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  1. #1
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    Southeast Asia's Airports Can’t Keep Up With Demand



    Passengers queue as they check in at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila in a scene that repeated endlessly at most of Southeast Asia’s main airports, including Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (Reuters Photo)


    Singapore. It’s a scene repeated endlessly at most of Southeast Asia’s main airports: planes forced to circle overhead or idle on the tarmac and travelers stuck in serpentine queues at immigration desks, security checkpoints and baggage carousels.

    And it’s likely to get worse in capitals like Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila in years to come as overcrowded airports and outdated infrastructure are twinned with a huge spike in the number of aircraft in the region.

    Southeast Asian carriers have ordered $47 billion worth of aircraft for the coming decade but the deals could be under threat because of the inability of airports to keep pace. That could be a blow to manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.

    “You can buy as many aircraft as you like but if the infrastructure does not keep up then you are going to see a degraded service that may prevent you from executing plans to grow the airline,” said Andrew Herdman, the director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

    The problem could force low-cost carriers such as Malaysia’s AirAsia and Indonesia’s privately held Lion Air to delay or even cancel some orders from Airbus and Boeing.

    Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport now serves more than 51 million passengers a year, more than twice its design capacity when it was built in the mid-1980s.

    Bangkok’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport is often beset by two-hour immigration queues and is running over capacity less than six years after it opened, which led Thailand’s government to encourage low-cost carriers to move to the old Don Muang Airport to help ease congestion.

    Passengers can wait for hours at Kuala Lumpur’s overcrowded budget terminal, the hub for AirAsia. After clearing immigration lines that can be at least 50 people long, the walk to the plane at the tarmac can be hundreds of meters with only a strip of corrugated steel overhead as cover against the elements.

    With pressure from AirAsia and scenes of chaotic check-ins, government-linked operator Malaysia Airports is rushing to complete another budget terminal that is due to be up and running by April 2013.

    Projected construction costs have nearly doubled to 3.9 billion ringgit ($1.27 billion) as the planned capacity of the new airport has been expanded to 45 million passengers a year from an initial plan of 30 million.

    Jakarta’s airport is infamous for planes sitting for nearly an hour on the tarmac before take-off or circling overhead as they await their turn to land. One-hour flights between Singapore and the capital can easily drag to two hours or more because of the overcrowded runway.

    The hundreds of bankers and executives who fly regularly to Singapore on Monday mornings need to leave home in the dark to catch a 6 a.m. flight and often they still get caught in traffic jams on the toll road to the airport.

    That has led to tense times for airline executives dealing with what they politely refer to as “influential” passengers who get to the airport late or get stuck in traffic.

    Airline sources said these passengers do not hesitate to call them or even the chief executive on their cell phones to ask for the plane to wait for them.

    “It is a common problem,” one of the sources said. “We could never entertain these kinds of requests unless they are the president or the vice president of Indonesia. But some customers can be quite impolite and scream at us.”

    The number of low-cost carriers and their routes have expanded rapidly in Southeast Asia over the past 10 years. Analysts and industry executives see more growth ahead due to a lack of reliable alternatives and strong economic growth.

    “Ten years ago, the airports in this region would probably not have foreseen that LCC demand could be as strong as it is today,” said Chin Yau Seng, chief executive of Singapore-based low-cost carrier Tiger Airways.

    Airport congestion makes it harder for carriers to keep their on-time performance and raises operating costs as planes waste fuel waiting to take off or land.

    “If this problem persists for the long run, airlines in general will have to take into account all the additional costs that they have to incur and pass them on to customers,” said Edward Sirait, a director at Lion Air. “If customers cannot accept those additional costs then airlines, whoever they are, will have to rethink their investment decisions and spending.”

    Lion recently firmed up an order for 230 Boeing 737s worth $22.4 billion, eclipsing the record for the world’s biggest commercial aircraft deal set by AirAsia when it signed up to buy 200 Airbus A320neo jets for $18 billion.

    Despite the growth and big orders, Southeast Asia remains a market that has been under-served by carriers.

    Con Korfiatis, vice president of Garuda Indonesia’s budget carrier Citilink, said only 300 single-aisle jets serve the country’s population of 230 million, compared with 3,000 in the United States, which has 310 million people.

    Boeing sees Asia-Pacific carriers as the biggest buyers of planes over the 20-year period to 2030 as they are expected to acquire 11,450 passenger jets valued at $1.5 trillion, more than a third of global demand.

    A number of airports in Southeast Asia are expanding but some industry watchers say the efforts may not be enough to keep up with additional capacity.

    Standard & Poor’s analyst Shukor Yusof said Indonesia and the Philippines are among the laggards in developing facilities for airlines, while Singapore and Malaysia tend to move ahead.

    “Malaysia has done a fairly good job in managing and operating various airports,” he said. “Indonesia certainly lacks the infrastructure to meet the increase in capacity with its domestic carriers expanding and acquiring new aircraft.”

    Singapore’s Changi Airport plans to build a fourth terminal that will boost total capacity to 82 million passengers a year from the current 73 million when it is completed in 2017.

    Despite Changi’s reputation for planning ahead, the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation said the fourth terminal might not be enough to meet the expected surge in air travel.

    “A third runway and a fifth terminal will eventually be needed for Singapore to maintain its status as a leading hub,” CAPA said in a recent report, adding both would have to be ready by the end of this decade.

    Changi’s average annual passenger growth has been 12 percent in each of the past two years, far higher than the average for the past seven years of 8 percent.

    That momentum carried on in January with an annual growth rate of 12.1 percent and in February with 11.2 percent.

    “At 12 percent per annum growth rate, Changi would reach the post-Terminal 4 capacity figure of 82 million in 2016, just as Terminal 4 finally opens. Even based on 8 percent rate, a fifth terminal would be needed by the end of this decade,” CAPA said.

    At Soekarno-Hatta, a major overhaul is in the works. It introduced a third terminal last year as it looks to boost capacity to 62 million passengers per year by 2014, a substantial jump from the load the clogged airport now handles.

    It also plans a third runway and fourth terminal that could potentially triple its capacity, measured by aircraft movement, but the plan has been hindered by land acquisition issues that might force authorities to build an entirely new airport elsewhere.

    In the meantime, travelers must just do their best.

    “Your job as a passenger who is flying out from Jakarta is as complicated as the pilot,” said one executive at a European investment bank who asked not to be identified.

    “You need to check the weather, the traffic warnings on the radio and other things before you leave your home or the hotel.”

    Reuters





    http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/busin...-demand/507059

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat terry57's Avatar
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    There's nothing more than a fully congested airport to send travelers into a rage resulting in them being banged up for the night.

    Especially after some tosser has just flown 14 friggin hours and has to some times deal with a snarly Immigration fuckwit who hates his mother.

    Its all foked up innit.

  3. #3
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    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    Manila's is unchanged, other than further deterioration, from when I first landed here in 1990.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    Manila's is unchanged, other than further deterioration, from when I first landed here in 1990.
    Right. always has been a disgraceful dump. how a nation can put up with that as representing the country beats me.

  5. #5
    Philippine Expat
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    ^Probably because the country is pretty much of a dump.

  6. #6
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    Funny how old Don Muang with one runway could keep 40,000,000 visitors a year happy. No long immigration lines, no delays, and two very small terminal buildings.

  7. #7
    Philippine Expat
    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    ^Yep. Manila smells, but is pretty fast and hassle free as well - usually.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sir Wilson View Post
    Singapore. It’s a scene repeated endlessly at most of Southeast Asia’s main airports: planes forced to circle overhead or idle on the tarmac and travelers stuck in serpentine queues at immigration desks, security checkpoints and baggage carousels.
    You could quite easily cross out Singapore/South-east Asia and put Heathrow/Europe and the story would match.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat terry57's Avatar
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    ^

    Or Perth. The worlds worst cluster fuk of an International airport.

    Friggin disgrace.

  10. #10
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    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    ^LAX is pretty terrible.

  11. #11
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by terry57
    Or Perth. The worlds worst cluster fuk of an International airport.
    darwin is a fcukin shambles

  12. #12
    Tonguin for a beer
    Bung's Avatar
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    All airports suck.

    Hong Kong and Singapore being an exception.Oh, I had a nice experience at Kuala Lumphur once as well, much better than swampy

  13. #13
    Philippine Expat
    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    Narita's not too bad to move through, but has to be one of the world's worst to get stuck in for a long layover. NO services at all. One tiny beer/coffee bar ($6 for a 6oz beer), have to go downstairs for the toilet, and that's it. I got stuck there for 12 hours once.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
    LAX is pretty terrible.
    Yep...and the attitudes are among the worst...

  15. #15
    Philippine Expat
    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
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    ^Yep. Worst I've seen anywhere. And if it's like that for returning Americans, I don't even want to imagine what it's like for foreigners. The immigration scum HATES Americans who choose to live outside of the US. As soon as they see my permanent resident visa, off they go. Why do you live in the PI? Because I choose to. Why are you coming to the US? Because I choose to. How long are you going to stay? As long as I want to. And on and on until I demand to see a supervisor, start writing down names, and start threatening legal action. I've almost missed connecting flights twice due to those assholes. In their combat boots and black jumpsuits. What fucking jokes.
    Last edited by Davis Knowlton; 26-03-2012 at 09:31 PM.

  16. #16
    Have you got any cheese Thetyim's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
    Narita's not too bad to move through, but has to be one of the world's worst to get stuck in for a long layover.
    Here you go
    Welcome to Mike Newman's Narita Layover Page

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by aging one View Post
    Funny how old Don Muang with one runway could keep 40,000,000 visitors a year happy. No long immigration lines, no delays, and two very small terminal buildings.
    We forget. As it wasn't complicated..

  18. #18
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    Don Mueang Airport

    That's all very true Aging One. My husband and I arrived at Don Mueang from NNT on 3/10 - only 5 days after it reopened from the massive flooding - and our suitcases were waiting for us on the carousel when we stepped out into the arrival area. Truly amazing. The airport looked spotless, was not very crowded, and it even displayed beautiful orchids at the Nok Air exit door area.
    Furthermore, my nephew was able to drive up right to the curb in front of exit door 7 (in front of all the taxis) w/o any difficulties, to pick us up. A big thumbs up for the old Don Mueang airport!
    Amina Christoph

    Quote Originally Posted by aging one View Post
    Funny how old Don Muang with one runway could keep 40,000,000 visitors a year happy. No long immigration lines, no delays, and two very small terminal buildings.

  19. #19
    Sprayed On Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sir Wilson
    Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport now serves more than 51 million passengers a year, more than twice its design capacity when it was built in the mid-1980s.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sir Wilson
    Jakarta’s airport is infamous for planes sitting for nearly an hour on the tarmac before take-off or circling overhead as they await their turn to land. One-hour flights between Singapore and the capital can easily drag to two hours or more because of the overcrowded runway.
    I was there today and I've just got home about 6 hours late. That airport sucks balls and nobody could even give us a reason why the plane was delayed or even how long it was going to be delayed for.

  20. #20
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    Tokyo's Narita Airport

    Davis Knowlton:
    I agree with you that moving through Narita is not too bad, but having to leave the "secure area" when connecting to another flight, and then re-entering the same is a real pain in the neck and very inconvenient for transient pax.
    I could never figure out why this is being done at all? - Unless they are aware of some security issues at NRT, and they are not sharing it with the general public.
    Amina Christoph



    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    Narita's not too bad to move through, but has to be one of the world's worst to get stuck in for a long layover. NO services at all. One tiny beer/coffee bar ($6 for a 6oz beer), have to go downstairs for the toilet, and that's it. I got stuck there for 12 hours once.

  21. #21
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    Have never really had any problem at Manila. Automatic 3 week visitor visa, never had baggage lost, customs waved through. A bit of hassle changing travellers cheques with a limit on how many dollarrs. Down the ramp to outside. Met by the brother in law who is a taxi driver, then nicely laid up in the Peninsular Hotel in Makarti. Now Lagos or Kano in Nigeria. Thats a different ball game.

  22. #22
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    Add Rio & Sao Paulo to the list if shit airports, and they hope to host the world cup hu.

  23. #23
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    Tripoli wins it for me. I got arrested shortly after arrival. I was in the VIP lane at immigration in front of me the Emirates crew were attempting to clear immigration. The guy in front of me who I now know to be an Egyptian diplomat put his hand on the arse of a small Asian Fligh Attendant.
    So being me I fuckin banjo,d him and was arrested by Mr. Gadhaffi,s security militia (the ones in the black overalls)
    I was released 7 hours later after they got statements from the Flight Crew. Not a good day at the office
    "Don,t f*ck with the baldies*

  24. #24
    Philippine Expat
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thetyim View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
    Narita's not too bad to move through, but has to be one of the world's worst to get stuck in for a long layover.
    Here you go
    Welcome to Mike Newman's Narita Layover Page
    Thanks, but I pretty much manage to avoid Narita these days. But, back in the day, when going from SEA or SWA to the US, you had little choice. That 12-hour layover (because my fucking idiot first wife screwed up booking the tickets and I was working in the jungle at the time and had to leave that ONE simple task to her), still ranks among my worst airport experiences.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton View Post
    Narita's not too bad to move through, but has to be one of the world's worst to get stuck in for a long layover. NO services at all. One tiny beer/coffee bar ($6 for a 6oz beer), have to go downstairs for the toilet, and that's it. I got stuck there for 12 hours once.
    Whenever I go through Narita I schedule a long layover intentionally. I'm sure you know, Americans do not need any visa to get into Japan, the JR train connects with the airport, and 12 hours in Tokyo essentially for free is kind of fun.

    Finally got to Manila 2 weeks ago, the airport wasn't anything to be proud about except that the free WIFI actually worked quite well, and things like that are more important to me than what the airport looks like. By the way, was real happy with Kuwait Airways between BKK and MNL, it was cheaper than Cebu Pacific, good service and they served a full meal each way.

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