First Commercial Flight Lands On Suvarnabhmi Airport

[george]

First test flight lands successfully at Suvarnabhmi Airport

BANGKOK: -- The first commercial test flight from Don Muang Airport to Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, landed successfully at the new airport Saturday morning as scheduled.

The THAI Boeing 747-400 aircraft, flight TG181, carrying Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, other cabinet members, senior government officials and some other 400 passengers, landed to make a place in history at 08:09 a.m. at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

THAI offered a special airfare of Bt999 for the inaugural commercial flight from Don Muang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Prime Minister Thaksin told journalists before boarding the flight that he was excited and delighted that finally the Bangkok's new international airport was successfully developed after more than four decades in planning.

Upon his arrival at the new airport, the prime minister is scheduled to take some hours to visit and inspect the readiness of all its facilities before flying back to Don Muang Airport.

THAI and five other commercial airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai, P.B. Air and Bangkok Airways, join the commercial flight tests for Suvarnabhumi Airport with special flights on Saturday.

The first flight of the national airline is to be followed by 21 other domestic flights throughout the day.

The Department of Aviation has already issued an Interim Aerodome Certificate for the Suvarnabhumi Airport giving operational permission to the new facility.

Many airlines, including THAI, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia, have announced that they plan to open new international routes to serve the commercial opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 28.

With the scheduled opening of the country's new international airport only a few months away, complete testing of its facilities has begun since July 3 to ensure that the national showcase is fully ready for its launch.

The tests include the airport's air-conditioning and lighting systems, passenger check-in counters, customes services and the operation of its CTX bomb scanners.

The eight-storey airport complex, including an underground level, where there will be electric mass transit facilities and passenger terminals, has a total area of some 563,000 square metres and can cater to 45 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, the Department of Land Transport has affirmed the readiness of transport services for passengers to the new airport.

The department said that transport services to the new Bangkok international airport include limousines, airport buses, and an airport express service.

Airport buses, including inter-provincial bus services, will be run by the Transport Co., Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

The airport express service, operated by the Thonburi Service Co., Ltd., will provide buses running through the capital's business areas and to downtown hotels in areas such as Silom and Wireless Roads.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the transport service to the new airport is not aimed to reap benefit, but to promote the kingdom globally.

Bus access and seating is also modified to facilitate passengers with disabilities, according to the Thai leader.

--TNA 2006-07-29

[PeaceBlondie]

Great. Or as we said when we were kids, "Goody, goody gumdrops." My Thai partner watches all the Thai newscasts, and seriously informed me during breakfast that the entire Don Muang facility is "finished," closed, and that from this day forward, Suvanpoons-your-uncle will be the only airport in Bangkok.

Wow, what a bargain: to fly across town for the price of flying to Chiang Mai on Nok Air.

[george]

Risk, what risk?

Minister triggers security alarm to prove new airport is secure, as safety concerns mount

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin caused a stir at Suvarnabhumi Airport by triggering an alarm at a metal detector during final checks yesterday.

Security staff searched his body and found the suspicious object, which Somsak had intentionally hidden inside his shoes to test the security system.

"I feel safe at the airport," he declared after the inspection.

Somsak's stunt marks a desperate attempt to reassure the public that Bangkok's new airport, scheduled to receive paying passengers for the first time today, is ready for operation.

Today, hundreds of paying passengers will be welcomed to Suvarnabhumi. The government arranged the test flights to put to rest concerns that the airport would not be ready for commercial traffic two months from now.

Six Thai airlines - Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go, Nok Air and PB Air - will conduct 20 domestic flights in and out of the airport.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is scheduled to be on the first flight by Thai Airways International, which will leave Don Muang at 7.29am and arrive at Suvarnabhumi at 8.09am.

The test flights will be important in indicating whether the new airport, worth Bt155 billion, will be ready for commercial flights on September 28. It was earlier reported that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had questioned the

readiness of Suvarnabhumi by identifying numerous risks.

However, caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said yesterday: "I am satisfied with the preparation of all agencies."

He said the document on risky areas was an internal release by the airport's consultant. "We welcome the advice and we will make the amendments," he said.

Pongsak added that only 5 per cent of operations still had minor problems. Otherwise, the airport is ready to take off.

But the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 250 airlines, said the test flights would do little to prove whether the airport was ready to handle normal commercial traffic, according to Agence France-Presse.

"It is normal for trial flights to be conducted before an airport is opened to demonstrate the integrity of the procedures. However, it does not test the airport's ability to handle heavy traffic," Albert Tjoeng, an IATA spokesman in Singapore, told the news agency.

Customers seem undaunted by safety concerns, as more than 80 per cent of the seats available on the test flights have been booked. Airlines are giving customers special souvenirs such as hats, pens, photographs and certificates.

Wallop Bhukkanasut, Thai Airways International's executive vice president, said about 70 per cent of seats had been booked for the first flight. Passengers will receive a certificate and special boarding pass.

ML Nantika Worawan, PR director for Bangkok Airways, said its flight to Koh Samui was fully booked, while more than 80 per cent of seats on flights to Trat and Phuket had been bought. Every seat was sold at Bt1,599 and passengers will receive a yellow hat as a gift.

Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive officer of One-Two-Go, said the airline was providing two flights from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi because of demand. Passengers will receive a certificate.

Srihaphan Chumsai na Ayutthaya, deputy chief executive officer of Nok Air, said its Don Muang-Chiang Mai-Suvarnabhumi flight was fully booked, while 100 seats of the 150 available for the flight from Suvarnabhumi to Hat Yai had been bought in advance.

Yothin Pamornmontri, director of PB Air, said about 70 per cent of seats had been bought for its flight at a special rate of Bt2,006.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia, said the low-cost airline had inspected service sites at the new airport. "I believe we should not have any service problems when we open for commercial flights on September 28," he said.

--The Nation 2006-07-29

[otherstuff1957]

We just watched a brief news announcement on TV about this and, just like PB's parner, my wife told me that the new airport is open now!

I tried to remind her that her cousin, who works for Air Asia, told us just the other day that the airport would open on Sept. 28, but she insisted that the news report stated that the airport was open for business now.

BTW, her cousin said that they would be moving to the new airport on Sept. 28, but not everything would be ready. Unfortunately, neither my Thai nor his English is good enough for us to discuss specifics.

[dplast]

######, and one of the few destinations in Bangkok I could pronounce was Don Muang Airport and now it's Suvarnabhumi Airport. It's a conspiracy, a conspiracy it is!

We just watched a brief news announcement on TV about this and, just like PB's parner, my wife told me that the new airport is open now!

I tried to remind her that her cousin, who works for Air Asia, told us just the other day that the airport would open on Sept. 28, but she insisted that the news report stated that the airport was open for business now.

BTW, her cousin said that they would be moving to the new airport on Sept. 28, but not everything would be ready. Unfortunately, neither my Thai nor his English is good enough for us to discuss specifics.

[clevenp]

I was just wondering what kind of plane that was

it has more than 400 people on board plus the gov people plus the standard crew

is this the level of truth that is spooned into our mouths

and this indicates the level of confidence we need to use ?

just some simple thoughts

Philip

I need to retract my words ... I just googled .... searching on max passengers boeing 747-400 and it came back with the following link and the following info ...

http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=100

Capacity

747-400 - Flightcrew of two. Typical three class seating for 416 (23 first, 78 business and 315 economy class pax). Cargo hold 170.5m3 (6025cuft) or 151m3 (5332cuft).

747-400 Domestic - Two class seating for 568 (24 first and 544 economy).

[Xeque]

Did it last week

[Xeque]

Naaa! Old hat. Been there - done that. Local private pilots were able to fly into Suvanabhumi for practice approaches last week. Photo to prove it. Not a commercial airliner to be seen at the terminals so it was nice to really be among the first arrivals. And me a farang too!.

[John K]

I hope this is not just one of the “If we ignore the problems they wont exist” mentalities. They have some things to fix according to what was in the Bangkok post yesterday. But anyway I hope it does workout for everyone.

[Xeque]

Naaa! Old hat. Been there - done that. Local private pilots were able to fly into Suvanabhumi for practice approaches last week. Photo to prove it (but I'm not sure how to post it). Not a commercial airliner to be seen at the terminals so it was nice to really be among the first arrivals. And me a farang too!.

[salty]

Flight from Don Muang to new airport. I hope the baggage system was able to handle the demands put on it.

[Artisan]

93 Risk Areas

Bangkok airport ready in two months

Saturday, July 29, 2006 (Bangkok):

Landing at Bangkok's new international airport on Saturday, Thailand's Prime Minister said the long-delayed facility will be in full commercial operation in two months.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra spoke after disembarking from the first commercial test flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport amid continuing concerns over safety.

The government has announced that full commercial services will begin from September 28.

On the eve of the test flights, the English-language Bangkok Post newspaper published a report from the International Civil Aviation Organization that identified 93 risk areas, including runway-end safety areas that were too short.

Thai authorities quickly downplayed the report, saying it was based on outdated information.

"I am confident that Suvarnabhumi will be in full commercial operation two months from today," said Thaksin, one of 375 passengers on a Boeing 747-400 Thai Airways International flight from the existing Don Muang International Airport.

A total of 24 flights were scheduled for Saturday, all of them to and from domestic points by the six Thailand-registered airlines- Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Orient Thai Airways, Nok Air, Phuket Air and national carrier Thai International.

The airport, located 45 kilometers (30 miles) east of central Bangkok, has been plagued by a blizzard of corruption scandals, inordinate delays, fires and other problems.

First conceived in 1960, the airport is situated at Nong Ngu Hao, or "Cobra Swamp," where villagers once caught cobras for a living.

Touted as a key Asian air hub, the airport is to accommodate up to 45 million passengers a year and take over much of the traffic from Bangkok's aging and overcrowded Don Muang airport. (AP)

Source: NDTV.com

[bannork]

I read in The Nation the flight would depart at 7.29 from Don Muang and land at Suwannaphum at 8.09. I understand the emphasis on 9 is for an auspicious future but why would the plane take so long, 40 minutes?

Wouldn't it be quicker to go by bus, and certainly cheaper?

[sting01]

2 news clippings I read today, this one and the beer war, and I am starting to think reality must have different meaning for I and other members of this forum.

In france, when the ministers decided it would be better to use bycicle rather than cars it became very secure to drive a bicycle the wenesday morning in Paris .... What about the other days?

So the Prime landed safely in the new airport, I never had doubt it would happend, and if it was not the fact it would have be fair to send the guuilty to some remote place (salt mine in siberia for exemple). That is the Prime, is not it?

But what about the reality the normal people, normal travellers (those who are not Prime, Senator wifes, football stars ....), how the airport will handle them, what will be the accomodation for them? There is some interresting reports made about that topic, it's trully sad TV became more and more like a speaker who loudly repeat the local b**** made for the local people.

Repeat, cut and past, articles from Bangkok Post and the Nation is easy job to do, but I can also spend 25 bht and read quietly those newspapers. I would love to know what it's said about that topic ABROAD. Any news papers of some importance from a civilisate country who commented on that event?

[Livinginexile]

First test flight lands successfully at Suvarnabhmi Airport

BANGKOK: -- The first commercial test flight from Don Muang Airport to Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, landed successfully at the new airport Saturday morning as scheduled.

The THAI Boeing 747-400 aircraft, flight TG181, carrying Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, other cabinet members, senior government officials and some other 400 passengers, landed to make a place in history at 08:09 a.m. at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

THAI offered a special airfare of Bt999 for the inaugural commercial flight from Don Muang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Prime Minister Thaksin told journalists before boarding the flight that he was excited and delighted that finally the Bangkok's new international airport was successfully developed after more than four decades in planning.

Upon his arrival at the new airport, the prime minister is scheduled to take some hours to visit and inspect the readiness of all its facilities before flying back to Don Muang Airport.

THAI and five other commercial airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai, P.B. Air and Bangkok Airways, join the commercial flight tests for Suvarnabhumi Airport with special flights on Saturday.

The first flight of the national airline is to be followed by 21 other domestic flights throughout the day.

The Department of Aviation has already issued an Interim Aerodome Certificate for the Suvarnabhumi Airport giving operational permission to the new facility.

Many airlines, including THAI, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia, have announced that they plan to open new international routes to serve the commercial opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 28.

With the scheduled opening of the country's new international airport only a few months away, complete testing of its facilities has begun since July 3 to ensure that the national showcase is fully ready for its launch.

The tests include the airport's air-conditioning and lighting systems, passenger check-in counters, customes services and the operation of its CTX bomb scanners.

The eight-storey airport complex, including an underground level, where there will be electric mass transit facilities and passenger terminals, has a total area of some 563,000 square metres and can cater to 45 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, the Department of Land Transport has affirmed the readiness of transport services for passengers to the new airport.

The department said that transport services to the new Bangkok international airport include limousines, airport buses, and an airport express service.

Airport buses, including inter-provincial bus services, will be run by the Transport Co., Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

The airport express service, operated by the Thonburi Service Co., Ltd., will provide buses running through the capital's business areas and to downtown hotels in areas such as Silom and Wireless Roads.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the transport service to the new airport is not aimed to reap benefit, but to promote the kingdom globally.

Bus access and seating is also modified to facilitate passengers with disabilities, according to the Thai leader.

--TNA 2006-07-29

So it looks like it will be open by Xmas, thats great. Does anyone know if the BTS or MRT will link with the new airport in the future?.

[apalink_thailand]

I read in The Nation the flight would depart at 7.29 from Don Muang and land at Suwannaphum at 8.09. I understand the emphasis on 9 is for an auspicious future but why would the plane take so long, 40 minutes?

Wouldn't it be quicker to go by bus, and certainly cheaper?

They have to fly a pre-arranged departure pattern from Don Muang and then test the new arrival routes while keeping out of existing flight lanes. Its not as simple asjust taking off and then turning left for the new airport. They would do a northerly departure route and then turn back to enter the arrival route and capture the ILS for landing.

[Guest endure]

Doesn't it have to be certified as safe by one of the international transport organisations (IATA?) before any airlines will use it commercially?

[merlion]

I read in The Nation the flight would depart at 7.29 from Don Muang and land at Suwannaphum at 8.09. I understand the emphasis on 9 is for an auspicious future but why would the plane take so long, 40 minutes?

Wouldn't it be quicker to go by bus, and certainly cheaper?

They have to fly a pre-arranged departure pattern from Don Muang and then test the new arrival routes while keeping out of existing flight lanes. Its not as simple asjust taking off and then turning left for the new airport. They would do a northerly departure route and then turn back to enter the arrival route and capture the ILS for landing.

The express train service would not start running till end of 2008. that's the earliest estimate.

[jingjoe]

Does anyone have a link to a map, so I can get my head around exactly WHERE the new airport is now, in comparison to DM?

[wilko]

First test flight lands successfully at Suvarnabhmi Airport

The airport express service, operated by the Thonburi Service Co., Ltd., will provide buses running through the capital's business areas and to downtown hotels in areas such as Silom and Wireless Roads.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the transport service to the new airport is not aimed to reap benefit, but to promote the kingdom globally.

Bus access and seating is also modified to facilitate passengers with disabilities, according to the Thai leader.

--TNA 2006-07-29

So no rail link then???????????????????

[bluebear]

would have thought that the perfect guinea pigs woudl have been the budget airlines to iron out the kinks for a month or so and then officially officially open it to Thai etc

[Artisan]

Does anyone have a link to a map, so I can get my head around exactly WHERE the new airport is now, in comparison to DM?

Try "this spot" This Spot

[Sophon]

Does anyone have a link to a map, so I can get my head around exactly WHERE the new airport is now, in comparison to DM?

[Thai-Aust]

These pics were taken on Children's day in Jan'06 to showed children the new airport.

[hpotamus]

Here is a good map:

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/13

[scrunchielaura]

Not a map, but a picture showing both Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang:

http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detai...ame=bangkokport

[Thai-Aust]

More pics in early jan'06.

Control Tower

Taxi lane

Taxi lane

[Lancashirelad]

Naaa! Old hat. Been there - done that. Local private pilots were able to fly into Suvanabhumi for practice approaches last week. Photo to prove it (but I'm not sure how to post it). Not a commercial airliner to be seen at the terminals so it was nice to really be among the first arrivals. And me a farang too!.

Xeque: you can fly on a PPL in Thailand? I understood it was virtually impossible, for one reason due to tightly controlled Thai air space?

Jonathan. (wannabe PPL holder)

[baboon]

The new airport looks great, but am I the only sentimental one who will miss Don Muang?

[jingjoe]

Not a map, but a picture showing both Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang:

http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery-detai...ame=bangkokport

Awesome picture, thanks, and thanks to everyone that offered a map.