Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's New Airport - News

[wowpow]

Industry hopes for smooth opening Don Muang airport decision welcomed

BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA Bangkok Post
Although airlines remain sceptical about whether Suvarnabhumi airport will be ready for commercial use on Sept 28, they have welcomed the government's decision to close Don Muang airport. Airlines and industry groups contacted by the Bangkok Post were not convinced that the new airport would open when scheduled and warned that rushing operations could result in costs and embarrassment for the country.

At a briefing on the airport's progress on Monday, caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that the airport would open for commercial services on Sept 28. Mr Thaksin also decided to revert to the original single-airport policy, which was not to retain Don Muang for scheduled domestic and low-cost carrier flights.

''It does not look like it will be ready and I am absolutely certain it cannot be opened on that date,'' said an aviation executive who has been closely monitoring the 125-billion-baht airport development. The runways and terminal may be able to accommodate flights by Sept 28, but the airlines are unlikely to be ready by then, he said. Contrary to what the authorities have suggested, it is not yet clear when airlines would be able to set up their offices at the Suvarnabhumi terminal and some don't even know where they will be located. ''That is just one simple matter, not to mention more much complex technical issues such as the computer and baggage systems, their readiness remains a mystery to us,'' he said. Airlines need at least three months' notice to set up at the terminal.

''What is important is not the opening date, but to have Suvarnabhumi airport begin commercial operations only when it is operationally ready,'' said Albert Tjoeng, the Asia-Pacific spokesman for the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents almost all of the world's airlines. ''This means having undergone the required robust and comprehensive testing and trials to ensure that the various systems are working 100% and are seamlessly integrated,'' he said. ''Let's not forget that airports are no longer the bricks and mortar of the old days, today's airports use incredibly complex automated systems. ''The airport will only be open once. We want it to be a safe and successful opening and cost-efficient in order to be a successful hub. No one wants the cost or embarrassment of a troubled opening.''

IATA yesterday welcomed the announcement that all commercial flights would be moved to Suvarnabhumi when it opens _ which it has long advocated. But some budget carriers, especially Thai AirAsia, were not happy with the announcement. They had hoped Don Muang would have offered lower airport services and have greater flexibility than Suvarnabhumi.

''Commercial operations using two airports would have been costly to maintain, and can be complicated for passengers, especially for those making connections,'' said Mr Tjoeng.

''While having all flights at one airport would have a positive effect on Suvarnabhumi's potential as a hub, the more important issue is to ensure operational readiness and cost efficiency when Suvarnabhumi opens to maximise Bangkok's potential as a hub in the region.''

Bangkok Post

[wowpow]

I don't think that it's time to get too hyped up about the move to the new airport. As it stands right now, NONE of the major international carriers (BA, KLM, NWA, etc) have agreed to fly ANY of their planes into the new airport because of the dangers involved in flying there:

1. The bird population was never moved. Whenever you open a new airport, you need to "move" the bird population in order to avoid bird strikes. This has never been done. Since the new airport is built on a swamp there are (by airline estimations) thousands of birds living within a few metres of the runways.

2. The runways are not safe. The "authorities" who built the runways were paid of top quality tarmac but used in ONLY in front of the terminals. As you go down the runways, they used cheaper quality which is NOT expected to be able to stand up to the weight of planes landing and taking off. You've already seen pictures in the BKK Post of the cracks in the tarmac. These problems have NOT been fixed.

3. The runways are currently sinking back into the swamp. Sad, but true.

4. The Airport Authority of Thailand has refused to allow any of the major international carriers access into the new terminals. It can take up to six months to completely set up an airline's computer system, baggage system, etc and be ready for operation. According to the Caretaker "Prime Minister" the new airport will be opened on 28 September. That's just 3 months from now.

5. Virtually ALL foreign architectual, construction and engineering firms are bailing out as quickly as possible.....BEFORE the place opens up. They're all well aware of the problems and don't want to have their firms' names attached to anything that all of them are considering a "disaster waiting to happen".

6. According to a friend of mine's husband (whose firm is in charge of overseeing construction) "Plane crashes are absolutely inevitible IF this new airport is allowed to open." His firm has allerted the AOT on more occasions than he can count about more problems than he can list and each and every time, absolutely NOTHING has been done about any of his firm's recommendations. As it stands right now, he's closing up shop here and getting the hell out of the country.

Now, I don't like to be a nay-sayer, but my friend's husband has made me promise that, whenever I leave Thailand, I'll take the train to ANYWHERE and then fly from there.

And, please don't think that I'm any kind of authority on airport safety....I'm only reporting what I've heard.

billinbkk on CFS

[wowpow]

THAI offers Bt999 tickets for Suvarnabhumi inaugural

CHIANG MAI, June 23 (TNA) - Thai Airways International (THAI), Thailand's flag carrier, and six other Thai airlines have jointly agreed to fix airfares for inaugural commercial flights from Don Muang Intenational Airport to Suvarnabhumi International Airport on July 29 at 999 baht, a THAI senior official said.

THAI Executive Vice President, Commercial Department, Mr. Vasing Kittikul said on Friday that all income from the ticket sales would be presented to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadet for his use.

Mr. Vasing said THAI and six other commercial airlines -- Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai, P.B. Air and Bangkok Airways -- had agreed to join the launch of commercial flights for Suvarnabhumi Airport with special flights on July 29.

"Tickets from Bangkok's Don Muang Airport to the new Suvarnabhumi Airport are priced at Bt999," he noted. The flights are considered the inaugulation--before the airport is fully opened, Mr. Vasing said.

The tickets would be on sale from July 1, he said. Moreover, THAI will offer other special flights to mark the Suvarnabhumi Airport's commercially opening with one-way economy class tickets from Chiang Mai in the North and Phuket in the South set at Bt1,999, while the round-trip fare is Bt3,999.

Round-trip business class tickets from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Bangkok to Phuket are set at Bt2,999 and Bt5,999 respectively.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra confirmed earilier that the Suvarnabhumi Airport would officially open on September 28. (TNA)

666 baht tickets might be more appropriate.

Im predicting end of 2007 before it opens.

Im predicting end of 2007 before it opens.That soon?!

[Does anyone know the new codes for the new airport? I'll probably be coming to Pattaya for the first time in 2007 or 2008 and might try to book into the new one from Los Angeles Int. (LAX) rountrip and then a bus to Pattaya?[/b]

It's BKK. Don Muang is closing. The code transfers to the new airport

Anyone expect the departure tax to increase when it opens?

[wowpow]

BANGKOK: -- With the scheduled opening of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi International Airport only three months away, complete testing of the new airport facilities will begin Monday (July 3), the airport director said Saturday, to ensure that the national showcase is ready for the launch.

Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Somchai Sawasdipol said tests would be conducted on air-conditioning and lighting systems, passenger check-in counters and the operation of CTX bomb scanners starting Monday and continuing until the airport's opening for commercial use. Low-cost airlines will undertake tests by taking off and landing at the airport on July 29.

The airport is scheduled for commercial opening two months later, on September 28. Regarding expressed concerns that staff who are transferred from the existing Don Muang International Airport and newly recruited personnel may encounter problems on using the state-of-the-art equipment at Suvarnabhumi Airport when it opens, Mr. Somchai said there should be no problem as full training has been given to all officials.

The eight-storey complex, including an underground floor--where there will be electric mass transit facilities--and passenger terminals of the new airport, has a total area of some 563,000 square meters and is located on the northern part of the airport. It can cater to 45 million passengers annually.

--TNA 2006-07-01 via www.thaivisa.com (http://www.thaivisa.com)

[wowpow]

Luggage trolley contract bidding questioned

SUPAWADEE INTHAWONG & AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Democrat deputy leader Alongkorn Ponlabutr yesterday called into question the bidding for a luggage trolley contract at Suvarnabhumi international airport. The trolley specifications were changed in favour of a certain company, he alleged.

Originally the 9,036 trolleys were required to meet the general specifications of those used at other international airports, he said. They would be in three sizes _ small, medium and large.

The specifications had been changed in favour of the kind of luggage trolleys which could be taken up and down the escalators. There were no escalators at Suvarnabhumi airport and the kind of trolleys which could go up and down escalators were not popular at other international airports, he said.

The contract went to Thai Airport Ground Service Co (TAGS). Other bidders failed to meet the changed specifications and were forced to withdraw. Under the regulations of the Prime Minister's Office the tendering process should have been aborted on the grounds there was only one bidder left, he said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said the Aviation Department has approved an operation licence for Suvarnabhumi airport. The International Civil Aviation Organisation acted only as an adviser on the airport's readiness. It was now up to Airports of Thailand Plc to ensure the smooth opening of the airport, scheduled for Sept 28, he said.


Bangkok Post 29th June 2006

[manfarang-old]

Anyone expect the departure tax to increase when it opens?Once again I've been reading rumors about it going up to 700 baht, but I don't believe that there has been any official announcement of such an increase.

[wowpow]

Bangkok Post 3rd July 2006

Thai Airways International has started accepting reservations for historic commercial flights to Suvarnabhumi airport on July 29. THAI will offer three domestic flights to Bangkok's new airport to give passengers the opportunity to experience its facilities and services at the site.

Other airlines offering limited commercial test flights to Suvarnabhumi on the same day to test its readiness are Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go, PB Air and Bangkok Airways.

The much-delayed airport is currently scheduled to open for full commercial service on Sept 28.

According to Vasing Kittikul, THAI's executive vice-president for commercial affairs, the flights on July 29 will be between Suvarnabhumi and Phuket, Chiang Mai and Don Muang.

The airline offers special one-way economy fares from Suvarnabhumi to Phuket and Chiang Mai starting from 1,999 baht net. All passengers will receive a special boarding pass and certificate.

THAI will provide check-in, ground support and handling services for all airlines operating to Suvarnabhumi on July 29 free of charge.

Tickets are available from THAI sales offices in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, or by calling 02-356-1111 and 02-628-2000.

Thai AirAsia has also begun taking reservations for its flights from Udon Thani to Suvarnabhumi and Suvarnabhumi to Narathiwat, at 1,999 baht. To book, call 02-515-9999.

[wowpow]

" Cathay chief questions 35% fee hike, Also warns against premature opening. The Bangkok Post - BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

Cathay Pacific (CX) has blasted Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) for a hefty rise in charges at Suvarnabhumi Airport and warned that opening the airport before it's ready would be a huge embarassment. CX chief operating officer Antony Tyler was critical of a 35% jump in overall charges AoT intends to impose at the new airport, saying it was unreasonable, unaccountable and lacked transparency. ''It doesn't make sense to us and we don't like it at all. We need to see some numbers to justify an increase,'' he said in an interview after visiting the 125-billion-baht airport east of Bangkok.

Mr Tyler is the most senior executive of a foreign carrier to openly voice displeasure with AoT, which has been heavily criticised by the industry _ through the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Board of Airline Representatives in Thailand _ over the fees. He also echoed the view of the global airline bodies that Thai authorities should not try to rush the opening of the much-delayed airport for commercial operation, now set on Sept 28, if it is not truly ready.

Discussing the fee increases, he said: ''What can we do? Because airports are monopoly, their operators tend to raise charges to carriers as they want in the knowledge that airlines have to use their facilities.'' Some airports such as Singapore's Changi are more friendly to carriers by actually reducing charges, handing out discounts, Mr Tyler noted. However, he acknowledged that the charges at Suvarnabhumi were still lower than at Chek Lap Kok in Hong Kong, because Hong Kong was generally an expensive place. AoT has so far turned a deaf ear to the carriers' call for leniency on fees, saying its landing fees are relatively lower than those of Hong Kong, Changi and Kuala Lumpur international airports.

Mr Tyler said he did not know whether Suvarnabhumi would be ready by Sept 28 as authorities have promised. ''You need to make a brave decision to delay it (if the airport is not ready) ... Better to say so in advance than to cope with the consequences,'' he said. ''Often it is not what we see that matters. It's more about systems _ the computers, IT and baggage systems _ which you don't see when you walk around the terminal. What you see is always not the most important things.'' Mr Tyler warned that Thailand should avoid the same mistakes as authorities had made at the Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur airports, which encountered a lot of trouble initially following their premature openings. ''I'm sure AoT and the Thai government are aware of the importance of the opening going well. It will be extremely embarrassing and [could create] a very bad image for the country,'' he said. Even if Suvarnabhumi could be opened as scheduled, Mr Tyler said Thai authorities should brace for some teething problems in the initial stage of operation, which is common for such projects.

CX will be ready to operate from the new airport as and when the airport is up and running, he asserted. ''We have lots of experience with new airports going many years back _ Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt.'' The airline will have a fallback plan to carry out operations manually in case Suvarnabhumi is not functioning.

Bangkok is Cathay Pacific's busiest hub in Southeast Asia. It operates 51 flights a week with 35,000 passenger seats in and out of Bangkok. It flies from Bangkok to Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Mumbai and Karachi."

[Doug]

I'm scheduled to fly into Don Muang on September 15. My concern is that at that time probably half of Don Muang's staff will be at the new airport getting ready for the opening. I'm expecting slow-downs and problems due to staff shortages.

well, I am arrriving with SAS on September the 28th and departing October 14th. Have heard nothing from the airline about changes of airports on my departure. I assume they will still use Dong Muang untill the new airport has shown it works? BTW I have the plan to buy a one way ticket to Chiang Mai when arriving in Don Muang. Do I have to change airports?, I think I need to call SAS tomorrow. My fligts just show Bangkok International, and that could be both of the airports.

[AMARETTO-old]

Low-cost terminal to be built at Suvarnabhumi


Suchat Sritama

A separate terminal for low-cost airlines is to be built at Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport at a cost of about Bt600 million.

After proposing the new terminal about a month ago, the three leading low-cost operators, AirAsia, Nok Air and One Two Go, learned of the green light for the new building at a meeting yesterday with the Civil Aviation Department and related agencies. Construction is expected to begin in the next few months.

Earlier, the government decided that all domestic, international, and low-cost airlines would be moved from the old Don Muang Airport to Suvarnabhumi in time for full-scale commercial operations to kick off at the new airport on September 28.

Some low-cost operators said they preferred to stay at Don Muang because of the lower operational costs there.

However, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), which runs both airports, has decided to move all airlines to Suvarnabhumi and close all operations at Don Muang except maintenance work and private jet traffic.

AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said the Transport Ministry has approved development of the new terminal and the Civil Aviation Department and AOT will be responsible for its construction.

Alongside the striking architecture of Suvarnabhumi's main terminal, what does Tassapon expect for the appearance of the new low-cost terminal?

"Building the low-cost terminal is so easy," he said. "We need a space about the size of a football field with an uncomplicated roof."

He said the three low-cost operators wanted their own terminal because of their special needs and, in particular, lower costs than other airlines will pay at the new airport.

The total number of passengers carried by the three low-cost airlines will be between five million and six million this year and this is expected to rise to 10 million in the next two years, he said. The three airlines generate revenue of Bt5 billion and this will gradually increase in line with passenger growth.

Both Singapore and Malaysia have recently opened low-cost terminals at their main airports. In Singapore, passengers using the main airport terminal pay an airport tax of US$14 (Bt530) per person, compared to $7 (Bt265) per person when using the low-cost terminal.

AirAsia expects its total number of passengers to increase from 1.8 million last year to three million this year. However, profit growth will decrease because of higher costs.

The three no-frills airlines are talking about increasing their fares and fuel surcharges soon, in the light of increased operating costs arising from oil price rises.

Source : THE NATION : Jul 21, 2006

[AMARETTO-old]

All flights must use new airport from Sept 28

Suvarnabhumi international airport will handle all regular commercial flights into Bangkok from Sept 28, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced yesterday. Mr Thaksin, who chaired a meeting of the Suvarnabhumi airport development committee yesterday, based his announcement on briefings he received on progress in the airport's construction.

Progress and system checks justified the confidence that Suvarnabhumi could take over all regular commercial operations from Don Muang airport in one go at 3am on Sept 28, he said.

He had ordered Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) to inform all airlines flying into Bangkok of the decision.

A plan for Don Muang airport to serve low-cost airlines had been cancelled, Mr Thaksin said.

''All regular commercial flights will switch to Suvarnabhumi, while Don Muang airport will, from then on, serve only government and military flights, along with private and charter flights,'' he said.

Don Muang could be used to reduce the workload of Suvarnabhumi in the future if the new airport reaches its full capacity of serving 45 million passengers annually, he said.

Don Muang's air passenger volume stands at 39 million annually.

Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal expected Suvarnabhumi to be at full capacity in three years.

The first international terminal building and the domestic terminal at Don Muang would be maintained for possible future use. The second international terminal would be developed into a museum and exhibition complex.

Mr Pongsak said expanding Suvarnabhumi had not been discussed seriously yet to protect the price of AOT shares.

Ahead of Sept 28, Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, PB Air, Nok Air, One-Two-Go and Thai AirAsia would direct some of their non-connecting domestic flights to land at Suvarnabhumi from July 29 for real tests. But flights out of Bangkok would depart from Don Muang as usual.

There would be enough public transport services and facilities available to serve passengers of the selected flights from July 29 onwards, and the passengers would also receive special certificates to mark their early appearance at the new airport, said Mr Pongsak.

SOURCE : http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/

Will believe it when i land - not before!

[bkkguy]

Will believe it when i land - not before!

or skid off the runway perhaps?

AIRPORT RUNWAYS - Condition of tarmac again raises fears (The Nation July 21)
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/ ... d=30009233 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=3&id=30009233)

bkkguy

could be skid marks inside AND out!

Operations at new airports rarely go smoothly but this particular project reflects a somewhat unique problem. Runway integrity is normally not one of the issues you'd expect to be of concern this close to opening day. Normal concerns at this stage would include baggage handling, ground transport infrastructure and security screening facilities. Given the widespread acceptability of corruption at all levels, it's doubtful this airport will become fully operational this year. The biggest issue will soon become saving face. The smart pols are already working that angle.

What are the implications? Since Thai Airways is committed to commencing ops at the new site on schedule, Thai will function as they mine canary. Meanwhile, look for other carriers to delay the changeover until problems are ironed out. The AoT will have little choice but to go along rather than risk more embarrassment than it has already incurred.

Don Muang, as we all know from experience, can be annoying. But Don Muang works and nothing is more important to a traveler or an airport operator.

Thai will not be the "canary in the coal mine". It is going to be all or nothing: all Bangkok air traffic operating from there, or none. Airlines do not have the option of "hanging out" at Don Muang until they're ready, as Don Muang will be closed down.

If Don Muang closes on schedule, I'll owe you a year's subscription to the Sawatdee Gay Thailand forum.

Suvarnabhumi international airport will handle all regular commercial flights into Bangkok from Sept 28, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced yesterdayApparently Toxin now controls ICAO. It is they who certify that an airport is "fit for use". I don't recall seeing any such determination, but perhaps someone can point is to it

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/17/ ... 008892.php (http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/17/headlines/headlines_30008892.php)

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has questioned the readiness of Suvarnabhumi airport for its official opening on Sept 28.

The ICAO report, based on its information collected and observations made between last month and early this month, identifies 29 high-risk areas - or about one-third of the 93 items on its checklist.

Forty-three are rated as medium-risk and the rest low-risk.

It defines a high-risk item as one which "will most probably not be possible to resolve" before the opening date and could delay the opening plan.

Its report, sent to Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), a copy of which was obtained by the Bangkok Post, was leaked to the press yesterday ahead of key landing and operation tests for local flights set for tomorrow .

However, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon and caretaker Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri yesterday confirmed the readiness of tomorrow's tests when Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go Airlines, Nok Air, and PB Air will service 20 local flights in and out of the new international airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district.

"Everything is ready [for the test flights]," Mr Somchai said.

AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya refused to comment on the ICAO report, saying he had not seen it yet. Some people were trying to derail attempts to open the 155-billion-baht airport for commercial flights in September, he said.http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/28Jul2006_news01.php

[AMARETTO-old]

The first commercial flight of Thai Airways International landed at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 8:09 am Saturday morning.The short flight using 747-400 Boeing left Don Muang Airport at 7:29 am.Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flied with the first group of passengers in the first commercial flight.

The TG1881 flight had 75 passengers, incluidng the prime minister.

The Nation
http://upload4.postimage.org/719583/firstland.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/719583/photo_hosting.html)

[AMARETTO-old]

First commercial flight lands on Suvarnabhmi Airport

The first commercial test flight from Don Muang Airport to Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, landed successfully on the new airport Saturday morning as scheduled.

The THAI's Boeing 747-400 aircraft, TG181 flight, carrying Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, other cabinet members, senior government officials and other passengers, historically landed on Suvarnabhumi Airport's runway at 08:09 a.m.

THAI has offered a special airfare of Bt999 for the inaugural commercial flight from Don Muang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.Prime Minister Thaksin told journalists before boarding on the inaugural commercial flight that he was excited and delighted that finally the Bangkok's new internatinal airport was successfully developed after a four-decade plan.Upon his arrival at the new airport, the prime minister is scheduled to take hours to visit and inspect the readiness of all facilities before flying back to Don Muang Airport.

THAI and other five commercial airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai, P.B. Air and Bangkok Airways, join the commercial flight tests for Suvarnabhumi Airport with special flights on Saturday.

The first test flight of the national airline is to be followed by 21 other domestic flights all the day.The Department of Civil Aviation has already issued the Interim Aerodome Certificate for the Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Many airlines, including THAI, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia, have announced that they plan to open new international routes to serve the commercial opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 28.With the scheduled opening of the country's new international airport only a few months away, complete testing of the new airport facilities has begun since July 3 to ensure that the national showcase is fully ready for the launch.The tests include the airport's air-conditioning and lighting systems, passenger check-in counters, customs services and the operation of CTX bomb scanners.

The eight-storey airport complex, including an underground floor, where there will be electric mass transit facilities, and passenger terminals, has a total area of some 563,000 square metres and can cater to 45 million passengers annually.Meanwhile, the Department of Land Transport has affirmed the readiness of transport service for passengers to the new international airport.

The department said that transport services to the new Bangkok interntional airport include limousines, airport buses and airport express service.Airport buses, including inter-provincial bus service, will be run by the Transport Co., Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

The airport express service, operated by the Thonburi Service Co., Ltd., will provide buses running through the capital's business areas and to downtown hotels in areas such as Silom and Wireless roads.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the transport service to the new airport is not aimed to reap benefit, but to promote the kingdom globally.

Bus access and seating is also modified to facilitate passengers with disabilities, according to the Thai leader. (TNA)

www.bangkokpost.com (http://www.bangkokpost.com)
Saturday July 29, 2006

The TG1881 flight had 75 passengers, incluidng the prime ministerYep, they were queueing up for that one

Today's Bangkok Post, page B-1:

The first and largest airplane to touch down with be a THAI Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet with caretaker prime minister Thaskin Shinawatra and cabinet members on board at 8.09am.

The paid-for flight, TG1881 with 375 passengers, is due to take off from Bangkok International Airport (Don Muang) at 7:45am for the 24-minute trip.

[wowpow]

Carnival atmosphere on test day. Small hiccups cause minor inconvenience, but security systems at airport performed well, says Thaksin
By Bangkok Post reporters

Suvarnabhumi airport resembled a shopping and entertainment hub yesterday, throwing a fun fair extravaganza to welcome passengers of the first commercial test flights and airport visitors amid some infrastructural hiccups. More than 10,000 people packed the airport, drawn by heavily discounted merchandise on offer at shopping stalls contracted to operate in the airport. On the other side of the departure hall, domestic passengers awaiting their first commercial flights out of the airport joined quiz games before boarding the planes with bagfuls of souvenirs and give-aways.

The airport opened its doors to the first commercial domestic test flights yesterday, starting with Thai Airways flight TG 1881 carrying passengers including caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was accompanied by many cabinet members. The flight left Don Muang at 7.45am and touched down at 8.09am. Observers felt the foray reflected the government's efforts to rev up visitor turnout at the airport. For some, Suvarnabhumi felt more like a shopping centre than an airport. Inside the airport terminal, staff of each domestic airline organised a variety of promotional activities and games to compete for attention with presenters handing out souvenirs and mascots to visitors. Coffee and food outlets such as Starbucks, Coffee World and S&P restaurant distributed coupons for free drinks.

Bank counters were opened for people to change their banknotes into smaller denominations, which came with a commemorative slip many kept as a memento of the first transaction they carried out at the airport. The centre of attention was the King Power duty-free shop which registered brisk sales after slapping huge discounts on its merchandise.

Nichanant Kanthawanich, a 51-year-old businesswoman, said the way the shops are organised made her confuse the airport for a shopping mall. There may be too many shops, distracting passengers, which could cause them to board their flights late. Some retailers said they still need at least three more months to fully deck out their shops, which means they will not be completed in time for the airport's official opening on Sept 28. Accompanying a flurry of excitement at the airport were glitches that needed to be fixed.

The glass elevator which directs passengers up and down the six-storey terminal still lacks a ventilator. Some banisters also have loose screws. Shuttle bus services were still slow, keeping people waiting for half an hour. There were also complaints about clogged toilets at the airport. Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) staff said feedback will be gathered to smooth out the problems.

Thai Airways flight TG 1881 was the maiden flight carrying VIP passengers including Mr Thaksin. Upon his arrival at the airport, Mr Thaksin said he was excited to have flown the historic flight to the airport, which took 40 years to complete. ''Admittedly, I had been quite worried until today. There were some problems during the test-run of the airport. But they involved only delays in linkup services and a few public discomforts, not the security. I feel relieved.'' He believed everything would go well when the airport opens officially on Sept 28. A group of about 900 people named ''Love Udon Club'' travelled in 16 buses to the airport and chanted support for the prime minister. The group was led by former Thai Rak Thai MP for Udon Thani, Torpong Chaiyasarn.

Six local airlines conducted 21 flights in and out of Suvarnabhumi during the landing and other tests yesterday. The airlines were Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go Airlines, Nok Air and PB Air.

AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya said all systems and facilities were ready for the test day.

To brighten up the airport at night, all 8,000 lights will be lit in the terminal and another 7,000 lights will be switched on along the runway.

During Aug 1-Sept 15, the AoT will organise free guided tours around the airport with souvenirs to be given out every day. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority will provide buses to take visitors to the airport from six different routes, Mr Chotisak said.

Apinant Sumanaseranee, president of Thai Airways International, said the airline's test flights were a success and the airline would probably send its flight schedule to the airport well before its official opening.

THAI also plans to conduct international test flights _Suvarnabhumi-Hong Kong and -Singapore _ on Sept 1.

Bangkok Post

BANGKOK'S long-delayed new airport may not be ready for its September 29 scheduled opening, the International Air Transport Association said on Saturday.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport mustn't take over from the existing Don Muang airport until "robust and comprehensive testing" ensures all systems are working, the group, which represents 260 airlines with 94 percent of world air traffic, said over the weekend, according to Bloomberg News.

"What is important is to have Suvarnabhumi Airport begin commercial operations only when it is operationally ready," the transport group said. The airport must consult airlines to agree on a "go or no-go decision for the opening date of the airport."
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/0 ... hedule.htm (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/07/31/287671/Bangkok_airport_might_not_open_on_schedule.htm)

[Aunty]

Will this new airport be taking all the old ones international flights when it's fully operational, or just some? What will happen to the old airport? Will the new airport make it easier to get to Pattaya and and BKK?

Last word is that all flights will move to the new airport, and the old one will be closed. No word on the fate of the old airport.

Second question: depends on what part of Bangkok you're traveling to. It will be be faster to the eastern suburbs (Onnuch, Bang Na, Bangkapi), but maybe 10 minutes slower to Silom. The journey to Pattaya should be faster by 20-30 minutes.

[Aunty]

Taa muchly!

Not impressed with the photos ive seen of the inside so far.

Thought they would have made it more Thai style not like frankfurt etc etc

They should change the name of the airport. Most of the rest of the world won't be able to pronounce the name.

It should just be known as Bangkok International

ajarntrade

I agree ajarntrade. What a name to pronounce. Anybody know why they picked that name? I guess Bangkok International would be just too easy.

... it will be known as Bangkok Airport by all and sundry, just as the airport in Orange County is not known as John Wayne Airport, Sydney Airport is not known as Kingsford-Smith Airport, Auckland Airport is not known as Jean Batten Airport (I think that's right - I'm sure Aunty can provide us with a trivia moment), Hong Kong is not known as something relatively unpronounceable but I'm sure Cedric can enlighten us, Delhi is not known as Indira Gandhi Airport, blah blah blah, etc etc etc

In fact the airport is usually called something relatively close to its 3 letter acronym, namely BKK, SYD, AKL, HKG, DEL, LHR and so on. I'm afraid it's when we get to Canada we find a country aviation seems to have forgotten, and the poor bastards ended up with meaningless acronyms like YYR (sorry Smiles)

Foreigners can't pronounce "Don Muang" correctly, anyway. So what. It's just "Bangkok Airport", and this one will be known as "the new airport".

By the way, the King himself named the airport...why don't you start a petition complaining that the King picked a shitty name? That would be a good laugh.

My boyfriend is meeting his aunt who's flying in from the US on the 13th August and he's been told that the flight will land at the new airport. Don't know what airline that is but I'm surprised he's been told that. I'll let you know if it does happen and how he gets on.

When the Republicans had Washington National Airport re-named to Ronald Reagan National Airport most travelers (including many Republicans) continued to call it "National" or "DCA".

But because I remain persuaded that Don Muang will continue some flight operations on the day of the changeover, what will its international code be?

They need to assign a code because YOU are "persuaded" something will happen?

Yes.

[wowpow]

BANGKOK: -- When flight operations cease at Don Muang Aiprort, Thailand's Ministry of Commerce plans to convert at least a portion of Don Muang International Airport's existing departure areas into a central market after the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport is opened for commercial use on September 28, Deputy Commerce Minister Preecha Laohapongchana said Saturday.

The Don Muang Airport has two international terminals and one domestic terminal.

Departure areas are on the upper levels of the three terminals.

Arrivals are on the ground floor of the three terminals, while parking facilities are available for prospective shoppers.

A feasibility study has been conducted and will be soon given to Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, also a deputy prime minister, for his consideration before being submitted to the cabinet for a final approval, Mr. Preecha said.

The ministry plans to use 5,000 to 10,000 square metres of the airport's departure section for use as central market which will enable people to buy goods at fair prices, Mr. Preecha said.

Manufacturers will be allowed to display and sell their merchandises at the area, but their rights will be revoked if their goods are found to be overpriced or the quality is poor, he added.

--TNA 2006-08-05

(From Financial Times 4 Aug)

Suthin Kongchoodi, a 33-year-old hospital maintenance worker, travelled six hours by bus from north-eastern Thailand to Bangkok last weekend for a chance to gawk at the capitalтАЩs $3.7bn Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

He has never flown, but Mr Suthin was impressed by the glass and steel passenger terminal, which was crowded with visiting supporters of the ruling Thai Rak Thai party, bused in from across Thailand to view the governmentтАЩs achievement.

тАЬI am proud of being Thai,тАЭ Mr Suthin says. тАЬWhen the government boasts that this will be AsiaтАЩs number one airport, I think it is deserved.тАЭ

But while the new airport may look good, commercial airlines are in a lather over the insistence of Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister, that it will open on September 28, despite their concerns that crucial systems are not ready.

Thai civil aviation authorities, who must certify the operational readiness of the facility according to International Civil Aviation Organisation standards, are said to have indicated to airline industry counterparts that they are under pressure to give the green light for the airport to start commercial operations.

тАЬThey say there is just nothing they can do,тАЭ says an industry safety expert. тАЬBasically, they have to meet the mandate to open the airport on September 28 тАУ come hell or high water.тАЭ

Mr Thaksin staked his prestige on a pledge to open the airport in 2005. When construction was still under way last September, two Thai Airways aircraft, one with the prime minister aboard, landed at Suvarnabhumi, ostensibly inaugurating the airport.

Mr Thaksin then declared last month that the airport would begin full commercial operations on September 28 тАУ two weeks before general elections.

Political analysts believe the premier is banking on a successful opening to give him a pre-election boost. тАЬThis is prestige-mongering,тАЭ says Thitinan Pongsudhirak. тАЬIt would channel attention away from his other problems and allow him to gain domestic prestige.тАЭ

The International Air Transport Association, which represents 260 commercial airlines, has objected to the rushed opening, insisting Thailand should wait until the facility has тАЬundergone the required robust and comprehensive trials to ensure the various systems are working 100 per cent and are seamlessly integratedтАЭ.

IATA is also unhappy with plans by Airports of Thailand (AOT), a stock-market-listed, state-controlled enterprise, to raise landing and parking charges by 15 per cent from fees at the existing airport. With a host of other new charges, Suvarnabhumi will be тАЬmore expensive, and hence less competitive with other airports in the regionтАЭ, IATA says.

Even before the current furore, Suvarnabhumi airportтАЩs construction had been plagued by controversies and corruption scandals, including US Department of Justice allegations of impropriety in the procurement of high-technology baggage scanners from a US company. Other contracts have been issued without proper tendering or to companies with little-known track records.

In January a fire swept through Thai AirwaysтАЩ new catering facility, killing one person, and repairs are still being done.

AirlinesтАЩ long-standing worries about SuvarnabhumiтАЩs likely readiness were fuelled by a report in late June by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Leaked to Thai newspapers, it identified 93 operational тАЬrisksтАЭ, including 23 тАЬhigh-riskтАЭ areas тАУ with concern expressed about the performance of the automated baggage handling system, still being installed.

Chotisak Asapaviriya, the new AOT president, insists the airport is ready to open and that the problems highlighted in the тАЬoutdatedтАЭ ICAO report have been rectified. тАЬWe think we can open smoothly,тАЭ he said.

The ICAO said on Thursday the airport could open on September 28 for тАЬa proportion of air trafficтАЭ, but its readiness for full commercial operations тАЬhas yet to be confirmedтАЭ.

Even if the airport does manage to open on time, controversy is unlikely to end. The new airportтАЩs capacity of 45m passengers a year is scarcely bigger than that of the old airport, which deals with 38m.

If air traffic continues at its current pace of growth, Suvarnabhumi will be under strain just three years after the opening тАУ which means fresh construction will be needed.

тАЬThis is not the way to build a mega-airport,тАЭ said an aviation industry expert. тАЬItтАЩs still going to take a long time to catch up and correct all the deficiencies.тАЭ
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/7cb9fd4a-234a-1 ... e2340.html (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/7cb9fd4a-234a-11db-848d-0000779e2340.html)

тАЬThis is not the way to build a mega-airport,тАЭ said an aviation industry expert. тАЬItтАЩs still going to take a long time to catch up and correct all the deficiencies.тАЭThis person is clearly not a Thai and does not understand the Thais. Building an airport in Thailand is different than building an airport anywhere else in the world. Thai chauvinism confirms that!

It will be entertaining to hear the excuses that Thai officials will put forward as Sept. 28 nears. Should sound like Rumsfield making excuses for his ineptness in Iraq:

"Will things go wrong with a no new airport? Certainly!"

"Will we be able to fix them? Of course!"

"Will our foes try to exploit this to their advantage? By all means!"

The new airport is currently using the code "NBK". It will inherit "BKK" once Don Muang is decommissioned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport

I bet they will convince a few sceptical airlines by giving "reduced" landing fees etc

Are you suggesting a bribe? In the LOS? Have you lost your mind?

Suvarnabhumi International Airport is opened for commercial use on September 28,

I flew back to the UK on EVA Air with the b/f for a short family visit on Friday and we sat chatting to the First Officer for 30 minutes.

He said that EVA Air do not consider the new airport will be able to cope with more than but a few of the major airlines capacity until well into the New Year and EVA Air do not anticipate any of their flights landing at Suvararnbhumi until the end of February at the earliest.

Much of the security for immigration is not in place and there are many problems with the fabric/structure of the building that still need to be addressed and remedial work carried out.

Everyone's an expert, eh?

Yes.

Everyone's an expert, eh?

I think I would prefer to take the opinion of a FO with EVA Air than a government minister. :cheers:

Do all the staff at Don Muang simply move to the new airport or?

Should we expect strikes and demonstrations?

[wowpow]

Bangkok Post Breaking News

Domestic flights are to be shifted from Bangkok's old airport to its newly constructed Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 15, two weeks earlier than originally planned, the transport minister said Monday.

Pongsak Rattapongpaisal said the opening to all domestic flights on September 15 would make the switch for all international flights on September 28 more convenient and give the airport manager 14 days of operations to help iron out problems that might arise, the Thai News Agency reported.

After several delays, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced last month that Bangkok's 3.8-billion-dollar Suvarnabhumi Airport will "definitely" open on September 28 for all commercial, scheduled flights.

The airport has conducted several test flights without major mishaps although industry sources were expecting problems with baggage distribution and other systems immediately after the facility opens, given the sheer size of the new airport's daily traffic.

Bangkok's current Don Muang International Airport, which handles about 38 million passengers a year, will be officially closed on September 28 to all commercial flights.

Thereafter, Don Muang is only to be used for military, VIP, charter and small, private aircraft flights.

So far, the new airport's biggest problem has been fixing its official opening date, which many blame on Thaksin's eagerness to launch the massive infrastructure project under his premiership.

Thaksin has been in "caretaker premier" status since he dissolved parliament on February 25. A new election is scheduled for October 15.

The government had initially promised the airport would be ready for business in September of last year. On September 29, Thaksin presided over a "symbolic" opening of the airport and promised it would be ready for commercial use by July of this year.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, when completed, will be five times larger than Don Muang. After the completion of its first phase, it will be able to receive 45 million passengers per year, making it one of the largest airports in the world.

The name Suvarnabhumi - which means "Golden Land," as South-East Asia was described by Marco Polo - was given to the new airport by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The government purchased the airport site in the early 1970s, but the decision to go ahead with a new facility was only reached 10 years ago.

The airport is being built on a 3,238-hectare site in eastern Bangkok that used to be called "Cobra Swamp." The project has been dogged by construction delays caused by the soggy terrain, reports of ghosts scaring away workers and corruption scandals involving purchases of equipment.

"Thereafter, Don Muang is only to be used for military, VIP, charter and small, private aircraft flights."

If that's the case, it appears that Don Muang will be retaining the "BKK" code.

Bangkok Post Breaking News


Pongsak Rattapongpaisal said the opening to all domestic flights on September 15 would make the switch for all international flights on September 28 more convenient and give the airport manager 14 days of operations to help iron out problems that might arise, the Thai News Agency reported.
.

Would you care to put a bet on it?

You have to wonder what has brought about this change of plans and, since the "first" move is now only 5 weeks away what changes to their very detailed overall plan for the move they'll have to make. It smells of a panic-struck meeting of Toxin and his crew that went along the lines of:

"How can we make those bloody foreigners use the airport?"
"Let's use the new airport ourselves first - then they'll have to follow"
"Damn good idea - make it so"

I hope none of you are planning international/domestic transfers in the near future

Boy, doesn't this latest plot twist throw a monkey wrench for travellers with domestic-to-international or international-to-domestic connecting flights!

[added later: Homi posted same-same about connections/transfers while I was composing this post]

Toxin is apparently hoping to make the opening a referendum for his re-election. Those responsible for making the Sept. 28 date stick know that if they wish to remain in his favor they better not be responsible for him and his elite cronies losing face.

Even when a new airport opening is well planned and executed with precision (certainly not the case here), over 95% of the pilots on the international carriers are landing there for the first time. They may have done it in a simulator and they have all the new charts, and the avionics may be performing as designed, but once the wheels are on the ground things really begin to get interesting: select the right cut off, locate the appropriate taxiway, find the assigned gate.

Add a bit of confusion such as ground crews unfamiliar with their new surroundings, catering and fuel trucks getting accustomed to the lay of the land, taxi and bus drivers unfamiliar with the road layout and it makes for a memorable travel experience.

[jimnbkk]

"The airport has conducted several test flights without major mishaps..." What minor mishaps occurred? Did the planes only fall off the runway a little bit? Anyway, I'm scheduled to leave Thailand on 26 October. Thai Air. Seems likely that I'll have to use the new airport. Maybe a month operation will smooth things out...

[jinks]

Maybe a month operation will smooth things out...

I arrive Dec 10th..... 2 months will be better :blackeye:

well, I am arriving with SAS on September the 28th and departing October 14th. Have heard nothing from the airline about changes of airports on my departure. I assume they will still use Dong Muang until the new airport has shown it works? BTW I have the plan to buy a one way ticket to Chiang Mai when arriving in Don Muang. Do I have to change airports?, I think I need to call SAS tomorrow. My flights just show Bangkok International, and that could be both of the airports.

This is what has happened to me today
I called SAS today and it was not possible to make a new segment to my e-ticket, the sales lady I talked to did not know anything about anything, but tried to sell me a separate ticket for around 700 DKK, it is sold for little over 400 DKK at the Thai homepage!!! What if I miss the plane in BKK because I have to transfer to the new airport? Have I lost my money? She could not really answer.
Well, I called SAS again, pressed for "other questions". This time I talked to another person, and she was really nice. She could not really help me, but for sure she would make an investigation and mail me back what SAS could tell me, and here is the answer:


"We dont know yet the date for the move to the new airport, but according to the plan it will not be in September"

Then I called Thai Airways in Copenhagen, "oh my god, will you arrive on that day? I think it will be such a mess, we don't know anything, no one has told us anything about transferring passengers from other non partner and partner airlines" It is all from my memory. In fact we had a good laugh about the whole situation and discussed how Thai in BKK would handle everything on that day. She told me that Thai in Denmark was going to send almost a delegation to BKK, with very structured questions of things important to them. Finally we agreed it was better for me to wait buying a ticket to the end of August, when the people from Thai in Denmark had returned. She was happy she would not be in BKK September the 28 ;-)

[fedssocr]

I am on Thai Airways Chiang Rai to BKK on Sept 16. It will be interesting to see if that flight ends up at the old airport or the new airport. But I suppose I will just have to reconfirm everything and let my hotel pickup know. I saw the Nation article says that TG flights likely to include foreign connecting passengers from places like Chiang Mai and Phuket will still go to Dan Muang.

[wowpow]

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/13

Great site with lots of photos and a youtube video of the new airport. It looks fabulous light and airy surrounded by gardens. Well worth a browse.

thanks to thaifan on thorntree

It looks fabulous light and airy surrounded by gardens. Well worth a browseYes, well, it's Asia, and Thailand in particular - form (face) beats substance every time

[Bob]

I have been pronouncing the name as "soo-wan-na-poomi". Guess I had that wrong. The airline
website states:

How is it pronounced
"su-wan-na-poom"

And the audio makes it clear the emphasis is on the second syllable. Not so difficult after all.

[llz]

It is not the emphasis which is placed on the second syllab. In fact the second syllab has a high tone : on the contrary the first syllab has a low tone, thus the impression that the emphasis is on the second syllab. (In fact there is no emphasis in thai language).
This is a rather difficult word because it is composed from two pali (or is it sanscrit ?) words, hence its unusual spelling.
From the spelling, the right prononciation should be :
soo (short, low tone) wa (short, high tone) na (short, high tone) phoom (long, common tone)
but the last syllab is more or less shortened
Guess we'll have to get used to it ...

Anyone wanna bet that the inflexibility of the 28 September opening date has something to do with the stars? Toxin is well known to be a believer in that kind of rubbish.

After viewing the map at the site referred by TeePee (http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/13), I noticed that each airport has two paralell runways. At BKK, the heading is 210 degrees and at NBK heading is 190 degrees (and, of course, the reciprocal of those numbers in opposite direction). Approaching in hazy conditions under visual flight rules, they're going to look similar. And the closer you get to the ground, the more they'll look alike. The airports are not that far apart in terms of latitude and longitude. It's only a matter of time before a pilot will land at the wrong airport. It actually happens more frequently than the flying public would care to know about. In most cases, the landing goes without incident other than a hell of a lot of embarrassment.
http://www.thirdamendment.com/wrongway.html

To view some amateur photos of NBK:
http://lari.pp.fi/nbk.htm

Thanks sathorn2 - that guy is a real buff! great pics!

BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - The union at Thai Airways International said it opposes a government proposal to bring domestic flights to Bangkok's new international airport before the official opening.

Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said earlier this week that domestic flights will move to the new airport two weeks ahead of the official opening on Sept 28.

But union leader Somsak Srinual said that plan will overstretch workers by simultaneously staffing the old and the new airports.

He said the union's 13,000 workers at the existing Don Muang airport will refuse to work at the new one until the official opening.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/20 ... 37039.html (http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2006/08/09/afx2937039.html)


http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/09Aug2006_news09.php

Wow, I just called Thai general sales office in BKK, they did not know if there will be some flights from Dong Muang on September 28 to Chiang Mai, the day I arrive with SAS. I think all other international airlines than Thai will still use the old airport for some times. She suggested I should wait and call back in the beginning of September. As she said we need further instructions. In her voice I could feel she did not like the answer she gave me.

[AMARETTO-old]

A PB Air pilot panicked while descending into Suvarnabhumi airport for a test flight on July 29 when a warning signal flashed up saying he was landing on ground where no airport existed. On the same flight, the pilot also observed that a 12-storey building at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Lat Krabang campus, with a telecom antenna on top, could present an obstacle for landings and take-offs, particularly for pilots unfamiliar with the area.
These flight problems have emerged from test commercial flights as Bangkok's 125-billion-baht new airport gears up for its full opening on Sept 28.
The first case turned out to be a false alarm because data about the airport was not present in the computer on board the narrow-bodied Brazilian-made Embraer 145 LR jet, according to aviation sources.
Some jetliners do not yet have the airport's information downloaded on board to assist smooth passage.
It was as unclear whether the Aviation Department had advised the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the UN agency promoting safety in international civil aviation, to ask aircraft makers to install Suvarnabhumi airport's data on board.
The department told local airline executives it did pass on the advice.
Other airlines which took part in the July 29 flights _ Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go and Nok Air _ probably relied on their pilots' skill to fly in and out of Suvarnabhumi.
Sources said PB Air asked aircraft manufacturer Embraer about the absence of Suvarnabhumi's information and was told the data was not there because the airport had not opened yet.
Airport information on board aircraft is normally updated every 28 days.
PB Air has reported the two cases to the Aviation Department.
Department director-general Chaisak Angkasuwan insisted the height of the building at King Mongkut campus is within allowable limits. It would not have to be demolished. The institute had been asked to shorten the antennae, put red and white warning signs on the upper floors, and install flashing warning lights.

Bangkok post

[AMARETTO-old]

ICAO: Suvarnabhumi ok for limited flights

BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA
Suvarnabhumi airport will be able to open on Sept 28, the date targeted by the government, but only for a limited amount of air traffic, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
"ICAO experts' current assessment of the status of operational readiness, based on available information, knowledge and experience of this and other airport projects, is that the new airport can open on Sept 28 for a proportion of air traffic," the specialised United Nations agency said in a statement.
But the airport's readiness for full commercial operations on Sept 28 hinges on the results of further tests. Trials are scheduled to take place up until then, intensifying in scope, activity and content.
The independent statement comes during scepticism over whether Bangkok's 125-billion-baht airport will be up to scratch, in terms of safety and security.
Despite issuing the vote of confidence, the ICAO clarified that it was not responsible for certifying Suvarnabhumi airport; that authority was Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), which followed national regulations developed within the ICAO's framework.
The DCA has already issued interim aerodrome certification for Suvarnabhumi after completing an audit of safety and security standards, director-general Chaisak Angkasuwan said.
Mr Chaisak said Suvarnabhumi would only be fully certified by the DCA once it had been running full commercial flights for one or two months, which was routine.
"That's the normal procedure. We don't grant a full certificate until the airport has proved it is able to run effectively," he said. "I do not see why Suvarnabhumi would not be able to get full certification."
According to the ICAO, Suvarnabhumi would not only have to show that it has met all the safety and security standards to receive full certification, but also that it could provide a higher level of service, for passengers for example, than Bangkok International Airport at Don Muang.
Chotisak Asapaviriya, president of the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), said the AoT was doing all it could for Suvarnabhumi in terms of function and safety.
Apinan Sumanaseni, president of Thai Airways International, said that the national carrier's test flights to Suvarnabhumi on July 29, along with five other Thai airlines, proved the airport was safe.
"Otherwise we wouldn't have flown in the first place," said Capt Apinan.
Despite this, DCA chief Chaisak said people should not expect Suvarnabhumi to be 100% perfect when it opens.
"There will be teething problems during the opening. There will be rattles here and there but they are manageable," he said, adding that AoT had contingency plans to deal with any problems.
The AoT has worked with ICAO experts since 2003 to plan Suvarnabhumi. They will stay with the authority for a period after the opening to work out any glitches.
The ICAO's experts have been providing advice and assistance for the AoT in terms of passenger terminal operations, airside operations, aviation security, IT and communication systems, baggage handling, engineering and maintenance, and human resources, including training.

Bangkok post

[AMARETTO-old]

Thai Airways' labour union issued a statement yesterday opposing the government's plan to move the national flag carrier's domestic flights to the new airport on September 15.
The early relocation, two weeks ahead of the airport's controversial Sept 28 opening, would pose serious problems for connecting passengers as all international flights would remain at Don Muang, it said.
Virtually every domestic flight had passengers linking to outbound international services while incoming international arrivals also have passengers who need to connect to domestic flights, the union said.
This meant connecting flights would be missed and the airline would have to take responsibility for hotel and other expenses.
"If the government insists on opening the new airport for domestic service on September 15, we will ask employees not to report to work at Suvarnabhumi Airport on that date," a union official said.
The union said it would send an urgent note to Transport Ministry permanent secretary Wanchai Sarathulthat to try to clarify the early relocation date.
"Most THAI employees learned of the plan from the news media," said another union official, who noted that the idea - unveiled by caretaker premier Thaksin Shinawatra during his weekly radio address last week - could lead to serious technical problems for THAI aircraft.
For instance, he said the maintenance staff would not be able to fix any technical problems in the THAI fleet because most spare parts would still be at Don Muang. And at present, most of the parts and equipment for repair were shared among aircraft for both domestic and international flights.
THAI would also not be able to maximise the use of its cabin crew and pilots because it would be impossible to connect transit flights between international and domestic flights when using two airports.
International passengers and related parties have also not been fully informed of the early relocation plan, he said. Most were not aware of which airport they have to go to because at present the code is only "BKK" for Bangkok.
Thus, the union had asked airline managers to urge the government to review the early relocation plan - to protect the interests of THAI and its passengers, he said.
Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapong-pisal insisted yesterday that THAI would start domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi on Sept 15, but said other airlines may move to the new airport when ready.
THAI president Apinant Sumanaseranee said the airline would only fly three domestic routes from Suvarnabhumi on Sept 15 - to Phitsanulok, Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai.
Thaksin said yesterday that the early relocation plan would help the new airport reduce the chaos expected on September 28 when international and domestic services both begin operations.

The Nation

In this video you will learn how to pronounce the name :-)
http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/32

[wowpow]

Bangkok Post Breaking News Sunday 13th August

After weekend, Suvarnabhumi lockdown

Heightened security concerns due to a foiled terror plot in the United Kingdom earlier this week have caused Thai aviation officials to halt tours of the not yet opened Suvarnabhumi International Airport terminals - starting next Tuesday (August 15).

Public tours of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport terminals, which have drawn a large crowds daily, will continue through the current security emergency, apparently because it is a holiday weekend.

But starting next Tuesday, sharp, they will be cancelled. Authorities claim that is because of tightened security measures following the arrests of suspected terrorists who intended to blow up as many as a dozen aircraft departing UK airports for the United States.

Airports of Thailand President Chotisak Asapaviriya said his agency would not allow visitors inside the new airport terminals starting on Tuesday. He described this as part of a plan to tighten security measures following the reported arrest of at least 24 suspects so far in connection with the terror plot.

But AoT would permit visitors to continue to tour the new Bangkok airport grounds on its buses, he said, adding that this permission would last until September 15 when the airport is scheduled to open for domestic flights.

The tightening of security measures at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport have been adopted and included the use of military units mobilised to help secure Don Muang International Airport and major provincial airports at the request of AoT. - (TNA)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Aug2006_news02.php

[wowpow]

King Power takes a big bite out of airport retailers
The Nation

Retailers planning to open outlets at Suvarnabhumi Airport have been forced to adjust their price and product strategies in response to a profit-sharing agreement with franchise-holder King Power. They will be charged up to 20 per cent of their sales per month by King Power for leases to operate their outlets. As a result, they expect a marked reduction in profits.

This is proving a headache to retailers of affordably priced products that are subject to government price controls, as they cannot raise their prices to compensate as the luxury-brand shops with high profit margins can. Of the 20 per cent, 5 per cent will go to King Power for management fees and the rest to Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT).

Airport director Somchai Sawasdeepon said King Power had been awarded the right to manage 20,000 square metres of retail space with the guarantee that it pays AOT a minimum of Bt1.341 billion per annum. King Power also has to ensure that items sold in the retail area - which does not include duty-free - are not priced more than 25 per cent above prices quoted outside the airport.

Kannika Chinprasithchai, the marketing manager for Black Canyon (Thailand) Co Ltd, operator of Black Canyon coffee houses and restaurants, said the company had opened three 100-square-metre restaurants at the new airport under different brands, including Black Canyon. However, she admitted that
the operational costs at Suvarna-bhumi outlets were many times higher than in normal stores. "We are reviewing the product mix and pricing strategy for our Suvarnabhumi outlets to ensure our restaurants survive amid the high-cost structure," said Kannika, adding that all products and packages would be of premium quality in order to justify the higher prices. "It will be a challenge to develop a menu that will suit foreign travellers visiting outlets at the international terminal and Thai travellers at the domestic terminal." She said it would be quite difficult to operate Black Canyon restaurants at the new airport, as everything was based on a high-cost structure. "What we have done is to choose a product mix that meets the requirements of specific consumers at the airport while keeping an eye on our costs and expenses," she said. "We are interested in this airport project as it is an international project and will help us explore our reputation at an international level. It also advertises our brand to an international audience."

Executives of Jim Thompson, a high-end silk-producer and distributor, said that although the company planned to open a huge shop at Suvarnabhumi, it did not expect to have a big profit margin because its gross sales would have to be shared roughly half and half with the airport franchise-owner. Despite this problem, Jim Thompson felt the need to trade at the airport in order to gain maximum exposure to tourists. Suvarnabhumi will be able to handle 45 million passengers in its first year of operation.

Arporn Supmonchai, head of marketing at DHC (Thailand) Co Ltd, said the company would open its first Asian airport outlet at Suvarnabhumi. The three-square-metre corner outlet will sell 51 facial and skin-care products in the tax-free area of the domestic terminal.

"The opening of our outlet at Suvarnabhumi goes along with our strategy to expand our customer base through different retail channels," said Arporn, adding that convenience-sized DHC products had been available at premium supermarkets such as Tops, Isetan and UFM Fuji for the past two months.

DHC's latest retail outlet will be officially opened at King Power's duty-free complex in Soi Rangnam on Friday. "We are generally perceived by consumers as an Asian brand. With our new outlet at Suvarnabhumi, we want to create an image of DHC as an international brand," said Arporn. DHC's outlet at Suvarnabhumi is expected to generate sales of more than Bt30 million a year.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation

[wowpow]

The Nation : Airport Rail Link losses dent Sino-Thai

Firm forecasts Bt1.5-bn loss due to slow progress, higher building-material costs

Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc has estimated it will show a net loss of at least Bt1.5 billion this year, largely due to losses from the Airport Rail Link project. Even though the company's second-half earnings have tended to improve, the company's full-year earnings will remain in the red after it reported a net loss of Bt1.86 billion in the second quarter, managing director Vallop Rungkijvorasathien told reporters yesterday.

The significant increase in prices for construction materials and the slow progress on the Airport Rail Link project were blamed for the loss, he said. The Airport Rail Link, the 28-kilometre-long link from Phya Thai to Suvarnabhumi Airport, has a project value of Bt12 billion, but its costs have increased to Bt13 billion.
"We have already lost about Bt1 billion from the project because raw-material prices and wages for workers, particularly engineers, have risen significantly. However, we have set aside provision for losses on the project to the tune of Bt900 million in the second quarter and that covers extra expenses in case the project is delayed for another year, although it does not take any fines into account," said Vallop. Although the provision for loss has been set aside, the company might have to establish an addition reserve if project costs increase beyond 10 per cent, he said.

Vallop said completion of the Airport Rail Link - originally planned for November 2007 - could be delayed for one year because the construction process might not meet the schedule and the State Railway of Thailand has delivered only 85 per cent of the Makkasan-Phya Thai construction area. "We have to speed up this project. A longer deferral means greater costs. If the project is delayed for one year, costs could increase by up to Bt240 million. At the moment we are not concerned about the fine but we are concerned about engineers' wages," he said.

Sino-Thai Engineering, however, has maintained its revenue this year at Bt14 billion to Bt15 billion, up from Bt13.21 billion last year.

"We don't expect to grow much in revenue this year but the growth will not be lower than it was last year. It will take time to heal the wounds and everything will improve next year," he said. The company's backlog is Bt32.22 billion, which increases to Bt34 billion or Bt35 billion if projects for which the company has won bids, but contracts have not been signed, are taken into consideration.

He said the company would achieve its new construction project target of Bt20 billion this year because there are a number of bids still remaining. "When bidding for new projects, the company will use the latest raw-material prices in its calculations," he said.

[wowpow]

Domestic carriers need not move early
Bangkok Post
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday assured domestic airlines that they will not be forced to relocate from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi airport ahead of the official opening on Sept 28. However, he said Don Muang airport would be closed at 3am on Sept 28. The prime minister yesterday chaired a meeting of the Suvarnabhumi airport development committee to discuss the readiness of the opening of the new airport for commercial services.

Mr Thaksin insisted the airport would be ready for domestic flights on Sept 15. A source said several domestic airlines would have to operate their flights from Suvarnabhumi airport before Sept 28 despite not being ready. Some airlines would have to move all equipment to the new airport as they did not have enough ground service instruments to operate at both airports. They also had a limited number of aircraft. A source at an international airline said most airlines were not fully prepared to be shifted to the new airport.

Tassapon Bijleveld, Thai AirAsia chief executive, said the airline would conclude its relocation plan by the end of the month at an estimated cost of 20-30 million baht. The Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) will call a meeting with executives of all low-cost airlines next week to discuss relocation costs, said Mr Tassapon.

Thai AirAsia is expected to move to the new airport about four to five days ahead of the official opening or after Sept 21, he said. Patee Sarasin, Nok Air chief executive, said his airline would make the switch one day before the official opening.

A source said MCOT Plc president Mingkwan Sangsuwan has been charged with handling public relations for the new airport and given 60 million baht to spend for the 45-day PR campaign, starting from Sept 1 until Oct 15.

Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said landing fees at Suvarnabhumi would remain unchanged for six months to ease airlines' burden.

[wowpow]

The Nation: Higher fares on the cards from budget carriers after airport move

Local low-cost airlines may have to increase fares after they move to Suvarnabhumi Airport as operational costs will be as much as 30 per cent higher than at Don Muang. Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go and Nok Air all said they were considering increasing ticket prices as well as other options, like surcharges. The airlines said that on top of rising fuel prices, they faced higher charges at the new airport, including hikes in landing fees, parking fees, and ground-service charges. Industry experts estimate that low-cost airline operational costs will increase by between 15 to 30 per cent.

Arak Choltharnond, executive chairman of Thai AirAsia Co, said the company would adjust airfares by the end of this year. The company is also considering an increase in the fuel surcharge. "Budget airlines, I believe, will incur higher operational costs at the new airport than at Bangkok International Airport [Don Muang]," Arak said. He added they also had to invest more to accommodate the increase in flights at Suvarnabhumi.

Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) earlier planned to increase the international passenger service charge from Bt500 per person to Bt700. The domestic-flight levy was to rise from Bt50 to between Bt100 and Bt150. However, AOT said it would increase airport taxes in February 2007 and not October this year, as initially planned. Arak explained the airline would spend between Bt20 million and Bt30 million on offices and computer systems and human resources for the new airport. A similar amount was invested when it commenced operations at Don Muang. "We are facing higher costs with the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport," he said.

Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive officer of One-Two-Go, said the airline was considering a fare hike or a higher surcharge to cover the rise in fuel prices.
Like the others, Nok Air, the sister airline of national carrier Thai Airways International Plc, is also reviewing operational costs. All the budget airlines have gradually increased surcharges as fuel steadily become more expensive. This year, Nok Air and One-Two-Go spent money on improved facilities at Don Muang after they were told they could continue flying out of the airport. They were then informed that was no longer an option and they would have to spend again at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

AOT projected it would inject an additional Bt100 million to expand space at the low-cost terminal at Suvarnabhumi to cope with the rapidly-rising demand for those carriers.

Suchat Sritama
The Nation

[Mi Cow Chai-old]

I am heading to Thailand October 9th. Called United here in the US and asked where we would be landing. I was put on hold while she consulted her supervisor. After being put on hold for five minutes I was told that they just do not know. Scary!

I am heading to Thailand October 9th. Called United here in the US and asked where we would be landing. I was put on hold while she consulted her supervisor. After being put on hold for five minutes I was told that they just do not know. Scary!

Im flying 9th october also with Thai - my eticket says don muang!

I am heading to Thailand October 9th. Called United here in the US and asked where we would be landing. I was put on hold while she consulted her supervisor. After being put on hold for five minutes I was told that they just do not know. Scary!

Parachutes at the ready. :cheers:

Mr Thaksin insisted the airport would be ready for domestic flights on Sept 15. A source said several domestic airlines would have to operate their flights from Suvarnabhumi airport before Sept 28 despite not being ready. Some airlines would have to move all equipment to the new airport as they did not have enough ground service instruments to operate at both airports. They also had a limited number of aircraft. A source at an international airline said most airlines were not fully prepared to be shifted to the new airport.
.

I posted to this forum a few weeks ago a comment made to me by the FO on an EVA flight from LHR to Bk that EVA did not consider the new airport would be open to all international carriers in September.

On my flight back from LHR to Bk last Friday evening a different FO made the same comment saying that it would be in the New Year before Suvarnabhumi would be operational for most international carriers.

I note that on this weeks Stickman's website he says there are 'strong rumours' that the new location will not be open until March. Stickman's rumours usually turn out to be accurate.

Today I have also downloaded my Eticket for a flight from Bk to LHR on October 24th and this shows the departure airport as BK with Don Muang bracketed beside the departure point.

My company's travel agent informs us that they are not able to confirm which carriers will be using the new airport immediately after the September 28th soft opening.

Looks like a few interesting months ahead. :wav:

Does FO = trolly dolly?

Does FO = trolly dolly?

My apologies.

FO = First Officer.

[wowpow]

Trolley Dolly = Cart Tart

F.O. = First Officer amongst other meanings.

Having lived in Thailand for a while, and having some experience on how the bureaucracy here thinks and works, I suspect we'll see something like this ...

Cargo aircraft will be summarily ordered to Suvanaphoum on or about 28 September. Complete chaos will result as it did in Hong Kong with a similar move. (And, remember, the level of management experience and expertise in Hong Kong far exceeds that of Thai karachakan).

Thai Airways will be fully functional for all interntional and domestic flights on or about 28 September. Most foreign carriers will still be landing at Don Muang. Their passengers will be bussed to Suvanaphoum for their domestic connections. Foreign passengers and foreign carriers will fume, and Thai Airlines will grin, because it will use the situation as leverage to raise Thai airways ticket prices and coerce heavier loads with a "simple connection". This will go on into the new year, through the high season, and will start to improve just before Song Kran. Some carriers (specifically, UAL and other Star Alliance carriers) will opt to drop passengers elsewhere (like they use to do, in Hong Kong, Narita, and Taipei) and use Thai for connections from there direct to Suvanaphoum.

The airport will be soundly panned worldwide for the lack of a train to downtown, but also for lack of a rail shuttle to the parking/car rent/bus pavilion. A rail connection will be ordered and completed sometime around 2010.

The train to downtown will "soft open" in 2008, but with a rather limited schedule (every 60-90 minutes), so that it will be more for "show" than for use. The limousine and taxi operators will lobby hard to keep from improving service (perhaps even threaten a strike), and the problem will continue to exist into the next decade.

Just a guess.

Boxer has done a nice pictural guide for the new airport.

www.boxertravels.com/airport/index.htm (http://www.boxertravels.com/airport/index.htm)

Arranging a hired car seems to be a good way to avoid the shuttle bus to the taxi.+

Not on sinking tarmac will Cathay be using it as a hub! I think I will have to delay my Thai trip untill next year, give it a bit of a warm up first.

AFX News Limited
Thai travel group warns new airport not ready for Sept 28 opening
08.31.2006, 12:47 AM

BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) warned that the planned September 28 opening date for the new Bangkok international airport -- Suvarnabhumi -- is too early and risks causing a host of operational problems.

'It seems like if the new airport opens on September 28, too many problems will arise. That would affect airlines' confidence about adding more flights to Thailand later,' ATTA president Apichart Sankary told Agence France-Presse.

He said the nearby Don Muang facility, currently serving an above-capacity 38.5 mln passengers a year, should continue to take the strain until the new airport is ready.

'Don Muang can still handle the arrivals. We should wait until Suvarnabhumi is totally ready, then we could open it,' Apichart said.

AFX News Limited
Thai travel group warns new airport not ready for Sept 28 opening
08.31.2006, 12:47 AM

BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) warned that the planned September 28 opening date for the new Bangkok international airport -- Suvarnabhumi -- is too early and risks causing a host of operational problems.
.

Someone in the government has got to come up with a pretty good face saving excuse to delay the proposed full opening of the aiport very soon or risk at best carriers refusing to use the new airport on safety grounds or at worst a tragedy.

You really think airlines will refuse to use the new airport, when the alternative is not being able to operate flights into Thailand?

BBC news 24 also carried the story - on the Asian Business report.

Didn`t catch it all - but they were talking of possible chaos.

Just got an email from United's Bangkok office, confirming that they had been approved to begin operations from Suvarnnaphum on the evening of September 27.

[sjaak327]

You really think airlines will refuse to use the new airport, when the alternative is not being able to operate flights into Thailand?

No of course not, AOT will just close Don Muang, so there is not really a choice, the airlines will operate from Suvarnabhumi, according to this this article (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/31/business/business_30012382.php) in the Nation.

From that article.

All local and international airlines have announced they are ready to relocate to the new Suvarnabhumi Airport on the official opening date of September 28, while three budget carriers - keen to avoid road congestion caused by the transfer of equipment - have opted to move their fleets up to three days ahead of schedule.


In a meeting held by airline operators yesterday to discuss their readiness to make the move, Air France said it would be ready to divert its aircraft to Suvarnabhumi on September 28.


Contrary to a recent report, no airline has to date said it plans to shift flights to other countries in the region.


All major airlines, including Thai Airways International (THAI), Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and other international carriers, told the panel they had no problem with the opening date of the new airport.


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


So from october 28 around 3 AM, (from an earlier newsreport) the old airport will be closed.

Expect some chaos, maybe even total chaos, but at least you know what airport you are going to be using after the 28th :)

And now all the airlines can start preparing their "We told you so" statements. Toxin is going to look so good (not) in the lead up to his election campaign, as stories fill the newspapers daily about the chaos at the airport, and the Letters to the Editor fill up with horror stories from disgruntled travellers. Warning: Major Schadenfreude Event Ahead

I think it pretty pathetic that people who supposedly love Thailand actually seem to be HOPING for chaos when the new airport opens.

... a case of Y2K all over again! At least I hope it is as insignificant as that. I'd hate for an airline accident similar to that which recently occurred in the US, where a plane took off from the wrong runway!

It's probably been said here already, but far too many pages to read! Is the time it takes to get to the new airport (say from Silom) the same as to Don Muang?

I think it pretty pathetic that people who supposedly love Thailand actually seem to be HOPING for chaos when the new airport opens.

I do not think it is a case of people wishing to see chaos ensue but more a case of people being concerned that the uncertainty and lack of readiness will make it more likely of an incident occurring.

[wowpow]

www.boxertravels.com (http://www.boxertravels.com)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/wowpow/IMG_6235.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/wowpow/Panoramic-garden01.jpg

I think it pretty pathetic that people who supposedly love Thailand actually seem to be HOPING for chaos when the new airport opensNot all of us are converts to Siamism, boygeenyus. Given the Thai propensity to cock things up (because of course they know better than everyone else), plus the experience of the two most recent airport openings in the region - Hongkers and KLIA - any assumption that things will go well is optimism of the most naive kind. Besides, my particular enjoyment will not be at the inevitable foul-ups as much as Toxin's discomfort in the lead-up to the election

Yes, I think it is disgusting that Thaksin is clearly pushing this through before its time for due to his political desperation.

a) Nothing to do on a Saturday night
b) an interest in airports
c) an interest in the new Thai international airport
d) and have only a few tv channels to access ...

CNN is reporting on the new airport in it's Saturday travel show (forget the name) with that awful English bloke in the specs and fake voice - Dick (Richard) Quest. May just get an idea of how things are going to work, or how the authorities say they are going to work!

ps. Anyone else having problems 'googling' today?

CNN is reporting on the new airport in it's Saturday travel show (forget the name) with that awful English bloke in the specs and fake voice - Dick (Richard) Quest. I suspect Dickie knows not to use an apostrophe incorrectly, however

CNN is reporting on the new airport in it's Saturday travel show (forget the name) with that awful English bloke in the specs and fake voice - Dick (Richard) Quest. I suspect Dickie knows not to use an apostrophe incorrectly, however

Thank you for the illuminating insight into the mind of a nerd with nothing to say. I do at least know to end a sentence with a full stop (period).

I do at least know to end a sentence with a full stop (period).So do I. It's the period at the end of a sentence at the end of a paragraph for which I can see no value. In the 19th century when paper was scarce, people indented the beginning of the paragraph to show where it started, and carried on the tradition of ending the preceding sentence with a period for good measure, rather than use vertical spacing. I can't remember the last time I saw the beginning of a paragraph indented, because we now use white space between paragraphs to break up the meaning of what we are writing, if writing at length. Since the beginning of a paragraph is marked by such white space, the period at the end of the sentence of the preceeding paragraph is a mere grammatical anachronism

I'm sure doing something that adds no conceivable value to anything is one of your little foibles, but I have moved on :bounce: (my Iriquois Nation chum Surfcrest and I are great value-adders)

[AMARETTO-old]

The Associated Press

Published: September 4, 2006
BANGKOK, Thailand A rail system connecting central Bangkok to the new international airport is 40 percent complete and is scheduled for completion in November 2007, the company managing the country's airports said Monday.

The Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport will include a direct express train that will take 15 minutes from the Makkasan train station, which connects to the city's mass transit subway system, said a statement from Airports of Thailand.

Another train will make eight stops throughout the city, taking 30 minutes to travel the 28 kilometers (17 miles) to the airport and linking with both the subway and Skytrain systems in Bangkok.

All international and domestic flights will move to Suvarnabhumi on Sept. 28. Some domestic flights will start service at the new airport on Sept. 15.

Suvarnabhumi is expected to accommodate up to 45 million passengers a year and take over most of the traffic from Bangkok's aging and overcrowded Don Muang airport, which serves about 39 million passengers a year.




Questions :

Is it allowed to carry suitcases in the subway or the skytrain ??

[fountainhall]

Anyone thinking it's a good idea to have a train from the new airport linking with the Skytrain system - already totally packed at peak hours thanks to the operator's refusal to add more cars to each train - need only look at the Piccadilly line in London. It's a horrendous journey to Heathrow airport if you have any luggage, and just makes life even more difficult for local commuters.

[sjaak327]

The Associated Press


Questions :

Is it allowed to carry suitcases in the subway or the skytrain ??

Sure why not, I do it all the time, when I arrive at Don Muang at a bad time, I take a cab to Mo chit, get on the train, and get off at Thonglor. The good thing is that the Mo Chit station has escalators all the way up the platform.

With the new airport, the closest BTS will be On Nut.

The airport link (ready 2008, but realisticly maybe 2010) will connect to Phayathai BTS and Phetburi MRT.

[AMARETTO-old]

Airlines are beginning to cancel flights on September 28 in order to avoid the chaos expected on the day that Suvarnabhumi Airport is officially opened.

Local budget carrier Nok Air has announced it will cancel 30 flights on September 28, and Singapore Airlines and Air France have both informed the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) that they will cancel one flight each.

DCA director general Chaisak Angkasuwan said the two international cancellations involve a passenger service of Singapore airlines and a cargo flight of Air France.

The Nation

SOURCE : http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30012935 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30012935)

[AMARETTO-old]

Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) Wednesday inaugurated what it claims to be the world's largest hangar in the Suvarnabhumi Airport, which can simultaneously cater three Airbus 380 planes.

The national carrier Wednesday also conducted the testing of the hangar equipment, including the jacking system and the electric system, with the Boeing 747400 plane. The ceremony was chaired by permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry, Wanchai Salathuntat.

Wanchai said that the testing was run smoothly and shows that THAI is ready to provide the hangar service.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30012925 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30012925)

[TrongpaiExpat]

The Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport will include a direct express train that will take 15 minutes from the Makkasan train station, which connects to the city's mass transit subway system, said a statement from Airports of Thailand.


Yea, sure. You ever been to Makkasan Station? It's not on the Skytrain route.

The present sky train was designed orginally to connect with Don Maung too!

How about JKF in NYC. For years the rail link was promised and only in the past few years did it actually arrive and it's expensive.

[/quote]

Airlines are beginning to cancel flights on September 28 in order to avoid the chaos expected on the day that Suvarnabhumi Airport is officially opened.

Local budget carrier Nok Air has announced it will cancel 30 flights on September 28, and Singapore Airlines and Air France have both informed the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) that they will cancel one flight each.

DCA director general Chaisak Angkasuwan said the two international cancellations involve a passenger service of Singapore airlines and a cargo flight of Air France.

The Nation

SOURCE : http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30012935 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30012935)

jeez!! dont scare me like that! hopefully Thai wont cancel any?

[AMARETTO-old]

Airlines grouse about bag handling, check-in


Several airlines joining the first full-scale luggage handling and check-in tests at Suvarnabhumi yesterday complained about flaws which authorities promised to sort out by the time the international airport officially opens on Sept 28. Twenty-two out of around 100 airlines operating regular flights to and from Bangkok joined the test handling of 4,000 units of luggage and the check-in system at all 460 counters in a simulation of the airport servicing 100 flights.

The tests exposed problems with the conveyor system, which could not run smoothly due to problems with the integration of relevant information between Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) and the airlines, according to airline officials. They also were unable to link their data on passengers checking in with the airport agency.

Luggage could not be sent from conveyor belts, Somkid Ngarmsiri-udom, traffic supervisor of Kuwait Airways, complained. Tentative information from his airline was not available because AoT had informed its headquarters in Kuwait that the test was scheduled for today and not yesterday, he added.

But he was optimistic the problem would not be repeated on the airport's opening day because all information will be prepared in advance.

Jisalada Srijampa, service manager of United Airlines, said apart from the problems with integrating information, the tests ran smoothly.

Check-in staff had to learn where to attach bar code tags on luggage to enable the computerised luggage scanners to function, she said.

Thai Airways International experienced some problems in the tests. A source at the airline revealed that participating staff were not those on duty at Don Muang airport. But Ping na Thalang, Bangkok Airways vice-president for information systems, said his airline had no problems because its staff had been trained at Suvarnabhumi since January.

Other airlines joining the tests included Lufthansa, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Qantas and EVA Air.

Jaturongkapol Sodmanee, the Suvarnabhumi airport deputy director for information technology, said the tests encountered problems, some of which resulted from participating airlines.

About 10 airlines had not completely integrated their information systems with the AoT system, he said.

Somchai Sawasdeepon, the airport's general manager, acknowledged that using staff with little experience had caused problems. AoT will repeat full-scale tests of the luggage conveyor system to solve problems ahead of the airport's opening.

Once open, Suvarnabhumi in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district will be the world's largest single-terminal airport.

Anukalya Israsena na Ayutthaya, of Chulalongkorn University's engineering faculty, expected frustrations with public transport and flight connections.

Ageing passengers and those without their own vehicles would find using Suvarnabhumi difficult as the airport lacked easy access to public transport.

''Imagine you have jet lag and a lot of baggage. This airport requires you to drag yourself and your suitcases on a shuttle bus to the taxi and bus terminal located kilometres away,'' he told a seminar on the airport.

Mr Anukalya, an expert on the design of highways and airport systems, surveyed the airport last week and found that the large terminal, which is about three kilometres from one end to the other, could cause flight delays.

Passengers on connecting flights would have to spend time walking from one gate to another.

Criticism of basic amenities at Suvarnabhumi has mounted as the opening approaches, including a lack of signs and easy access to taxis, buses and toilets.

Source: The Bangkok Post: Sep 8

Seems the new airport may have hastened the demise of Dragonair's presence in BKK, too. They probably had been considering axing their service for some time, and decided that the expense/hassle of the move to Suvarnabhumi just wasn't worth it.

http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1157667383.html

September 7, 2006

Hong Kong-based airline Dragonair said on Thursday it would cancel its services between Hong Kong and Bangkok, effective September 27.

"Hong Kong-Bangkok is a very busy, competitive route, and it has not been performing to expectations for some time," CEO Kenny Tang said in a statement. "That is why we have taken the decision to cancel the service."

Dragonair launched the services to Bangkok in November 2003. An airline spokesman said Dragonair had no plans to change its other services in the Asia Pacific region.

[AMARETTO-old]

Heeding passenger concerns, a taxi stand will be installed on the second floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport's passenger terminal.

Somchai Sawasdeepon, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) general manager, said the decision was in response to problems during the September 1 test flights when many travellers had difficulty catching taxis from the public bus terminal.

The AOT's previous plan was to only allow taxi drop-offs at the passenger terminal. Pick-up service was conducted at the public bus terminal, 2.5 kilometres from the main terminal. A shuttle runs between the bus and passenger terminals.

AOT officials came to the realisation that this system would be inconvenient for passengers arriving with heavy luggage.

A stand will be established at the passenger terminal with at least 20 taxis available at all times. Somchai said officials would ensure that there are enough vehicles to serve passengers.

People will still be able to take a shuttle to the public bus terminal to catch a cab. Shuttles will be available every three to five minutes.

From the bus terminal, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority will provide service along six routes between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok.

Source : www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/09/bus ... 013180.php (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/09/business/business_30013180.php)

People will still be able to take a shuttle to the public bus terminal to catch a cab. Shuttles will be available every three to five minutes.Why would one want to take a shuttle bus to get a taxi, if "a stand will be established at the passenger terminal with at least 20 taxis available at all times"?

People will still be able to take a shuttle to the public bus terminal to catch a cab. Shuttles will be available every three to five minutes.Why would one want to take a shuttle bus to get a taxi, if "a stand will be established at the passenger terminal with at least 20 taxis available at all times"?

taxi drivers must be pissed at having to use 3km of fuel from the park to the stand after waiting in line to be called?

Maybe the "surcharge" paid to the taxi driver will increase from the current B50 at Don Muang? As I recall, that B50 was introduced to encourage taxi drivers to wait for fares at the airport. Has anybody heard about the new system at Suvarnabhumi ... what the surcharge will be? I wonder if there would be a lower (no?) surcharge if one took the shuttle bus 3.0/2.5km (depending on the source) to the staging area?

[wowpow]

VIATION SUVARNABHUMI
Bangkok Post

Call centre to field queries on changeover

A call centre has been set up to answer people's queries regarding Suvarnabhumi airport and a switchover from Don Muang airport, said the Airports of Thailand (AoT) yesterday. Raweewan Nettarakavessana, AoT public relations director, said calls can be made to the centre at 0 2132 1888 between 8am-5pm on weekdays. However, from Friday, the service will be available around the clock.

Some airlines will start flying into Suvarnabhumi from Sept 15. During the transition, passengers should be informed by their respective airlines as to which airport the flight will take off from, she said.

Ms Raweewan said passengers should look for an airport code on their tickets. If it says NBK, it denotes a flight departure from Suvarnabhumi or BKK for Don Muang. All tickets with flights leaving from Sept 28 onward will be coded NBK, she added.

From Friday, some scheduled domestic flights will operate out of Suvarnabhumi. A number of Thai Airways flights from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai will originate from the new airport.

Jetstar Asia of Singapore will make three daily landings at Suvarnabhumi from Friday, Ms Raweewan said.

Bangkok Post

[wowpow]

Not enough toilets!

The new airport has its soft opening today, but bosses must face some huge concerns - the main departure hall has only 100 seats and just four restrooms for men

The people behind the new Suvarnabhumi Airport love to boast about its numerous and impressive statistics and they have been doing so with some gusto for the past few weeks.

With the Bt150-billion airport's soft opening for some domestic flights by Thai Airways International starting this morning, here are some statistics that they don't want to boast about.

Question 1: How many toilets for men are there in the main departure hall, which is 444 metres long and about 50 metres wide, and a place where domestic and international passengers have to check in their luggage and get their boarding passes?

Some experts have told The Nation that given the volume of people passing through, there should be 200 or even 300. Are there that many at Suvarnabhumi?

The answer: there are 12 toilets and 16 urinals in four restrooms.

In fact, make that eight toilets as four of the 12 - one in each restroom - are set aside for the physically disadvantaged.

So if you're in a hurry, you might have to hop across to the nearby Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, which has 19 toilets alone on the ground floor.

In the words of Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Suvarnabhumi is "one of the most modern airports in the world with multiple distinctive features".

With tens of thousands of people departing each day, one of those "distinctive features" is bound to be long queues at the restrooms.

With the other three floors having about the same number of toilets, Suvarnabhumi is in danger of being labelled a farce come September 28.

Now on to question 2: On that very same fourth floor, the only departure hall, how many seats are there for the public to rest their weary bones?

A couple of thousand would seem reasonable, you'd think. But if you said 100 you'd be spot on the money. Not bad for a place where thousands will congregate each hour. "There are hardly any seats because passengers must stand," huffed an Airports of Thailand (AOT) information officer. "We want them to check in quickly and get to the retail space."

The uniformed staffer added: "We have received many complaints that the duty-free space is too large." At an enormous 20,000 square metres or more, that's a lot of ground to cover. You'll definitely need a seat afterwards.

A female Thai Airways ticket staffer complained: "There are too few seats and too many shops. It's not like an airport but more like a shopping mall."

When the chairman of the AOT board, Srisuk Chandransu, happened by just at that moment, he quickly shied away from The Nation's questions about toilets and public seating, saying he was a bit too busy. The Thai Airways staffer then aired some more concerns as the hours count down to the soft opening of the airport today. "We don't even know what number to call for a wheelchair or any other units for that matter. They haven't handed that over to us yet."

The complaint list began to get bigger: the central conveyor belt should automatically read a check-in tag, but if the tag is not attached properly the computer won't be able to read it and the bag most likely will end up in the wrong terminal.

"For every 50 pieces of test luggage, 20 went missing," said the staff member, who did not want to be identified. So, if a piece of luggage goes missing, what happens next, she was asked. Well, with the new centralised single conveyor system, it means more of a headache to trace it and re-channel it back to the right place. "We're trying to fix it," she said.

The woman staffer added an even more ominous note to the list of complaints. It seems many who will man the airport have not been trained yet. "Training is not completed yet," she said, in an echo of the many critics who feel the government wants the airport opened as soon as possible and at all costs so that it will reap a feel-good windfall ahead of the election.

And what about that most controversial of purchases for the airport, the state-of-the-art CTX X-Ray bomb scanners? Well, the consensus is that they may be good but they only scan luggage after it goes through the conveyor belt, meaning there is still a risk of a bombing, said another Thai Airways staffer.

One major difficulty for passengers boarding public buses to and from the airport is that they will have to off-load and re-load their luggage at the public transport centre. If you are a departing passenger, you will have to grab your bags from the bus and drag them to where your bus is specifically parked. Then you load on the bags and head to the main departure hall.

Oh, you should know that there are no trolleys to help you with this task. Nor air-conditioning to make it more comfortable for you. The AOT claims the shuttle service is "free", but passengers still have to pay airport fees.

"Yes, it's a problem," admits Kaetsuda Ho-morb, a driver on the new public bus link. "Nobody is talking about it ... but we do need the trolleys."

"It looks convenient but in a way it's not," said Darunee Suknakorn, one of the many "airport tourists" who have come to admire the new pride of the Kingdom.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

[wowpow]

IPB Image
Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal may have thought he had been given special privileges at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday when he was allowed to walk through a set of metal detectors with his cellophane and a key chain still in his pocket.

The Nation


Cellophane
Mister cellophane
Should have been my name !!!!
Mister cellophane
'cause you can look right through me
Walk right by me
And never know I'm there!

Chicago

hope they have enough smoking rooms!

REF THE LAST MESSAGE No Smoking please

Hey, Oogleman...have you heard about the new, very tough anti-smoking legislation coming into effect in November? hahahahaha!

Not enough toilets!

Question 1: How many toilets for men are there in the main departure hall, which is 444 metres long and about 50 metres wide, and a place where domestic and international passengers have to check in their luggage and get their boarding passes?
Some experts have told The Nation that given the volume of people passing through, there should be 200 or even 300. Are there that many at Suvarnabhumi?

The answer: there are 12 toilets and 16 urinals in four restrooms.
In fact, make that eight toilets as four of the 12 - one in each restroom - are set aside for the physically disadvantaged.

So if you're in a hurry, you might have to hop across to the nearby Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, which has 19 toilets alone on the ground floor.


:idea: Perhaps they are trying to stop people cottaging whilst they are waiting for their flights !! :geek:

Thai Airways is planning to offer huge lounge facilities for Y passengers as well.

I am flying a lot, both privately and professionally and in all three classes of service. To me one of the most important things in relaxed travel is a quiet place to wait for your flight. I find having to wait for an hour in an overcrowded area much more stressful than a 10 hour long flight in Economy. Since I have the highest frequent flyer level in the two major Alliances, I very rarely have to do that anymore. I guess this can be a major competitive advantage for Thai, certainly for people flying frequently, which of course is an interesting commercial target.

Henk



From the Nation:

It was reported today that Thai Airways will have an economy-class lounge (18,000 square meters) at the new Bangkok airport (with entertainment facilities, showers, e-service and resting corners).

Full news article from The Nation newspaper set out below.

Economy flyers get a lounge at airport
by Suchat Sritama (The Nation newspaper, Business section)

Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will provide its first economy-class lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport, consisting of entertainment facilities, shower rooms, e-service and resting corners.

At the new airport, passengers will be surprised with several new services never before available in the Kingdom. The economy-class lounge is rare among airlines, most of which operate only first- and business-class lounges.

But THAI is following a trend at other new airports which have started offering economy-class lounges.

Charnchai Singtorij, vice-president of the cargo and mail commercial department of THAI, said the airline faced tough competition in the aviation industry, forcing it to find new ways to please customers.

The lounge, he said, would include televised entertainment such as films, music videos, sports, documentaries and world news, in addition to Internet services.

Passengers will also have a rest area that includes plenty of seating and showers in 18,000 square metres of space.

Apart from the economy class lounge, the airline will offer first-class and business-class passengers a traditional Thai spa, private movie theatre and shower rooms.

"We hope that all the lounges will convince passengers to use THAI," said Charnchai.

Although there is reason to feel excited about these innovations in Bangkok, Singapore's Changi Airport already has them.

THAI hopes to solicit feedback from travellers on how to improve services.

The carrier predicts that the number of transfer passengers going through Bangkok will increase 20 per cent in the first year of operation. Each year, Don Muang Airport receives three million transit passengers.

To reach that projection, THAI plans to add more international flights, such as a Bangkok-Johannesburg route, by the end of the year.

The airline also plans to start operating more flights to India and long-haul destinations.

THAI will operate a few international flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 22 to Seoul, Beijing, and Guangzhou.

The company begins domestic flights from the new airport on September 15. All other international flights will officially operate on September 28.

Today THAI will start flying from Suvarnabhumi to Phitsanulok, Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani.

Not only will THAI start using the new airport today, Australian budget airline Jet Star will commence flights to it from down under.
//

From Asia-City:

Surviving Survarnabhumi

www.asia-city.com/feature/content.php?articlesid=2169&section=62&category=4&rating=&orderby=1&searchtype=issuedate&scity=1&sissuedate=2006-09-15&totalrecord=1&issuecity=Bangkok&type=&currentrecord=0&nextrecord=0&currentpageno=1 (http://www.asia-city.com/feature/content.php?articlesid=2169&section=62&category=4&rating=&orderby=1&searchtype=issuedate&scity=1&sissuedate=2006-09-15&totalrecord=1&issuecity=Bangkok&type=&currentrecord=0&nextrecord=0&currentpageno=1)

Yes, it might be about a boring Airport, but most contributors of this board do use it a few times every year, as opposed to many of the businesses dealt with in the other topics. And transferring such a busy airport to another location is a very risky thing, not at least in Thailand.

As for the remark about the тАШQueens EnglishтАЩ; itтАЩs good to see that some people still master something more than sms-language we see in so many posts. And I do not mean the odd errors from non-native English speakers, but from people that are located in English speaking parts of the world.
Recently I have read an interesting article in Time Asia about the phenomenon that with the growing importance of English as an international language the original English and even its American dialect are becoming less important and not really setting the standard anymore.

Ha! You can't even speak your native language correctly...I'd love to see you give Mandarin a try!

[allieb]

Ha! You can't even speak your native language correctly...I'd love to see you give Mandarin a try!

I suppose you can speak Mandarin

A quote for today

A perfect asshole never gets hemorrhoids

Actually, I DO happen to speak, read, and write Mandarin fluently. Not that you're likely to believe me, but it's true. Just ask Homintern.

[allieb]

So now its clear, your perfect at Manderin and you don't get hemorrhoids either.

So now its clear, your perfect at Manderin and you don't get hemorrhoids either.

No, it's MANDARIN that I speak. I've never heard of Manderin.

[allieb]

So now its clear, your perfect at Manderin and you don't get hemorrhoids either.

No, it's MANDARIN that I speak. I've never heard of Manderin.

A type error. It was spelled correctly in my previous reply. But you see I can make mistakes. I get hemorrhoids

You really are a perfect asshole

So now its clear, your perfect at Manderin and you don't get hemorrhoids either.

No, it's MANDARIN that I speak. I've never heard of Manderin.

A type error. It was spelled correctly in my previous reply. But you see I can make mistakes. I get hemorrhoids

You really are a perfect asshole

I guess "its" and "your" were typos too, huh?

[allieb]

It,s and you're were typing errors madam. I don't know what typos are. Is that some kind of American buggered English

And you made a statement by guessing, so why the question mark? Could the word "huh" turn the sentence into a question, please define huh?

With you and your buddy lmtu helping to tilt the scales, I'd say the American posters on this board have a far better grasp of the English language than the English ones do. Sad, isn't it?

[allieb]

It,s and you're were typing errors madam. I don't know what typos are. Is that some kind of American buggered English

And you made a statement by guessing, so why the question mark? Could the word "huh" turn the sentence into a question, please define huh?

It,s and you're were typing errors madam. I don't know what typos are. Is that some kind of American buggered English

And you made a statement by guessing, so why the question mark? Could the word "huh" turn the sentence into a question, please define huh?

I suggest you acquaint yourself with www.dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com) -- both "typo" and "huh" are well-referenced there.

[allieb]

There are a lot of words in the dictionary that most British people would not use because they consider them vulgar or common. Those are two examples. Perhaps you have more interaction with common and vulgar people than I do.

You live in the Arab world, so I doubt it.

[wowpow]

HUH

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1) - Cite This Source
huh  /hʌ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[huh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
тАУinterjection
(used as an exclamation of surprise, bewilderment, disbelief, contempt, or interrogation.)
[Origin: 1600тАУ10]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ┬й Random House, Inc. 2006.

As you see the first examples of this word being used in English were 1600-1610 so it's been around a while. I does seem have fallen into disuse in the UK.