Don Mueang airport set to lead the region for budget-carrier connectivity

[webfact]

NEW YEAR SPECIAL
Don Mueang airport set to lead the region for budget-carrier connectivity
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport will become the best in the region for connectivity for low-cost carriers (LCCs) when it resumes full operations this year, according to the head of the largest budget carrier in Southeast Asia.

"The world is talking about the Asean Economic Community and the open sky here. There are much larger pies [in prospect], but the private sector is set to drive the region. I'm not afraid of competition because I believe that consumers should have choices, and I'm a marketer who says everyone can fly," said Tony Fernandes, founder and group chief executive officer of Malaysia-based AirAsia.

More than 200 million people have already flown with AirAsia, and about half of them were first-time fliers, he said.

Fernandes said he believed Don Mueang International Airport offered the best air connectivity in the region, especially for LCCs.

Although many countries in the region - Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand - have in recent times stated intentions to have specific LCC terminals, it seems that only Bangkok is likely to achieve the mission, he said.

In 2007, the Malaysian government announced plans to develop Kuala Lumpur International Airport into the world's biggest LCC hub. However, the purpose-built LCC terminal is no longer in service for budget carriers, and is now used for other purposes, he said. Bangkok is now the biggest base for AirAsia Group in terms of passenger numbers and growth, he added.

Airports of Thailand (AOT), which operates six international airports in the Kingdom, has scheduled the resumption of full operations at Don Mueang this year after the completion of a major renovation worth Bt3.2 billion aimed at increasing capacity at the airport from 18 million to 30 million passengers per year.

AOT is also planning to expand Suvarnabhumi Airport in a bid to increase the current capacity of 45 million people per year to 60 million.

The Bt62-billion expansion projects at Suvarnabhumi will cope with passenger congestion and the continuously increasing number of flights, and will take six years to complete.

In 2012, AirAsia Group - comprising AirAsia, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia - moved its Thai operations from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang.

Currently, more than 15 airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and THAI Smile Airways, base their operations at Don Mueang.

V Air is the latest budget airline to use the airport, for its Bangkok-Taipei route, which commenced operations on December 17.

Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer of Nok Air, said his budget carrier was confident of achieving its passenger target of 8 million for last year, up from 6 million in 2013, after relocating operations to Don Mueang.

However, net profit is expected to fall from more than Bt1 billion to between Bt300 million and Bt400 million because of tough competition.

Nok Air has nevertheless ordered 15 new aircraft, two of which are scheduled to arrive this year, he said.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), meanwhile, said global gross domestic product was now expected to grow by 3.2 per cent this year, against an estimated 2.6 per cent in 2014.

This would be the first time that global GDP growth had surpassed 3 per cent since 2010, when economic growth hit 4.1 per cent in a post-recession bounce-back, whereas this time around it would be boosted by the fall in oil prices, said the association.

Given such a projection, the outlook for the airline industry is improving, said IATA, with passenger traffic expected to grow by 7 per cent this year - well above the 5.5-per-cent growth trend of the past two decades.

Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to achieve an overall net profit this year, thanks to lower fuel costs, it added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Don-Mueang-airport-set-to-lead-the-region-for-budg-30251351.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-07

[BSJ]

"V Air is the latest budget airline to use the airport, for its Bangkok-Taipei route, which commenced operations on December 17." Great price going to Taipei but you will get reamed on the return leg!

[noitom]

Thais are again getting "set" to lead. They are always getting set to lead, launch, change, crack down, round up, call upon, improve, take measures, but they never go on from there to any real action. Thais merely get "set."

[outsider]

A hub claim by a non-Thai. A litle more credibility than the usual hub-of-all-hubs story then. Pokes aside, this is I believe just a part of plans to move AA out of Malaysia. Thanks to the Malaysian govt.'s 'ethnic politics', many very successful non-Malay-owned businesses had its arms twisted so hard they have moved elsewhere. And continued to flourish. To the benefits of the host country, no less. AA isn't the first, and won't be the last. Forget the AEC. The Malaysian economy will be but an empty shell if this goes on.

Edited January 7, 2015 by outsider

[recycler]

I was at Don Muang twice in the past 3 weeks and it requires a lot of work to make a anywhere near presentable.

Right now it is the worst dump of an airport I have ever seen, dirty, broken, totally unclear routing even if you read Thai. I understand that it's under renovation, but many new parts are already broken before they are put in use and the ongoing construction is a horrible display of shoddy workmanship even for Thai measures.

You actually wonder if the country is at war if you walk around Don Muang!

[Morakot]

Ahh repair time! Air Asia CEO says your airport is really good were our planes fly from.

[siam2007]

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH !

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"in 2007, the Malaysian government announced plans to develop Kuala Lumpur International Airport into the world's biggest LCC hub. However, the purpose-built LCC terminal is no longer in service for budget carriers, and is now used for other purposes, he said. Bangkok is now the biggest base for AirAsia Group in terms of passenger numbers and growth, he added."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes true the old LCCT in KL is closed. But the reason is they actually built a NEW low cost terminal, called KLIA2, which is in operation since early 2014, and is probably the best and most luxurious low-cost-Terminal the world has ever seen and will ever have.

-

-

-

some more nonsense:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Currently, more than 15 airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and THAI Smile Airways, base their operations at Don Mueang."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THAI SMILE do NOT base their operations at Don Mueang. They base their operations at Suvarnabhumi and have only a few flights out of DMK

Edited January 7, 2015 by siam2007

[kkerry]

Last time I was there in November, I thought the newly renovated wing looked pretty good for a budget airport. I do question some of the pricing air side with some coffee stalls asking 110-130 baht for a cappuccino although S+P weren't so bad, at least their 90 baht coffee was a decent size which is why they had plenty of customers and the expensive places had zero. As for the rest of the airport, it's an old place so it's going to be hard to change that without knocking it all down. It's functional and works okay. I checked-in online and was issued with a boarding pass speedily, immigration was a breeze although coming back hasn't been good, very overcrowded. There is supposed to be a lot of money allocated for upgrading the place so if they can continue along the lines of the section already renovated then it should be more than adequate.

[Eric Loh]

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH !

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"in 2007, the Malaysian government announced plans to develop Kuala Lumpur International Airport into the world's biggest LCC hub. However, the purpose-built LCC terminal is no longer in service for budget carriers, and is now used for other purposes, he said. Bangkok is now the biggest base for AirAsia Group in terms of passenger numbers and growth, he added."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes true the old LCCT in KL is closed. But the reason is they actually built a NEW low cost terminal, called KLIA2, which is in operation since early 2014, and is probably the best and most luxurious low-cost-Terminal the world has ever seen and will ever have.

-

-

-

some more nonsense:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Currently, more than 15 airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and THAI Smile Airways, base their operations at Don Mueang."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THAI SMILE do NOT base their operations at Don Mueang. They base their operations at Suvarnabhumi and have only a few flights out of DMK

There are lots of bad spats between Tony and the Malaysian Airport Authority even from the beginning when plan for a new LCCT was announced. I remembered Tony even tell the government that he will build the LCC himself and the old LCCT has already reached its maximum capacity. There were lots of promises that Tony felt was not honored like the airport tax increases and the aero bridges. So bottom line is that Tony ever the shrew business man is not happy because of the cost AA paid to the authority for use if the new LCCT. DM is by far still cheaper than LCCT and could be reason for his comment. By the way, Tony minced no word qhen condemning Najib's government.

[LawrenceChee]

This is one part where I actually agree with Tony and Chiang Mai / Rai airport will be the northern base for the LCC flights from China

I am still crossing my toes it will be the one starting with R

[siam2007]

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH !

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"in 2007, the Malaysian government announced plans to develop Kuala Lumpur International Airport into the world's biggest LCC hub. However, the purpose-built LCC terminal is no longer in service for budget carriers, and is now used for other purposes, he said. Bangkok is now the biggest base for AirAsia Group in terms of passenger numbers and growth, he added."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes true the old LCCT in KL is closed. But the reason is they actually built a NEW low cost terminal, called KLIA2, which is in operation since early 2014, and is probably the best and most luxurious low-cost-Terminal the world has ever seen and will ever have.

-

-

-

some more nonsense:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Currently, more than 15 airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and THAI Smile Airways, base their operations at Don Mueang."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THAI SMILE do NOT base their operations at Don Mueang. They base their operations at Suvarnabhumi and have only a few flights out of DMK

There are lots of bad spats between Tony and the Malaysian Airport Authority even from the beginning when plan for a new LCCT was announced. I remembered Tony even tell the government that he will build the LCC himself and the old LCCT has already reached its maximum capacity. There were lots of promises that Tony felt was not honored like the airport tax increases and the aero bridges. So bottom line is that Tony ever the shrew business man is not happy because of the cost AA paid to the authority for use if the new LCCT. DM is by far still cheaper than LCCT and could be reason for his comment. By the way, Tony minced no word qhen condemning Najib's government.

yes I know that, being in Malaysia at least 6-7 times a year since 2001. To be honest, when I heard about the plan or suggestion that AirAsia wanted to built and operate the new LCCT by themselves, I was not so happy abpout it. think of monopoly status and such.....

but what has happened now is stupid either - nobody needs such an impressive and almost luxurious building, nobody needs airbridges for all aircraft at a supposedly BUDGET Terminal. a few would have been enough plus plenty of tarmac parking positions same as at the old LCCT. But as you said, there has always been a feud between Datuk Tony and the MAA, and I think the reason why the facilities have now become so high-class has something to do with the not-losing-face attitude of the MAA management.

On the other hand, Airport Tax from KLIA2 is still significantly lower than from KLIA1, whereas DON MUEANG charges the full 700 Baht for its outdated and poor facilities, same amount as at Suvarnabhumi . this is not justified, but typical Thai attitude.

[RubbaJohnny]

I was at Don Muang twice in the past 3 weeks and it requires a lot of work to make a anywhere near presentable.

Right now it is the worst dump of an airport I have ever seen, dirty, broken, totally unclear routing even if you read Thai. I understand that it's under renovation, but many new parts are already broken before they are put in use and the ongoing construction is a horrible display of shoddy workmanship even for Thai measures.

You actually wonder if the country is at war if you walk around Don Muang!

You have not seen many airports

Jeddah the worst in a recent poll

I may add

Newcastle

La Guardia

Bishikek

Manila

Oakland

Salalah

Perth with 22km terminal connect

I could go on and on

As well as those which I know

here

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/more-world-stories/story/top-5-worst-airports-the-world-according-sleepinginairportsnet-2

Best is always Singapore it's the yardstick

Pau

Munich

Helsinki

Vancouver

Toronto

Bilbao

Brisbane

Edited January 7, 2015 by RubbaJohnny

[Soutpeel]

I was at Don Muang twice in the past 3 weeks and it requires a lot of work to make a anywhere near presentable.

Right now it is the worst dump of an airport I have ever seen, dirty, broken, totally unclear routing even if you read Thai. I understand that it's under renovation, but many new parts are already broken before they are put in use and the ongoing construction is a horrible display of shoddy workmanship even for Thai measures.

You actually wonder if the country is at war if you walk around Don Muang!

You may not travel that much through DM but I do regularly and can assure there is big improvement in DM from what it used to be

Further you can't have travelled much internationally if you think DM is a dump, some far bigger ones around and some are even in farangistan countries, DM may not be in same league as Changi but it ain't bad

[LawrenceChee]

I was at Don Muang twice in the past 3 weeks and it requires a lot of work to make a anywhere near presentable.

Right now it is the worst dump of an airport I have ever seen, dirty, broken, totally unclear routing even if you read Thai. I understand that it's under renovation, but many new parts are already broken before they are put in use and the ongoing construction is a horrible display of shoddy workmanship even for Thai measures.

You actually wonder if the country is at war if you walk around Don Muang!

You may not travel that much through DM but I do regularly and can assure there is big improvement in DM from what it used to be

Further you can't have travelled much internationally if you think DM is a dump, some far bigger ones around and some are even in farangistan countries, DM may not be in same league as Changi but it ain't bad

I agree ...from the new restaurants line up and the renovated toilets in the international departure end ....I have seen steady progress and with the airlines throwing in free wifi like Nok...the place seems to be what one needs for an hour flight or a short layover

In realistic terms ...having paid about 40-60 per flight sector ...as long as the carpets are clean and the flights take off safely I'm not fussy over the terminal ...it won't be a Changi and it should not be