Suvarnabhumi Airport Expansion

[lomatopo]

Thanks for posting.

Wow. Looks awesome.

Wish they'd have a gate or two on either end, rather than out-buildings.

The tram to the main terminal is also nice to see.

I assume this concourse (evidently "H", as seen in the graphics, ABCDEFG already being used of course) will be strictly for international flights; in the renditions it looks like some/all gates are A380-compatible? Or maybe just the four (4) on either side (total of eight) mid-concourse?

Edited May 16, 2013 by lomatopo

[whybother]

Thanks for posting.

Wow. Looks awesome.

Wish they'd have a gate or two on either end, rather than out-buildings.

The tram to the main terminal is also nice to see.

I assume this concourse (evidently "H", as seen in the graphics, ABCDEFG already being used of course) will be strictly for international flights; in the renditions it looks like some/all gates are A380-compatible? Or maybe just the four (4) on either side (total of eight) mid-concourse?

The second terminal is supposed to a low cost terminal.

The ramps out from each gate are for first/business and economy. The gates for A380s usually have 3 ramps, or if 2, one significantly higher than the other.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p171/hamadnasar/ScreenShot046.jpg

[lomatopo]

I do not think that this new concourse H at SBIA/BKK is currently planned to be a LCC terminal, either partially or in whole. While that might have been in the original plans circa 2006 it seems like the current thinking is that DMK might function as an LCC facility - some/many/most LCCs have of course already moved their ops there. I'm not certain SBIA/BKK could handle the requisite take-offs/landings per hour that including LCC type operations would entail, on just the two current runways?

In some of the renditions I've seen, and those which melrocks50 kindly posted, it does look like at least some of the gates, possibly the middle four on both the north and south sides, might be meant for A380s? A bit like they've done in SIN/T3 perhaps?

Edited May 18, 2013 by lomatopo

[whybother]

I do not think that this new concourse H at SBIA/BKK is currently planned to be a LCC terminal, either partially or in whole. While that might have been in the original plans circa 2006 it seems like the current thinking is that DMK might function as an LCC facility - some/many/most LCCs have of course already moved their ops there. I'm not certain SBIA/BKK could handle the requisite take-offs/landings per hour that including LCC type operations would entail, on just the two current runways?

In some of the renditions I've seen, and those which melrocks50 kindly posted, it does look like at least some of the gates, possibly the middle four on both the north and south sides, might be meant for A380s? A bit like they've done in SIN/T3 perhaps?

There is a third runway in some of the plans for Phase 2. http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/business_phase2_en.php (2nd last picture)

The link says that 8 of the 28 gates will be able to handle A380s, and in the picture above, the 4th plane IS an A380! But I still reckon the 6 gates you can see up until the A380 only have 2 ramps coming off them.

[lomatopo]

The problem with that "third runway" proposal is that it is too close to 19L/26R so it may not offer significant improvements, (perhaps 88 per hour vs. the current 76 per hour) in per hour arrivals and departures. It is also a bit on the short side. While that third runway was rumored to have been funded, with completion by 2018, I'm not sure it has been included in the expansion plans under discussion here?

That said, a third runway could come in handy when one or the other existing runways need to be closed for repairs.

[whybother]

The problem with that "third runway" proposal is that it is too close to 19L/26R so it may not offer significant improvements, (perhaps 88 per hour vs. the current 76 per hour) in per hour arrivals and departures. It is also a bit on the short side. While that third runway was rumored to have been funded, with completion by 2018, I'm not sure it has been included in the expansion plans under discussion here?

That said, a third runway could come in handy when one or the other existing runways need to be closed for repairs.

One runway is 4,000m. Another one is 3,700m. The planned length of the 3rd runway is 4,000m.

I'm not sure what has happened since July last year when it was reported that it was given the go ahead.

[melrocks50]

Alright, I'll clear up everything for you guys.

The new terminal is meant to be used only with A380s and 747s which are the most popular long haul aircraft in BKK

The existing terminal will probably be used with other aircraft.

[whybother]

Alright, I'll clear up everything for you guys.

The new terminal is meant to be used only with A380s and 747s which are the most popular long haul aircraft in BKK

The existing terminal will probably be used with other aircraft.

That would explain why there are only A380s and 747s in the picture above.

I think you misread where they said that 8 gates can handle A380s and the other 20 can handle 747s to mean that that is all they would handle.

[lomatopo]

I think there may be operational benefits to segregating larger aircraft (heavies, ETOPS, twin-aisle: A380/340; B777/787/747, etc.) operating on international routes to this remote, free-standing terminal? While I'd agree that's not all it might ultimately service, things like taxi times to/from the runways, available taxiways and traffic on them, re-fueling, specialized support vehicles (tugs, luggage, catering), tarmac traffic can all be optimized, while the interior of the new terminal may be able to accommodate the higher average pax/aircraft.

I guess I'll be surprised if I see a PG ATR at this new terminal.

[iian23]

There is some detail here: http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/business_phase2_en.php

Increased capacity comes from the new/planned mid-field satellite 1 concourse which looks to have ~ 30 fixed gates. There are lots of remote stands already. Maybe best to just build satellite 2 (further to the south) at the same time? Not sure at what point two runways, with limited take-offs/landings starts to become the short-straw? They have, at most currently, dual operation (take-offs and landings) on one runway, and single operation on the parallel runway, at any one time. During dry season not so much an issue, but during rainy season things can get stretched out a bit.

I think there were some issues with one of the runways at DMK, which might require a significant repair. Does anyone know if they are using both runways at DMK currently? And i think the runways at DMK are too close together for simultaneous, dual operation?

The runways are too close together for dual operations. The international civil aviation authority states that the minimum distance between parallel runways should be a minimum of 780m ( which coincidentally is the distance between the 2 runways at Heathrow). I can only assume they had some sort of dispensation to operate on 2 runways before the new airport was built and would doubt whether they would be able to use the 2 runways simultaneously again.

[sunflowerhx]

This might be a stupid question but why does it need to be a satellite terminal linked by underground. Surely a extension of the main terminal is cheaper & quicker to build?

There's plenty of space. If they can build that Mega mall Bangna in 2 years, they should be able to complete this in equally quick time.

[samran]

TS was instrumental in getting phase 1 done before schedule and planning for phase 2 was already done in his time. The coup brought everything to a stand still and with the lame Dems in power nothing happened. I don't like TS but atleast things got done.

Indeed, he did it so well they forgot to install toilets.

[whybother]

This might be a stupid question but why does it need to be a satellite terminal linked by underground. Surely a extension of the main terminal is cheaper & quicker to build?

There's plenty of space. If they can build that Mega mall Bangna in 2 years, they should be able to complete this in equally quick time.

How do you extend the main building? It's surrounded by the concourses. And how do you extend the concourses? You would have to extend them on to the taxi ways.

[gerry1011]

TS was instrumental in getting phase 1 done before schedule and planning for phase 2 was already done in his time. The coup brought everything to a stand still and with the lame Dems in power nothing happened. I don't like TS but atleast things got done.

Thaksin got the job done.

Suvarnabhumi opened.

The Dems came.

They found a few broken floor tiles and came up with corruption accusations.

Farangs said Don Mueang was better and felt nostalgic.

Now farangs say Suvarnabhumi is too small.

Thaksin should come back to have the job done...

Personally I like Suvarnabhumi quite much. Much better than most airports around the world.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[lomatopo]

Personally I like Suvarnabhumi quite much. Much better than most airports around the world.

+1

[merijn]

TS was instrumental in getting phase 1 done before schedule and planning for phase 2 was already done in his time. The coup brought everything to a stand still and with the lame Dems in power nothing happened. I don't like TS but atleast things got done.

Thaksin got the job done.

Suvarnabhumi opened.

The Dems came.

They found a few broken floor tiles and came up with corruption accusations.

Farangs said Don Mueang was better and felt nostalgic.

Now farangs say Suvarnabhumi is too small.

Thaksin should come back to have the job done...

Personally I like Suvarnabhumi quite much. Much better than most airports around the world.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sounds like a Thaksin admirer.

[gerry1011]

TS was instrumental in getting phase 1 done before schedule and planning for phase 2 was already done in his time. The coup brought everything to a stand still and with the lame Dems in power nothing happened. I don't like TS but atleast things got done.

Thaksin got the job done.

Suvarnabhumi opened.

The Dems came.

They found a few broken floor tiles and came up with corruption accusations.

Farangs said Don Mueang was better and felt nostalgic.

Now farangs say Suvarnabhumi is too small.

Thaksin should come back to have the job done...

Personally I like Suvarnabhumi quite much. Much better than most airports around the world.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sounds like a Thaksin admirer.

Yes, I like him, indeed.

At least he gets the job(s) done, unlike others who speak a lot but can't achieve anything

Without him we would still be obliged to use Don Mueang for a few decades...

Edited December 19, 2013 by gerry1011