Stories tagged with airport
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PAD vow not to close Phuket Airport
Members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest group based in Phuket vowed not to close down the resort island’s airport like they did at the end of September. The statement came from Aparat Chatchutikamchorn, a core PAD supporter in Phuket, who said that even though tensions were escalating in Bangkok and police were using teargas, protestors in Phuket would leave the airport alone.
In fact, Aparat confirmed that dozens of protestors from Phuket and Songkhla had travelled to Bangkok to join the rally there. Despite the reassurances from PAD, local police in Phuket and Songkhla have tightened their security presence at the airports of both towns just in case things get ugly.
Phuket Deputy Governor Worapot Ratthasima remains confident that Phuket will not experience any violence like in Bangkok. But the police presence at City Hall, the airports and other strategic sites in Phuket and Songkhla suggest otherwise. In late September both Hat Yai and Phuket Airport were shut down for several days by PAD protestors, who blockaded the main entrances.
Posted by: Andrew on 09 Oct 2008, 09:07 -
Phuket Airport gets safety upgrades
Prompted by the tragic crash of a One-Two-Go flight on 16 September 2007 in Phuket, Phuket’s airport has decided to upgrade its safety system. A new wind shear alert system has been installed that covers the entire airport complex, airport director Wicha Noenlop stated. They have also been paying much greater attention to the safety maintenance records of aircraft and personnel.
Even though the deadly One-Two-Go crash was caused by pilot error, according to Thailand’s Civil Aviation Department (CAD), wind shear was heavily investigated as a contributing factor. Officials note that the pilot of the fatal flight was warned by Phuket’s air traffic controllers about strong wind shear just before the crash.
Wicha points out that Phuket has narrow runways and is surrounded by low mountains, which makes landings more difficult than at other airports. All domestic pilots who plan to fly in and out of Phuket Airport must pass tests of takeoff and landing at its runway before their license will be issued.
In addition, Phuket Airport has hired an additional 20 rescue workers, and safety standards on the runways have been intensified such as the regular removal of rubber deposits. The CAD and Aerothai check the airport’s navigation equipment more frequently as well. Training refresher courses are provided to help staff who work on the runways better identify potentially dangerous objects.
Posted by: Andrew on 20 Sep 2008, 10:29 -
AirAsia eyes Phuket as regional hub
Budget carrier AirAsia is trying to create a regional base of operations at Phuket International Airport, but red tape and bureaucracy from Thai officials is hindering the move. The Malaysian-based airline would use Phuket to fly smaller planes such as its Boeing 737s instead of the larger long-haul aircraft to regional destinations.
In an exclusive interview with the Phuket Gazette, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes told the newspaper that his company has ordered three new Airbus A320 planes, which are capable of holding 164 passengers. One of these planes is already slated to run on its Bangkok-Phuket route, and should be ready for operation in three months.
Fernandes, who is known for ruffling feathers, had few positive things to say about the country’s Airports Authority of Thailand (AOT), which runs six of Thailand’s airports, including the one in Phuket. While not directly criticising the managers of Phuket’s airport, Fernandes emphatically stated that Thailand is lagging behind other popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia because the AOT won’t consider reducing its landing fees, which are some of Asia’s highest.
Calling the AOT “rudderless,” Fernandes said “we have delivered for them. We are the only airline to remain and not cut flights. In fact, we have added capacity into Phuket.” Apparently, that isn’t enough for the AOT to relax its landing charges to encourage more flights to use Phuket.
Posted by: Andrew on 08 Sep 2008, 10:10 -
Phuket airport reopens
After PAD protestors blockaded Phuket and Krabi’s airports for two days, the popular beach destinations are set to reopen for flights again today. Thousands of tourists have been stranded in Phuket since the anti-government protestors cut off access to the roads leading to the island’s airport, but now tourists may finally have a chance to get home.
The director of Phuket International Airport, Vicha Neunlop, told the AFP “the airport resumed operations at about 11:00am [Sunday]. The first flight will land soon. All services at the airport are back to normal. Protestors started leaving the airport [this morning], and there are not many left now.”
More than 15,000 air passengers have been unable to board their planned flights at Thailand’s second-busiest airport in Phuket since Friday, when protestors flooded into the runway and blocked the airport’s entrances. Krabi and Hat Yai’s airports were also shut down by protestors, but Hat Yai reopened on Saturday and news reports say that Krabi should be ready to service flights on Sunday.
Posted by: Andrew on 31 Aug 2008, 14:43 -
Snazzy New Terminal Opens at Samui Airport
After nearly three years of construction, Samui Airport’s new terminal is officially open. The development expands the island’s existing airport infrastructure by more than four times and includes a trendy shopping venue called Samui Park Avenue.
The new facility is made up of six buildings that encompass a passenger area of 7,300sqm within two international terminals and four domestic terminals. That adds up to more than four times as much passenger space as before, making Samui Airport capable of handling around 6 million travellers per year, or 16,000 travellers per day.
Prasert Prasartthong-Osoth, CEO of Bangkok Airways who privately owns Samui Airport, was on hand to conduct the opening ceremonies. The environmentally-friendly design of the six new terminals carries on the airport’s previous architectural style that aims to blend the structures into the surrounding island scenery.
In addition to the new terminals, a shopping centre was also unveiled. The shopping street called “Samui Park Avenue” is located adjacent to the new development and houses a number of high-street retailers. It has already emerged as a popular hang-out spot for residents of Samui island.
Samui Airport currently handles more than 40 flights each day. The overwhelming majority are operated by the airport’s owner Bangkok Airways. But other carriers such as Thai Airways, Malaysia’s Firefly Airlines, and Berjaya Air also run regular flights to the island, helping to boost tourism.
Posted by: Andrew on 28 Jul 2008, 09:33 -
More Phuket Airport taxis
Tourism and transport officials have agreed to allow Phuket Taxi Meter Service to use another 23 metered taxis out of Phuket International Airport (PIA).
Phuket Taxi Meter Service currently operates 42 vehicles and the committee granted permission for the company to operate another 23 taxis, bringing the total to 65 vehicles at Phuket International Airport.
However, the amount granted is far short of the 46 extra taxis that Phuket Taxi Meter Service wanted to operate and a request by Phuket Mai Khao Company to operate 20 metered taxis has also been tentatively approved.
Phuket Mai Khao Co is awaiting confirmation from the Airports of Thailand (AOT) after it signed an agreement to in January to operate 20 limousines and 60 vans at Phuket Airport.
Phuket Taxi Meter Service currently collects a fee of 40 baht for every customer the association picks up from Phuket International Airport.
The current meter taxi fee to the popular resorts of Patong on Karon is around 400 baht.
Tourists to Phuket are advised to take a taxi from the taxi rank just outside of Arrivals and avoid taxi touts in the Arrivals hall altogether. Prices with the touts are always higher.
Posted by: Andrew on 22 Feb 2008, 09:41 -
New airport in Phang Nga
The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is to request a 1.3 billion baht budget from the new Cabinet to fund construction of an airport in Phang Nga province.
The plans have already been drawn up for the building of an airport, which would cover about 1,400 rai on Koh Khao; an island in Takuapa district.
The DCA will submit the plans to the government, along with the results of very promising public opinion surveys.
Now that the public surveys showing support for the airport have been collected by the DCA, they are able to ask the government for funding; according to the chief of Phang Nga Governor’s Office, Khun Sakon Chaowananont.
The current plans on the table will see a domestic airport able to accommodate jet aircraft as large as Boeing 737s.
While getting to the region from Phuket is already straightforward enough by road, the new airport will focus on the need for tourists to travel to the likes of Khao Lak, Takuapa and the Similan islands, as a better alternative to Phuket International Airport.
The new airport would help support tourism growth in the Andaman region, said Khun Sakon.
Traveling to Phuket
Posted by: Andrew on 06 Feb 2008, 22:02 -
Protesting taxis jam Bangkok airport
Passengers arriving at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi airport were greeted with an unwelcoming wait Tuesday as taxis refused to pick anyone up. Sudden changes to the parking and pickup permits prompted about 2,000 taxi drivers to stage a protest at the airport which was eventually dispersed at 3pm.
The protesting drivers gathered at the Public transport Centre after the Airports of Thailand (AOT) suddenly introduced a trial plan that cancelled their permits. They were expected to now park and wait at an off-site facility which is no longer provided free of charge. Getting to and from Bangkok airport
The taxi drivers became furious when the AOT management begun allowing unlicenced taxis in to alleviate the problem, which developed shortly after 8am. AOT has been paying an outsourced company 700,000 baht a month to manage the taxi queuing system, as well as paying 300,000 in upkeep of the parking facility.
At 3pm the standoff finally ended when representatives of AOT agreed that the plan would be suspended and to first consider proposals from the taxi drivers, whom the AOT wants to assume responsibility for managing the queuing system. It claimed to have already consulted a committee who apparently were representing the drivers.
AOT’s management of transportation at the airport has been previously criticised for its lack of transparency and fairness. Their own, grossly overpriced, limousine service is unfairly promoted in the arrivals area, where passengers are warned not take the metered taxis for their own safety, despite having been awarded permits to pick up from the airport. Numerous complaints continue to pour in about the aggressive AOT-approved touts who accost visitors in the arrivals hall offering the limo service. Only recently AOT reluctantly agreed to move the taxi pick up to the ground floor and move their limos to the basement.
Info on Bangkok airport
Posted by: Andrew on 26 Dec 2007, 21:12 -
Bangkok airport taxi scam continues
Unsuspecting visitors arriving at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi airport are still being hustled and deceived into taking the airport’s overpriced limo service into the city. Despite more than a year of criticism about the lack of transparency and fairness behind the taxi set up at the airport, the scam appears to be continuing.
Large signs on the luggage concourses and a prominently placed transportation counter in the arrivals hall warn passengers to use the official airport limousine service for their own safety despite the fact that the regular metered taxis are available outside at a third of the cost and are equally official and safe. Furthermore, the large number of ‘agents’ who loiter outside continue to accost new arrivals, encouraging them to hire these over priced services.
The limousine service, which is part owned by Airports of Thailand (AOT) who oversee the management of the airport, enjoys preferential treatment. Regular metered taxis are equally entitled to operate from the airport and must be made available to the public. They are levied a 50 baht fee for entering the airport pickup area, which is passed onto the client. Until recently they were only allowed to pickup passengers from the official taxi rank in the basement area, but persistent complaints and calls for greater transparency lead to the airport management moving them to the ground floor where arrivals exit, while the limousine services were relegated to the basement.
The cost of hiring the AOT limousine service is between 700 and 900 baht, depending on the city destination, while a metered taxi costs about 300 baht including toll fees. Despite this, the limousine service continues to receive aggressive promotion which many have described as ‘deceptive’.
Says Michael Mense, a travel agent who regularly uses the airport; “this bad practice is still going on, last week I exited the arrivals hall and was confronted by six agents in the space of two minutes, all trying to sell me an overpriced taxi service. It’s a disgraceful welcome to Thailand?.
A taxi line is found outside the terminal’s ground floor exit, where an efficient service provides registered and safe taxis without much wait.
More on Suvarnabhumi Airport
Posted by: Andrew on 26 Nov 2007, 10:23 -
Phuket Airport’s ‘limousine service’ operating as usual
To those used to living at local rates in Thailand, getting anything in Phuket for 100B ( ± USD 3) might seem like a break, but for years the Phuket Limousine and Business Services Cooperative (PBC) has been offering a ‘limousine service’, as they called their communal van service, for 100B for the ±30 kilometers from the airport to main destinations in the southern part of the island (there is also an airport bus service to Phuket City for the same price). In an article in the Phuket Gazette (Limo drivers vow to fight AOT over airport service, Nov 22, 2007) the PBC announced that on August 12 they had introduced a direct service for 100B to Phuket City.
Presumably this was the same service that had been offered all along, only without the intermediary stop on the bypass road, where tourists were redirected onto vans heading for the city or for separate beach destinations on the west coast. According to the Gazette report, ‘unscheduled stops’ were made, enabling touts to sell tours and other ‘unwanted services’ to tourists, who subsequently had complained to the AOT (Airports Authority of Thailand).
The article said that the AOT was going to restrict the PBC to less vehicles (90 instead of 150) for a reduced concession fee (877,400B per month in the second year till the concession runs out end June 2009 as opposed to 1.2m currently paid per month). The article did not say that the AOT was going to offer an additional concession to another group of operators. It did say that the PCB complained that some of their staff would be shut out of operations if the AOT went ahead with its restriction.
Visitors can almost be guaranteed that things will stay the same, however, since the PCB has a ‘verbal agreement’ with the AOT to continuing running 150 vehicles until a new concession is signed. And if the AOT goes ahead and restricts the PCB? Why, Airport access roads might be blockaded if previous form is anything to go by.
Pay for a taxi and there should be no touts, unless, that is, the taxi driver himself tries to flog you a tour. If such should happen to you, politely say ‘no thank you’.
Posted by: ConcernedExplorer on 23 Nov 2007, 08:22 -
Small Accident at Suvarnabhumi Airport
A minor accident on the runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok left over 150 passengers stranded on board a Thai Airways International flight for almost two hours.
The accident occurred when the Air-bus A380 airplane clipped the edge of the airport hanger, resulting in a small amount of damage to the wing tip. The flight was therefore delayed for almost two hours before being allowed to take off.
The flight was a return flight to Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai. None of the passengers were hurt.
The president of Thai Airways, Apinant Sumanaseranee, said it was unlikely the accident was the fault of the pilots. Instead he suspected that the ground markings were incorrect as they had been made to accommodate different airplanes. The wingspan of the A380, which is a large sized passenger jet, is 79.8 meters.
Thai Airways has placed orders for six more of the jets, the first of which is scheduled for delivery in 2010.
The jet’s flight pilot, Captain Terry Lutz said that he thought the accident was a result of miscommunication with the ground staff. He said the incident happened while the plane was being towed to the taxi-way.
In order to get the plane ready for take off again, airport staff removed the jet’s winglets, which were damaged in the accident. The winglets are designed to help the airplane save fuel and are not a necessary safety measure.
The aircraft is on loan to Thai Airways and in the middle of a tour of Asia. When it has finished ferrying passengers in Thailand, it will fly to Hanoi, Hong Kong and Seoul.
Posted by: Jen on 02 Sep 2007, 13:42