Suvarnabhumi Airport to open for all local flights on Sept 15

BANGKOK, Aug 7 (TNA) – The Suvarnabhumi Airport will be opened for services to all local airline flights on September 15 instead of an original schedule of September 28 to prevent equipment transfer bustling, according to Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal.

He revealed the Committee on Management of Suvarnabhumi Airport Development chaired by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra would hold a final meeting on August 18.

The committee would announce an official schedule for the opening of the airport for commercial services at the meeting.

Of late, the premier had instructed officials concerned to bring forward the date of the opening of the airport for services to all local flights to September 15 from 28 so that there would be no problems on the equipment transfer.

The minister said he was confident of opening the airport for services sooner following a successful test run of the airport on July 29, which showed all systems are already in place.

He said the opening of the services to all local flights sooner would make international flight airlines transfer equipment more conveniently.

More importantly, it would give the airport operator 14 days of the actual run so that it could be aware of any problems, said the minister.

TNA

Union 'no' to Sept 15 airport move

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

deejay Wrote:Union 'no' to Sept 15 airport move

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.

Yeah you know I've been wondering about things like this. I have actually been out to the new airport and it sure didn't look in May like it would be ready fully for Sept. I was expecting to hear that they were pushing it back a bit not UP.

I guess they must have really put a rush on to get things all finalized and ready to go.

What is the thinking though in moving Thai's domestic flights over ahead of everything else? As stated the connecting flights will be murder to make... wondering what the reasons are behind that move.

I haven't been out there yet but from what I am hearing and reading is that its ready to go, although apparently it still has not been certified by International aviation organizations. As you mentioned it will be murder making transits / transfers between the 2 airports for a few weeks and I can understand the unions concerns