AVIATION DON MUANG REVIVAL : Call for partial opening only

AVIATION DON MUANG REVIVAL : Call for partial opening only.

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Only the domestic passenger terminal at Don Muang airport should be reopened, for use by non-connecting domestic flights, if the government decides the old airport should resume operations, THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said yesterday. He was commenting on calls for the reopening of Don Muang to relieve the increasingly congested new Suvarnabhumi airport.

Mr Apinan said although part of the international terminal could be used for domestic flights, the building was not designed for local flights and airlines and passengers would find it less convenient.

At the international building, passengers frequently have to walk nearly one kilometre from their plane to the baggage conveyor, but they can take a short cut and walk only 200 metres if their plane parks at the concourse of the domestic building.

There are two international buildings at Don Muang _ terminals 1 and 2.

The focus is on Terminal 1 after Don Muang airport director Pinit Saraithong suggested that it should serve domestic flights.

The building has been used for charter flights since Don Muang airport was closed in August.

According to Mr Pinit, the use of both the domestic and international buildings would be more expensive.

Airports of Thailand (AoT) president Chotisak Asapaviriya said he agreed with THAI's proposal if it was done for the sake of passengers.

However, airport fees at Don Muang airport had to be the same as those at Suvarnabhumi airport, he said.

The AoT board last week supported moving point-to-point domestic flights back to Don Muang.

This would allow postponement of additional investment in facilities, including a new passenger terminal, at Suvarnabhumi airport for four to five years

Bangkok Post
Monday January 15, 2007