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Responding to the decision of the Thailand authorities to re-open Bangkok’s old Don Muang Airport only months after the opening of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport, Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), said: “The move to re-open the old Don Muang Airport is a major undertaking, with serious implications for both airlines and the traveling public. Careful and proper planning needs to be carried out to minimize the risk of potential disruption to operations during the transitional period. The process will require extensive consultations with all parties involved, including the local Board of Airline Representatives (BAR), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and AAPA in representing aviation stakeholder interests.” While it is possible to operate two large airports serving a single city, said Herdman, experience shows that this would inevitably result in some inconvenience to passengers, particularly those using Bangkok as a transit hub. Transferring connecting traffic between two airports could add several hours to a passenger’s journey. “Although the new Suvarnabhumi Airport has been operating fairly satisfactorily, we do have serious concerns about the high level of charges there, which are slated to be 35 percent more expensive than the original levels at Don Muang Airport,” Herdman said. “Furthermore, the additional costs of re-opening Don Muang Airport, and operating both airports, will only add to the problem, imposing an extra burden on airlines and the traveling public in terms of higher fares. We therefore call on Airports of Thailand (AOT) and the relevant government agencies to engage as a matter of urgency with airlines and other stakeholders in this critically important process.” Source: Gulf-Africa Duty Free |
