Thai Airasia To Move To New Bangkok Airport On Sept 25

Thai AirAsia to move to new Bangkok airport on Sept 25

Budget carrier Thai AirAsia said Wednesday all of its flights will move to Bangkok's new international airport on September 25, three days ahead of the airport's official opening.

Thai AirAsia, a joint venture between Thai telecom giant Shin Corp and Malaysia's AirAsia, said its 70 daily flights will shift from the existing Don Muang airport to the new airport on September 25.

The last 10 flights, both domestic and international, on September 24 will also fly to the new airport, the airline said.

"Even though our facilities there, including the office at the new airport, is not yet complete, we are confident that everything will be ready in time," airline chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld told AFP.

"The early move is trying to avoid traffic congestion at the new airport the night before the opening date."

The government has said all flights must move to the new airport on September 28, when the existing Don Muang will close to commercial traffic.

"The airline has already informed passengers about the move. Ticket prices would not be raised because our cost are the same after the airport authorities agreed to delay the increase in landing fee at the new airport," Tassapon said.

In a bid to woo airlines to the new airport, aviation authorities agreed to suspend the planned fee hike for six months to April 2007.

Agence France-Presse