can't get a landing slot at Swampy, people will miss their connections at DMK. Will buses be laid on by the airlines? Too many questions, not nearly enough good answers.

[Colabamumbai]

A big problem booking online is that the airline and or flight does not say what airport that it departs from.

I find it necessary to call and ask Swampy or Don Muang. This should not be necessary. All flights should state airport of departure.

[Nisa]

A big problem booking online is that the airline and or flight does not say what airport that it departs from.

I find it necessary to call and ask Swampy or Don Muang. This should not be necessary. All flights should state airport of departure.

What airline or service are you using? I have never seen this and in fact have to specify which airport I want to depart and arrive.

[mmail2you]

I still don't beleive this is a good solution especially as there is no infrstructure plan for logistics between the 2 airports

[ginjag]

Nisa, 'Well the very FEW people who need to connect" How do you come up with this ??? Air Asia will stop using BKK end Sept, up till then all passengers are connecting, that's why they flew Air asia.

Many pasengers will drop off from Air Asia starting September, because they HAVE to go to D.M. NOK and Orient still do have many who connect. Chiang Mai-Udon-Ubon-and the rest, you say very few need to connect ?? if not where the hell do you think they go-shopping ???

[taichiplanet]

an amazing co-incidence that a couple of weeks after announcing that low-budget airlines would move to DM, ThaiSmiles (the new Thai Air budget airline) goes operational out of Swampy!

Anyway, as Swampy's runway is falling apart and probably will only get worse, i'd rather fly out of DM!

[PETERTHEEATER]

The low cost carriers are retrofitting their fleets with water float landing gear as I speak

[ginjag]

Petertheeater, Are you daring to say you do not trust the P.M.s words---No flooding this time around,--A three meter bank to be built around D.M.-with chair-taxi-bus lifts installed. dry for sure--and then later all the airport will be land filled to a depth of 3 meters, the lifts removed and ramps built up to the new hight. Hows that for rubbish Ha.

[bkk_mike]

Nok Air will probably announce their transfer to Suvarnabhumi shortly. (As a bargaining ploy to get the same treatment as the other airlines). What's the betting they end up having to actually move before AOT will let them get the discounts.

I am wondering about the capacity constraints too... - Heathrow can handle 69m passengers a year on two runways at the moment, yet Suvarnabhumi, essentially a brand new airport, is going to be restricted to 60m even after their proposed phase 2 changes.

[ginjag]

Just to make a point, If this as stated by AOT and some misguided posters that these faults are small and only routine, lets compare how many times D.M. is out of action over 30 years say (my time here) through having runway problems ??? Please do NOT post back about the Floods, is D.M. routine repair bill the same, ????? are there fears on landing and taking off ??? future of D.M.s lasting well built runway---I'd bet my wellies Swampy is going to be in international news soon, and will surely have grave happenings if it is not seen to properly, bodging like the road repairs is NO GOOD.

[colinscarr]

1. Total passengers to/from Bangkok (all airports) will not suddenly increase because some flights are being moved from one airport to the other. So the TOTAL ground traffic to/from central Bangkok will not surge. Before 2006, DMK WAS the airport for Bangkok, and while the roads were busy, it you took the tollway, getting to central Bangkok was not difficult.

2. The low cost carriers all operate, according to their conditions of carriage, as point to point carriers only. They do not promise to hold or rebook connections, even if their own late running service causes you to miss a connection. BUT, with the above caveat, there will be plenty of international to domestic & domestic to international connections at DMK using Air Asia alone. If all the foreign LCCs move to DMK, it will be a pretty impressive hub [sorreee ;-) ] for regional flights, though not long hauls to N America, Europe, Australasia.

3. It would be stupid for THAI to move their domestic flights to DMK as it would cut off their connecting passengers from their flights to CNX HKT etc. Remember, as a 'full service' operator, THAI take care of you if you miss a connection. Also, it would be an operational nightmare.

4. Yes there will be a growing demand for surface transport between the two airports, but we are not talking huge numbers of passengers.

5. AOT's treatment of NokAir is shameful!

6 DMK plus Swampy will have a total capacity of about 95 million pax/year when Swampy Stage two is complete.

[Thai at Heart]

So far, it is apparent now that Suvarnabhumi will be its permanent base.

Just to absolutely throw enormous confusion into the entire story.

Proof reader anywhere?

[ginjag]

Colinscarr, Fair post, but number 4, I do question. There will be a vast amount of between airport traffic when all the carriers are in place, it will be busy enough with Air asia connections.

Another point, if Thai pick up Air Asias customers, how are they going to get them AND their own to Swampy, they will need 6 extra planes from Udon alone. they are nearly broke, who is going to lend them money ??? will they lease Air Asia jets.

[nisakiman]

Not that difficult to have buses running every hour.

This is the obvious transit solution, and the cheapest and easiest. Some improvements to the road system between the two airports and a regular shuttle bus service would make it a relatively painless process to move from one airport to the other.

But of course, the most important question is - will the German microbrewery re-open at DM?

[Fozfromoz]

Just to make a point, If this as stated by AOT and some misguided posters that these faults are small and only routine, lets compare how many times D.M. is out of action over 30 years say (my time here) through having runway problems ??? Please do NOT post back about the Floods, is D.M. routine repair bill the same, ????? are there fears on landing and taking off ??? future of D.M.s lasting well built runway---I'd bet my wellies Swampy is going to be in international news soon, and will surely have grave happenings if it is not seen to properly, bodging like the road repairs is NO GOOD.

Good point.

I wonder what data is available on the operational serviceability of DM over 20-30 Years. I would reckon it stacks up pretty good, even considering the worst flood known last Year.

[Nisa]

Colinscarr, Fair post, but number 4, I do question. There will be a vast amount of between airport traffic when all the carriers are in place, it will be busy enough with Air asia connections.

Another point, if Thai pick up Air Asias customers, how are they going to get them AND their own to Swampy, they will need 6 extra planes from Udon alone. they are nearly broke, who is going to lend them money ??? will they lease Air Asia jets.

Maybe you should contact the President's of these airlines because clearly you know more than they do about the passengers they will lose & become overwhelmed with as well as all the added expenses they are taking on. And while your writing these emails or making these calls be sure to contact AOT too whom you are also more informed too.

Bottom line is this is a good thing but like just about all things be they improvements or problems, don't let that stop the whining, complaining and looking for clouds in silver linings.

BKK is overcapacity in large part because of the large increase in international visitors (oh, don't forget to call TAT too about their incompetence) and moving the point-to-point discount airlines there is kind of a no brainier. Even when the next expansion is complete, there is a good chance capacity will once again be reached.

Lets not pretend getting from DM to BKK is some huge obstacle even if they don't add buses. NOK Air has been operating from there for a long while and people have managed to deal with it. There won't be some overwhelming influx of traffic causing the redesign of highways and adding of lanes ... life will go on and nobody taking the roads will even notice the impact of the added taxis and buses.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Nisa

[h90]

Am I the only one to be convinced that running TWO airports comes cheaper than running just ONE?

No doubt it is also MORE convenient for passengers to run from airport A to airport B to catch a connecting flight than boarding a plane at the same airport.

Then WHY don't Thai Airways domestic flights move to DM also? Lack of consistency?

OK, I do understand Bangkok airports capacity will increase overnight to 45+36.5 million passengers =81.5 million.

The first thing I can explain you:

The Suvanabhumi airport is so full of corruption and mismanagment. That 2 airports from which one is managed OK is cheaper than expanding the badly managed one.

[ginjag]

Thanks for those few kind words Nisa, picking up brownie points again from those who do NOT envisage problems. Back off -you have your loyalty to Thai to think about, so be it.

I am not anti Thai, I bash TAT, because of their announcements and figures, I bash AOT for their neglect and blindfolded attitude to dangerous situations-Swampy.I bash the Taksin admin-greed for getting us into this airport mess. I love D.M. and it's feel on arrival-exitement, departure -sorrow.

Swampy is overstretched BECAUSE for the money it cost it should have a long life-runways-constuction-and also capacity numbers.

You always come crashing back with people being uninformed--but did remark earlier that FEW passengers will be affected by the move-Which was posted without thought-now why not discuss the problems faced--and the ways out of them rather than trying to be clever. Yes you said we have to have a rapid service between airports--hopefully IN TIME. Fears about the system I would call my points--NOT Hating Thailand -so please see others doubts. examine your own posts please before slagging others off.

[tw25rw]

Not that difficult to have buses running every hour.

This is the obvious transit solution, and the cheapest and easiest. Some improvements to the road system between the two airports and a regular shuttle bus service would make it a relatively painless process to move from one airport to the other.

I think it would but would need to be a lot more frequent than hourly and they might need to have a dedicated bus lane on the freeway. They should also consider having check in desks at BKK so transferring passengers don't have to lug their bags onto the bus.

Alternatively, I suppose they could run a shuttle from DMK to Makkasan station to meet the train from BKK. There looks to be enough space for buses, but I don't know how well they could transfer to the freeway.

[Thai at Heart]

Basically impossible to connect reliably in less than 4 hours. Done it many times when kkc flights were only at dmk. Traveling meant u needed to land at svb at 2.30 to be able to connect at 6pm.

Was an absolute pain traversing Bangkok with a deadline.

[ginjag]

Tw25rw, Good points, along with Thai at heart, It needs a solid foolproof plan, immediate action now and get on with the quickest-safest way-hassle free-from D.M.-Swampy-and return. We know there is a mega problem hinting all will be o.k.-or it won't be busy is not good enough. I along with all future passengers, and farangs in Thailand wish for the best---even if it means being grumpy old sexpats-beer swillers-haters of Thai as some posters think.