Don Mueang Airport to Be in Full Service Operation in October

(25/09/2012)

Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok is ready to be in full service operation in October 2012. Tests have been conducted before the airport resumes its full-scale services. According to Airports of Thailand Public Company, Don Mueang Airport is now well-protected from flooding, with the installation of 16 water pumps and the construction of floodwalls. Located north of Bangkok and about 30 kilometers northwest of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang is being developed to ease air traffic congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport and promote Thailand’s air transport business. Handling only domestic flights, Don Mueang Airport has been close since late 2011, as it was worst affected by severe floods in Bangkok. Even so, the impact on the civil aviation sector was limited to the inundation of Don Mueang. Since the domestic flights that used the airport prior to the floods had transferred to Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok’s main airport, there were no flight-related losses. The losses assumed relate to services that the airport would normally provide when in service, such as food concessions and car parking. The Cabinet in June 2012 approved the development of Don Mueang, during the period when Suvarnabhumi Airport is being developed in the second phase, from 2011 to 2017. According to the development plan, Suvarnabhumi will be a hub airport for full-service and connecting flights, while Don Mueang will serve low-cost carriers and accommodate both domestic and point-to-point international flights. All relevant agencies were told to be ready to serve the airlines that volunteer to relocate to Don Mueang. In 2011, Don Mueang provided services for 40,903 flights, with 3.4 million passengers, while its maximum capacity is 36.5 million passengers a year. In the same period, Suvarnbabhumi Airport accommodated 200,566 flights, with 47.9 million passengers, while its maximum capacity is 45 million passengers a year. As a result, the airport has become congested and needs improvement. The second phase of the development of Suvarnabhumi requires four to five years. After the second phase is completed, congestion at Suvarnabhumi is likely to continue. Therefore, Airports of Thailand, which is under the Ministry of Transport, proposed the development of Don Mueang to ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi. The reopening of Don Mueang for full aviation services is expected to help bring down the number of passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport by 7-8 million per year. Don Mueang Airport closed in 2006 following the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, before opening again for domestic flights after a major renovation in March 2007. Starting from 1 October 2012, Don Muaeng will accommodate 166 flights each day. More than 10 airlines are expected to operate at Don Mueang for both scheduled and chartered flights.