Thread: Single-airport policy ends: Don Mueang to be used for more budget flights

so a new airlink will need to be built
lovely more pockets lined

^ I don't think they will; the taxis will wanna manage the transfers... to be fair, this is the norm most places in the world; would be nice to have a good airport link bus service too.

where will the immigration officers come from to work at don muang, why not just increase the number off officers at suwannaphum.

THe new airpost really has been a failure in so many ways (not the prime reason for its construction - that was a massive success...), the old airport just seemed to function better...

I like the old airport, may need some redressing though.

Thai long term planning is of course oxymoronic.

They knew that capacity at Swampy in its current form was to be reached within 4 years of opening, hence the new satellite plans, so why did they not rationalise use earlier and retain loco carriers, charters and domestic at Don Meuang?

Any international travel hub the size of Bangkok with its domestic and regional networks cannot be sustained by one airport unless of course its planned capacity of 100 million passengers was met from day one.

The super duper roof at Swampy designed to reduce airconditioning costs by providing areas shaded from the sun's rays doesn't work. It has to be the hottest tropical airport I've ever travelled through.

Suvarnabhumi opened less than 8 years ago and it's already over capacity.

The last 8 years saw steady growth in passenger numbers, but it was not even close to Thailand's full growth potential (there was the coup, airport occupation, two red shirt protest, floods, and the financial crisis). Despite all that, the airport is *still* over-capacity? Planning fail.

It's not particularly wise to open Don Muang again, and I doubt AirAsia would be very eager to move there (they're by far the largest LCC -- Nok Air is much smaller, and Orient Thai marginal).

^ Been to Manila, Been to LAX? Over capacity or not, Soyouwannaboomboom is not that bad an airport.

What about Utapao? It could handle a substantial number of flights, and many of the tourists are going to Pattaya anyway. It's very under-used.

It's difficult to blame the regional carriers for not wanting to locate elsewhere, they would be at a competitive disadvantage against the big airlines that remained at Suvarnbhumi, no one will want to take a connecting flight if it means picking up your luggage and being bused to another airport.

A question.
Does anyone know of a good link ,bus or minivan from Don Muang airport to Suvarnabhum airport.
Thanks

Air Con Bus 554. Dont forget the Rail link was meant to link the two airports halfway in to its plan it was switched to its location now through Pratunam.

Good open back up. Closer and easier for me.

At present.......If you are arriving at International arrivals at Swampy...allow at least two hours in the present "immigration shuffle" to make it to luggage collection...and take "carry on only" or you stand a good chance of some Indian peasant taking it out with him while you are trapped!!

I arrived on the 3rd March at 8pm Thai Airways 1st Class, with overseas clients who had never been to Thailand before. No fast track...Spent one hours and fifty minutes shuffling with hordes of Indians into the gates....Two lines only one Immigration official most of the time...took frequent breaks, and just put up "closed" sign and left a full queue!!!.....And of course your 1st class "priority luggage" choofing around on the luggage conveyor waiting to be "walked off with" and finally placed on the floor as a new flight arrrived and was allocated the conveyor!!!

A week later ...arrived at Swampy from Shanghai, 8th March at 11.00am ......another two hours ten minutes wait to get through Immigration to baggage collection! Only one of each pair of gates was again manned....and processing very slowly!

OVERALL PERSPECTIVE: Staff all seemed on an intentional "go slow" with no idea of gettting rid of the queues of very disgruntled sheep. There was no one to replace officers taking a 15 minute"break"...they just put up a "closed sign" and departed at will leaving a full queue.....What a disgrace for the Thai Government...Send all the pollies to China..to see how it should work.....much stricter on Visas and entry but rarely more than 2 or 3 minutes wait...Thailand is going backwards!!! They need to pay them a 100 Bhart per sub 1 minute processing bonus....and all would be fixed!

I hope Yinglack has cleared this new policy with the boss. After all Swampy was his pride & joy.....

Who'd have thought it. Airasia being sidelined now that Shincorp is no longer a major shareholder

Don Mueang airport set for B60m revamp | Bangkok Post: news

Don Mueang airport set for B60m revamp

Non-aviation activities suspended for upgrade

• Published: 17/03/2012 at 03:30 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Don Mueang airport has put its non-aviation activities on hold as it prepares to serve more budget airlines being switched from crowded Suvarnabhumi airport.

Airport director Kanpat Mangkalasiri said yesterday that all non-aviation activities have been suspended.

The airport needs to concentrate on improving its facilities to receive more budget airline flights. The government wants to divert flights to Don Mueang to relieve congestion at Suvarnabhumi.

Gp Capt Kanpat said the improvements would cost about 60 million baht, subject to approval from the Airports of Thailand.

"At least five to seven airlines will come [to Don Mueang] because it is convenient here with 18 aerobridges for them. The airlines will enjoy equal privileges," he said.

Terminal 1, previously reserved for international flights at Don Mueang, is currently reserved for Nok Air and chartered flights.

The investment in terminal improvement should generate an annual income of at least 1 billion baht at Don Mueang airport.

The dual-airport policy should raise the number of passengers at Don Mueang from 4 million at present to 11.5 million within the next year. Terminal 1 can handle up to 14.5 million passengers per year, while the adjacent Terminal 2 can serve up to 10 million.

Don Mueang generates about 80 million baht annually, which nearly covers its operating costs. It posts an annual loss of 300 million baht.

Gp Capt Kanpat said the government's decision to switch some flights to Don Mueang would allow it more time to expand Suvarnabhumi.

Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan said Don Mueang airport should be put to more use to create income and ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi.

Thai Airways International (THAI) president Piyasvasti Amranand supports the dual-airport policy. He said projects to expand Suvarnabhumi would take at least five years to materialise and could face many obstacles.

THAI will not move its flights to Don Mueang because they must connect to international flights, he said. If THAI sets up a budget airline, it could be based at Don Mueang.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive of Thai AirAsia, said the airline operates flights, many to international destinations, out of Suvarnabhumi. He wanted to see what incentives the government could offer for the airline to relocate to Don Mueang. "The government's proposals and conditions will be considered carefully. They must make clear that after the relocation there will not be a reversal of policies again."

Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief adviser to Orient Thai Airlines, said he did not object to the policy of putting Don Mueang to greater use. He would wait for a clear direction from the government in terms of the improvement to infrastructure at the old airport.

Marisa Pongpattanapun, chairwoman of the Airline Operators Committee, disagrees with the policy. She said it would affect international passengers switching to domestic flights as it could take up to four hours from landing at Suvarnabhumi to boarding at Don Mueang.