Bangkok’s New International Airport Set to ‘Fly’ Next Month

Dogged by delay, Bangkok’s $5 billion Suvarnabhumi (pronounced soo wana poom) Airport is scheduled to finally open for commercial passenger operations and cargo on September 28.

The opening date as confirmed by Transport Minister, Pongsak Raktapong Paisal follows a series of proving flights to domestic destinations around Thailand on July 29. 

Passengers travelling on THAI flights that day received souvenir boarding passes and certificates to mark the special occasion.

As well, staff employed by Airports of Thailand (AoT) conducted a thorough testing of various systems including check-in, explosive device monitoring tools and luggage conveyors during the day.

Named Suvarnabhumi (which means Golden Land) by His Majesty, the King of Thailand, the new airport as previewed to delegates attending the PATA annual conference in Pattaya earlier this year, is expected to bolster Bangkok’s status as a major aviation hub in Asia.

The airport is located about 25 km southwest of the city centre.  Two five-lane elevated expressways linking the airport and the capital via the outer ring road are already in operation.

An express rail link that will take passengers to the city in 15 minutes is nearing completion.

Sited about an hour north of the popular resort of Pattaya, the airport is 100 km from the port of Laem Chabang where construction has started on a new cruise terminal.

Spread over 32 sq. km, the new airport is five times the size of Bangkok’s current international airport, Don Muang. 

With the opening of the new airport, the latter facility is expected to be closed to all but charter operators though its long-term fate has yet to be announced.

Suvarnabhumi Airport features a 132 metre high control tower, the world’s tallest and a 563,000 sq. metre passenger terminal, the world’s largest single structure building.

The innovatively designed seven level terminal was constructed of locally manufactured glass and high-tech Teflon-coasted fabrics.  Western influences have been combined with Thai touches like the use of blue silk for interior furnishings.

Departing passengers will check in at one of 360 counters while arriving passengers will be served at 120 immigration check points and retrieve baggage at one of 22 carousels.

There are 120 docking bays including 51 connected by air bridges to the main terminal.  Five of the latter are able to accommodate the two-deck Airbus 380.  THAI will take delivery of the first of its six A380s in 2009.

Transit passengers haven’t been neglected as they will be able to make use of the 500 room Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel.  Phase two to be completed later this decade will increase the capacity to 600 rooms.

Initially, Suvarnabhumi will be able to handle up to 45 million passengers annually based on two parallel runways serving a maximum of 76 flights an hour.

Upon full completion, the new airport will have four runways and passengers terminals capable of handling 100 million passengers a year. Even before its official opening a panel is already looking at phase two which comprises a satellite building and a third runway.

Thai Airways International will inaugurate a number of new services and facilities when the national carrier moves to its new airport base next month.

For instance, premium class passengers will be met and personally escorted to one of ten spacious exclusive Royal Orchid check-in lounges decorated with Thai art and antiques.

From these areas where procedures are completed and seats are allocated, passengers are then escorted through fast-track immigration clearance to THAI’s Royal Orchid Lounges.

THAI also plans to strengthen its hub network by increasing frequencies to selected destinations and launching new services. Last year, THAI commenced flights to Islamabad, Moscow and New York.

Within a month of the opening of Suvarnabhumi THAI will start direct flights between Bangkok and Johannesburg.  The thrice weekly 11 hour two class service effective from October 31 will utilise Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft.

Services to India will also be increased in October with the addition of Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, to the THAI network.

Earlier this year, aviation executives from India and Thailand agreed to nearly double seat capacity for their respective airlines over the next three years.

THAI gained rights to fly to Hyderabad and increase services to Bangalore and Chennai to a daily basis. As well, the agreement – to be reviewed in December – approved an aircraft upgrade on the busy Bangkok/Delhi sector to a Boeing 777.

Exclusive Report By Thomas E. King