Thais decide to part-close new airport — domestic carriers go back to Don Muang
- Friday, 09 February 2007
THAI Airways has stood its ground and refused to move to the old international airport at Don Muang in Bangkok, while repairs are carried out to the troubled new airport.
The Thai national carrier said it had invested heavily in the new facility and would not transfer its operations. Some 60 other airlines have also said they are staying put at Suvarnabhumi while it is partially closed for repairs.
The Thai government has confirmed that airlines which are operating domestic direct flights at Suvarnabhumi can start using Dong Muang from March 25.
More than 100 cracks in the runways and taxiways have been found at the new airport, which has been open for less than five months..
After an initial report into the problems at Suvarnabhumi, transport minister, Theera Haocharoen, said he was relieved the airport would not have to be shut down completely. He was confident the airport would continue to operate at a limited level until the repairs were completed.
“The findings have reassured us to a certain extent,” he said. “The closure, if necessary, will be partial, not a complete shutdown.”
The minister has supported a call by the chairman of the Airports of Thailand (AoT) chairman for the hiring of foreign experts to study the damage at Suvarnabhumi and recommend the best methods of repair.
He said the repairs would inconvenience passengers at the airport, which is already reaching full capacity just months after its opening last September.
The government has already announced Don Muang’s re-opening as Bangkok’s second and back-up international airport while the repairs at Suvarnabhumi go ahead.
Industry sources have claimed the return of low-cost airlines and domestic flights would cut the load at the new airport by up to 25 per cent.
Meanwhile, AoT, which has identified at least 10 problems at Suvarnabhumi’s passenger terminal, said they could lead to “tragedies” in the event of fire.
Among the 10 problems, it listed poor design and inefficient management of electronic and safety systems such as lighting, smoke and heat detectors and smoke eliminators in restaurants in the terminal.
