From the news page.....can anyone explain?

[Caerphilly]

Seems Thai are leading the charge back to the old airport despite what has previously been suggested that Thai would operate 100% from new site leaving the low cost airlines to old airport. So with that in mind please can someone advise on the following?

Apinan Sumanaseni, president of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said the airline would move domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang within 30 days.

But the airline would continue to operate a combination of domestic and international flights at the new airport, such as connecting flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi.

THAI domestic services for Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi - with non-connecting flights - would be at Don Muang.

Apinan said the company had announced earlier it was ready to move some operations back to Don Muang and hoped that using two airports would not trouble travellers.

"Only a few local travellers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi need to use connecting flights so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem," Apinan said.

The last paragraph seems illogical - these are the main tourist destination points??

What's the difference between a connecting international flight and a non-connecting international flight??? My Phuket departure is 3 hrs after my arrival in Bkk so I have no big rush trough the airport......does that make my Phuket flight non-international connection??

[steve@thaib]

And not all international passengers wanting to go to those places arrive on Thai flights. This looks like a pain, a trip across Bangkok for your connection is just what you need after a 12 hour flight.

[dawsey]

I'm still none the wiser and don't know if I have the trek across to DM for my AirAsia flight after arriving at Suvarunbhumi on Qatar Airways

If I change my tickets now for later/earlier flights with AirAsia, then it costs me x6

I hope things are a lot clearer before the end of March!

[Caerphilly]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

And not all international passengers wanting to go to those places arrive on Thai flights. This looks like a pain, a trip across Bangkok for your connection is just what you need after a 12 hour flight.

Will Thai pay the taxi? Or provide transport?

Will be watching this and talking to ticket agent

Think any Singapore flight opion wins hands down at present.....

[steve@thaib]

Originally Posted by Caerphilly

Will Thai pay the taxi? Or provide transport?

confused:

Well, I don't have any inside info, but can you imagine the airline doing that? Not a prayer.

[Caerphilly]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

Well, I don't have any inside info, but can you imagine the airline doing that? Not a prayer.

Forgive the pun....I'll be on a wing and a prayer!!! Off to check Thai website...

[steve@thaib]

Even if they laid on it would be a bus, and that has to be the worst form of transport across Bangkok.

[Coolhand]

I see it as quite clever - Thai Airways protecting there own business. You arrive on a star alliance flight and you can transfar directly. You don't arrive on a star alliance flight and you have to trek across to the old airport.

[nelsonone]

Originally Posted by Coolhand

I see it as quite clever - Thai Airways protecting there own business. You arrive on a star alliance flight and you can transfar directly. You don't arrive on a star alliance flight and you have to trek across to the old airport.

yep..........Dawsey i think that a completely domestic airline....one that does not have international flights....or possibly ebeven chaep and locally asian only carrioers will be forced into operating out of DM......doesn't bode well for your conection....but I'm sure that they will put buses into place....just not sure about the effectiveness/trustworthines of the operation.....

There was a lot of nervous talk about this the week before last.........just as i was leaving town........

[Robaht]

I quite liked the quote in the Bangkok Post yesterday, something like, the airlines should be able to bear the cost of moving back to the old airport themselves. Oh dear, big rolleyes, they force everybody to move to the new airport then make it "voluntary" to move back to the old one at your own expense...I think they are STILL skimming money off this thing!!! sheeeeeesssh! where will it end?

[faultytowers]

Apinan Sumanaseni, president of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), said the airline would move domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang within 30 days.

But the airline would continue to operate a combination of domestic and international flights at the new airport, such as connecting flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi.

THAI domestic services for Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi - with non-connecting flights - would be at Don Muang.


Apinan said the company had announced earlier it was ready to move some operations back to Don Muang and hoped that using two airports would not trouble travelers.

"Only a few local travelers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi need to use connecting flights so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem," Apinan said.

OK , this is purely about Thai flights but it is very confusing.
They appear to be saying that flights to Phuket will be from both airports , which will make booking tickets a nightmare. Will the "new" airport only be for "connecting" flights on Thai/Star Alliance , or for all international passengers with onward tickets.

Another point to consider , if they are using both airports will they "split" the flights i.e will a certain amount of flights be classed as "non connecting" and have to go to D.M. This would certainly cause booking problems as most International travelers will try to avoid these and therefore the remaining flights to the new airport will definitely be overbooked.

In my view,Thai need to keep all their flights at the new airport , and perhaps turn D.M into a L.C.C/Cargo terminal.

[LivinLOS]

I think what they mean is the budget airlines will move to DM.. Thai air will let all domestic flights to DM except Phuket Chiang Mai and Krabi which will stay at the new place..

So if your connecting to an international you need to fly Thai from one of those 3 locations to avoid a cross town hop. All other domestic flights would be DM.

[Nanook]

Hmmm.... guys, this issue really starts to confuse me more every time I read a post here on this issue. Before I read they might change airport as from March 15th, but Thai seems to do it in about 30 days.

Based on all info I do get a bit worried. I arrive in BKK with China Airline on 03/03 at 7.00am and continue to Udon Thani with NokAir around 12.30pm. On 10/03 it goes the way back home.
I think in principle I may have time enough to move from the new to the old airport, but it is the hassle.

So for me it is important to know what will happen and on which date!!! How to find that out?

[LivinLOS]

the issue is up in the air.. There is no way of knowing.. The airlines dont yet know, the airports dont yet know.. Thai style..

Suggest you get connection insurance on the nok flight.. Even the Thai air domestic may move to DM for the Udon route..

[Crustasian]

The best option for people going to Phuket would be to travel via KL or Singapore.

Miss out Bangkok completely.Far slicker and save a lot of hassle.

[dawsey]

Originally Posted by Crustasian

The best option for people going to Phuket would be to travel via KL or Singapore.

Miss out Bangkok completely.Far slicker and save a lot of hassle.

Agree totally Crusty, but a bit late for those of us who have already booked via BKK

The other thing to consider is that not so many flights route from Europe via KL and Singapore, let alone cheaper ones.

[mars]

Originally Posted by Caerphilly

"Only a few local travellers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai and Krabi need to use connecting flights so the company doesn't have to worry about this problem," Apinan said.[/i]

The last paragraph seems illogical - these are the main tourist destination points??

I think what they mean here caerphilly is - Travellers out of Phuket, Chiang Mai & Krabi using connecting to local places such as Khon Kean, Udon Thani etc, They are the ones they dont have to worry about.

All flights from Phuket, Chiang Mai & Krabi will go to the new airport to suit international passengers irrespective of flight times or connections.

If Thai international think that Phuket has so many passengers who use Bkk for connections why dont they try a couple of flights a week direct to Europe from Phuket.

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

the issue is up in the air.. There is no way of knowing.. The airlines dont yet know, the airports dont yet know.. Thai style..

Suggest you get connection insurance on the nok flight.. Even the Thai air domestic may move to DM for the Udon route..

Thanks LivinLOS. But how to do that? Send them an email or so?

On the other hand, I have about 5 hours between arrival in BKK and fly further to Udon Thani. Wouldn't that be sufficient whatever happens?

[Bushdoctor]

Here's an interesting article.....................


Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok’s showpiece international airport, opened last year, appears to be sinking into the swamp on which it was built. The city’s old airport will have to be reopened and some flights diverted there.

The $4 billion (£205 million) Suvarnabhumi airport was opened with great fanfare by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, shortly before he was ousted by a military coup last year. It boasts the world’s largest hangar and tallest control tower.

More than 100 cracks have appeared in runways, taxiways and the apron. Thailand’s temporary Government is conducting an investigation into its construction at a site formerly known as Cobra Swamp. Hurried repairs are being made after flights had to be diverted to a former US B52 bomber base at U-Tapao, near the holiday resort of Pattaya.

As alarm grew about the airport, designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, Thir Haocharoen, the Transport Minister, was seeking Cabinet approval to reopen the Don Muang airport for domestic flights. Eleven of the 51 piers for unloading aircraft are un-usable because of the cracks. Throughout the 40 years since the new airport was first planned, there have been allegations of corruption and shoddy work. When it opened there were unworkable lifts, a shortage of lavatories, a leaky roof and large areas of unfinished construction.

“There is so much bad news about this airport and so much that needs to be fixed,” said Yodiam Teptaranon, a board member of Airports of Thailand (AOT), which is responsible for the site. “Everything seems to be happening all at once. It makes everyone concerned.”

The news comes at a time when Thailand is struggling to maintain its tourist industry, which was damaged by last year’s events and concern about the military coup.

There are 61 problems and design flaws that need to be corrected at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion baht (£22 million), according to a study for AOT, which estimated that the work would take six months.

A weekend poll in Thailand found that 48 per cent of people suspected that corruption was the main cause behind the airport’s problems. And 16.5 per cent said that they felt unsafe using it. Alongkorn Pollabutr, the Democrat Party deputy leader, called at the weekend for an investigation into subsidence under the main passenger and cargo terminal.

Sumet Jumsai, one of Thailand’s top architects, however, insists that the airport would have collapsed — corruption or not. Fifteen years ago he had fought against its location on a swamp. “Nature is now taking its toll in this swamp, and I feel everyone has got it wrong in the ongoing investigation,” he said. “The bottom line is that with or without corruption the runways and any structure not on piles will be subject to differential settlement and cracks.”

The temporary Government put in place by the junta and led by General Surayud Chulanont says that it will report its findings on the runways in two weeks.

Sinking feeling

Building work on the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, begun in 1904, was delayed 30 years as the marble facade sank into soft soil. It still sinks a few centimetres a year.

Shanghai’s massive construction boom was slowed in 2003 when authorities discovered that parts of the city were sinking one-and-a-half centimetres a year because of the sheer weight of skyscrapers.

Source: Andrew Drummond, Times Online UK, Agencies

[ATMwalking]

Originally Posted by Bushdoctor

Cobra Swamp is reclaiming Bangkok's showpiece airport

Fifteen years ago he had fought against its location on a swamp. “Nature is now taking its toll in this swamp, and I feel everyone has got it wrong in the ongoing investigation,” he said. “The bottom line is that with or without corruption the runways and any structure not on piles will be subject to differential settlement and cracks.”

Sounds like this could be doomed. Can you create piles for runways? If so, sounds like a huge rebuild for major parts of the airport.

Now that DM has the green light, some foreign airlines may request a return to there as well. Foreign airlines can't risk these safety concerns. Especially if it will get worse before it gets better.

[LivinLOS]

There does seem to be noises that the whole under pinning is either inadequate or non existant.. The location for this whole thing is on very soft clay that extends some 15m down (from what I have read in other news reports).. Indications like this hint that anything less than a almost total rebuild will mean its forever a substandard structure being patched.