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Post by bahnoo on Aug 23, 2006 20:24:20 GMT 7
The new airport will be opened officially on the 28th of September. The Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra re-affirmed his commitment last Friday that all flights will move to the new airport on the 28th of September. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is located around approximately 40 minutes drive South East from the current Bangkok Don Muang International Airport. It is build on 3100 hectares of land in the Samut Prakarn province which you may know is where the famour crocodile farm is located. The main access road is an elevated 10 lane highway which is connected to the outer ring road network and also directiy connects to the Bangkok – Chonburi (Pattaya) motorway. Pattaya is now around a 1 hour and twenty minute drive. Rail Network - Under construction is the new 26.6 kilometer high speed rail link from the airport to City Airport Terminal in Makkasan. Its planned completion date is November 2007. The City Airport Terminal network is connected to BTS (Bangkok Mass Transit System) Sukhumvit Line and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Blue Line at Phaya Thai and Phetchaburi stations respectively. The total journey will take approximately 15 minutes.
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Post by bahnoo on Aug 23, 2006 20:25:20 GMT 7
Suvarnabhumi Airport (Thai ·èÒÍÒ¡ÒÈÂÒ¹ÊØÇÃóÀÙÁÔ), also New Bangkok International Airport (NBIA) or Second Bangkok International Airport (SBIA) is the long-delayed new international airport of Bangkok, Thailand. When completed, it is proposed that it will inherit its IATA code BKK from Bangkok International Airport.
The name Suvarnabhumi (pronounced soo-wan-na-poom) was chosen by king Rama IX and means golden peninsula or golden land.
After 40 years of delays, construction started in January 2002. The airport is presently scheduled to open on September 25, 2005, although a delay of at least six months looks almost certain.
A series of budget overruns, construction flaws and political interference is plaguing the project. The airport is supposed to replace the current, overloaded and unexpandable Bangkok International Airport entirely.
The future airport is located in Nong Ngu Hao (Cobra Swamp) in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, some 30 kilometers east of Bangkok. The plot of land for the airport was purchased back in 1973, but the Thammasat student uprising on October 14 succeeded in overthrowing the military government of dictator Thanom Kittikachorn and the project was shelved. After a series of ups and downs, the "New Bangkok International Airport" company was formed in 1996, but due to political and economic chaos (notably the Asian economic crisis of 1997) it took another 6 years for construction to start.
The airport will have 2 runways with a planned final capacity of 76 flights per hour and 45 million passengers per year, although the first phase of construction will only permit 30 million. Long-term plans for four runways with a theoretical capacity of up to 100 million are on the drawing board.
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Post by BlueDragon on Aug 23, 2006 21:39:41 GMT 7
Once in operation, be prepare to pay for fare increase, new airport tax and extra cost.
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Post by bahnoo on Aug 23, 2006 22:50:27 GMT 7
hehehe i wont be suprise for fee increase. Project was overrun for 1 yr, over spend the budget that they have plan.
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Post by BlueDragon on Aug 29, 2006 15:42:50 GMT 7
Reported in The Nation newspaper.
Air passengers will be asked to pay heavier departure taxes from early next year, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) said yesterday.
The international departure tax would be increased by Bt200 to Bt700 and domestic passengers would incur a Bt100 fee, up from a current Bt50. The increase would be effective from February 1 .
AOT operates Suvarnabhumi Airport. It had planned to introduce the new taxes upon the opening of the new airport on September 28. Meanwhile, new landing fees levied on aircraft using the airport would be imposed from April 1, 2007. That is a six-month delay from the original schedule.
AOT said it was postponing the new fee to attract airlines to Suvarnabhumi. The new landing fee is a 15-per-cent increase on that charged at Don Muang airport.
AOT explained earlier that fees at Suvarnabhumi Airport needed to be raised due to the greater amenities and facilities that would be provided. After 40 years in the making Suvarnabhumi has cost Bt150 billion. It is scheduled to start operations on September 28.
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Post by BlueDragon on Sept 1, 2006 15:26:40 GMT 7
Do take notes....
Midnight initiation for Suvarnabhumi
DON ROSS
In just 28 days, the doors will slam shut at Don Muang Airport ending its career as Asia's oldest operating commercial airport. Travellers will switch to what airport developers call a green field airport, built from scratch and by their nature subject to a host of ills that haunt projects that rise from swamps or reclaimed land.
Some Bangkok residents told me they were re-arranging their travel diaries to ensure they would not have to travel overseas September 28 or for at least a week afterwards to avoid the inevitable teething problems.
Here are a few tips that might help to reduce the pain when Suvarnabhumi Airport assumes the role of the nation's premier gateway.
It helps to know that common sense prevailed and the Airports of Thailand confirmed it will close Don Muang Airport 0100 September 28 to all commercial airline traffic. Don Muang will serve as an aircraft maintenance centre and handle VIP flights and charters. All the domestic airlines transfer after the last flights on September 27.
I measured the distance from the expressway entrance at Ploenchit to Suvarnabhumi Airport terminal at 31 km, about five kilometres more than the distance to Don Muang.
However, the taxi fares are likely to double to Suvarnabhumi from around 150 baht to 300 baht for a single trip. Limousine companies that pick up travellers from hotels and residences will probably double the one-way fare from around 600 to 1200 baht.
Despite the Airports of Thailand's claims that there are five routes to the new airport, the quickest for travellers in the hotel districts around Ploenchit and Sukhumvit is via the Rama IX expressway that drops down on Motorway 7, heading east.
Taxis are authorised to drop off passengers at the fourth floor entrance to the departures hall. AoT states in its operations manual that neither taxis nor private cars can park at kerbside. They must drop off passengers and leave immediately.
Private car owners follow the road signs to the passenger terminal on Motorway 7 and take the flyover to an eight-lane divided highway that leads directly to the 4th floor of the terminal building. There they drop off family and suitcases before taking a sharp right to the 5,000-car capacity short term parking building just in front of the airport's hotel.
If you are travelling with THAI, or on domestic flights, head for rows A through to C. The departure hall is 500 metres long so you do not want to stop your car too far from the entrance to your airline's row unless you like to trek. THAI and Star Alliance airlines are close to the first entrances as you approach the terminal. Oneworld airlines follow, somewhere in the middle of the terminal, with all the non-alliance airlines at rows beyond.
The escalators leading to the domestic departure concourses face rows A and B, close to where THAI has its check-in lounges for business and first class passengers. International passengers pass through immigration checkpoints near rows G and H.
AoT postponed its decision to raise the Passenger Service Charge from 500 baht to 700 baht until next February, after airlines and travel associations voiced objections at a meeting mid-August. By February, it is quite likely that the passenger fee will be included in the price of the air ticket to streamline the process.
Until then passengers will continue with the current system, buying a 500-baht coupon from the kiosk or self-service vending machines.
Due to additional security measures introduced by THAI, earlier this month, for all flights to the US, UK, Australia, Bali, Philippines and Sri Lanka, passengers will need to check-in three hours before flight departures. This will continue at Suvarnabhumi. However, the distance from the departure terminal to the airside gates through the concourses is considerably longer than passengers encounter at Don Muang.
Travel agents are recommending that their clients allow 30 minutes to walk from the check-in row to the gates on concourse A, B, and 40 minutes through concourses C to G. There are seven concourses leading off the passenger terminal building. Some airlines are reverting to some old fashioned measures to reduce strays such as providing passengers with bright lapel stickers, possibly with the concourse letter.
Miscalculating the time it takes to walk through the long concourses to international gates or a diversion for retail therapy at the duty-free shops will probably account for most of the passenger related hiccups.
On the bright side, both domestic and international flights are located in the same terminal, which ends the need for the long hike between terminal buildings at Don Muang.
Arriving passengers exit at level two of the passenger terminal where they can queue for a taxi. Unlike Don Muang, taxis are not allowed to park kerbside at the exit. They park three kilometres always at the remote parking area, next to the bus station.
Similar to most international airports, a taxi supervisor radios a batch of taxis from the remote taxi rank managing the queue from a pool of around 400 authorised taxis.
Limousine counters are located on both the fourth and second floors, but also park at the same location as the public taxis.
Tour groups will exit through immigration and customs on level two, but unlike individual travellers, they will go down one floor to where tour buses will park. Tour companies, car rental and banks will have counters in the foyer of level two.
There is another option for passengers who want to avoid the level two taxi queue or want to travel by bus to the city. They can board a complimentary shuttle bus that takes 10 minutes to transfer from the terminal to the bus station. The taxi ranks and car rental pick-up and drop off areas are next door. Long-term parking lots for up to 10,000 cars are also located across the street from the bus station.
Private car drivers can pick up passengers at level two, but they will not be able to park at kerbside.
A passage from level two will lead to airport express train station located in the basement of the airport hotel. The train will begin services in late 2008 stopping at a terminal adjacent to the Phya Thai BTS station on Phaholyothin Road.
Until then, travellers will have to cope with expensive taxi and limousine fares or suffer the drawn out task of journeying home via one of six air-conditioned bus routes to Minburi, Happy Land, Victory Monument, Onnuj BTS station, Samut Prakan and Rangsit.
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Post by BlueDragon on Sept 12, 2006 11:23:39 GMT 7
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Post by bahnoo on Sept 12, 2006 13:27:34 GMT 7
hehehhe nice airport =P cant wait to go there on oct or nov. APNAM Here i come whahahahaha
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Post by BlueDragon on Sept 14, 2006 13:17:07 GMT 7
Airport taxis to be increased to 10,000
Can pick up, drop off, surcharge to be levied
AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK
The Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) has put up a large billboard advertising Suvarnabhumi airport at Don Muang airport ahead of the changeover on Sept 28. — APICHIT JINAKUL
The number of taxis operating out of Suvarnabhumi airport will be increased from 2,500 to 10,000 and those dropping passengers off will be allowed to take passengers on return trips, said Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri yesterday. He said the measures were meant to provide more service choices for passengers and boost transportation convenience for them.
Gen Chainant's decision was apparently made in response to concerns raised by many people that they would have a hard time finding taxis to take them from the city to the airport.
Earlier, authorities said taxis operating out of the airport would have to register with the airport authority and non-registered cabs would not be allowed to pick up passengers from the airport.
However, Gen Chainant said the Airports of Thailand (AoT) is likely to collect a 100 baht surcharge per trip from cabs taking passengers from the airport. He said he would hold a meeting today with representatives from the Land Transport, AoT and agencies responsible for public transportation to discuss transportation problems at the airport.
The AoT has planned to set up a business unit responsible to provide public transport services.
AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya said so far the agency has not yet issued an announcement on cab surcharges. But the rate may be 100 baht per trip.
The surcharge would provide more convenience to passengers as they would not have to wait for cabs for so long, said Mr Chotisak.
Gen Chainant's statement came after caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said yesterday the government would urgently tackle transportation problems at the airport.
Taxis picking up passengers from the terminals would be registered and their number would be increased to meet demand.
Mr Suriya also said the authorities would ensure that Suvarnabhumi airport would be a mafia-free zone and those mafia figures or gangs who planned to move their base from Don Muang airport to the new airport would face a severe crackdown. He said he has instructed Gen Chainant not to allow the presence of any mafia people or gangs at the new airport.
Meanwhile, Land Transport Department chief Piyapan Champasut said he disagreed with the AoT's plan to set up a business unit to operate public transport services, saying public transport should not be business-oriented.
He also opposed any move to collect parking fees from state-run Bangkok Mass Transit Authority's passenger buses and buses operated by the Transport Co. The planned collection of parking fees would discourage passenger buses from picking up passengers at the airport.
Opas Phetmunee, acting director of BMTA, said his agency will operate three more bus routes to the new airport: a 41.5km route between the southern bus terminal and Suvarnabhumi airport, Wong Wian Yai to Suvarnabhumi covering 53km and Central Plaza Rama II to the new airport covering 48km.
The fares will be collected based on travelling distance with the maximum fare of 35 baht.
A public relations campaign for the new routes will be launched on Sept 25, said Mr Opas.
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Post by BlueDragon on Sept 16, 2006 21:44:41 GMT 7
Jetstar Asia is the first international airline to use Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport.
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Post by tirak69 on Nov 16, 2006 8:46:45 GMT 7
been using the new airport a few times already. personally dun find it as user frenly. the walk to transit for connecting passengers is bloody far coz they only have 2 entrances at each corner. sianzzz...
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Post by bahnoo on Nov 20, 2006 16:20:00 GMT 7
yea the airport is confusing.... also most of the place are not properly done up. u still can see the wall that is not being painted @ all. It hell to get from international to domestic..... had to checkout from international then checkin from the counter @ 4th floor and then go in again. Domestic is so far away had to walk like hell.....
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Post by BlueDragon on Feb 2, 2007 21:01:26 GMT 7
Fee hike unjustified, say airlines
BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA
A hefty increase in passenger service charges at airports run by the Airports of Thailand (AoT) went into effect quietly yesterday, as airlines questioned the justification for the move. The charge for international departure flights increased by 40% from 500 baht to 700 baht, and doubled for domestic flights, from 50 baht to 100 baht.
Airlines said the steep rises are unjustified when passengers are still putting up with poor service and facilities at the troubled Suvarnabhumi airport.
Most of the problems which have annoyed many passengers passing through Bangkok's new airport since its opening on Sept 28, ranging from long waits for luggage to insufficient toilet facilities, poor air-conditioning and general uncleanliness, have not been tackled, they said.
The new fees for international departures at Suvarnabhumi and other AoT airports means passengers will be paying more than passengers do when they leave Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and slightly less than Hong Kong.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport charges international passengers 51 ringgit, including six ringgit for a new security fee _ the equivalent of 519 baht.
The passenger service charge at Singapore's Changi is S$21 (about 489 baht), while at Hong Kong International Airport, passengers pay HK$153 (about 705 baht).
Airline executives said the airports of Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, which are competing with Bangkok's airport, can justify their fees as they offer greater value than Suvarnabhumi and AoT airports.
''It is unfair for passengers to be penalised by the increased charge, on top of the poor service they are getting at Suvarnabhumi,'' said one executive.
Another said the airport should have suspended the increase until authorities can ensure that passengers get the kind of service they deserve.
AoT says the increase is needed to help raise money to fix the construction flaws at the airport, including cracked and damaged runways.
It would provide the promised returns to shareholders, it said. AoT is 70% state-owned.
In the last fiscal year, AoT posted a 41% jump in net profit to 10.4 billion baht.
With earnings before interest and tax of 64% in 2006, AoT is the most profitable airport company in Asia and among the top five in the world.
Starting from yesterday, airlines were told to collect the charge on behalf of AoT, which previously required passengers to purchase passenger service charge tickets before entering immigration.
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Post by manard on Mar 23, 2007 11:21:48 GMT 7
arrived at this new airport from new york on jan.18,2007. yes its a neverending walk once you get off your plane to go to immigration cleareance and to collect baggage. its a long walk and it makes you worried that someone might took your baggage and walk out. i notice that anyone can easily do that.we walk out of the baggage area at "nothing to declare" row with four of our oversize baggage easily.
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Post by bahnoo on Mar 24, 2007 11:37:17 GMT 7
airport security is bad. whatever the previous pm have promise was not even done.
NoW !!! Worst!! Nok Air and One2Go domastic flights are going back to the old airport 25 March.
So pple who wants to fly to other part of thailand using this 2 airline have to go to the old airport.
imagin if u come from internation airline and u took either of this 2 airlines u need to check out and then take a cab to old airport which going to cost u about 500 baht then check in again.
it going to take almost an hour to reach old airport from the new airport. IT HELL
I hope Airasia will not go there else. i have to plan my bloody schedule properly else i wont make it in time for my domastic flight.
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