IATA criticises Bangkok’s dual airport plans

IATA    AIRPORT    AIRLINE OPERATIONS

Thailand - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has written to Thailand's Transport minister Sohpon Zarum saying Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi should remain the only international airport operating out of Bangkok.

The industry association responded after plans were unveiled by the government to use both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in tandem to operate international flights.

According to the Bangkok Post, Giovanni Bisignani, director-general of IATA wrote a letter to minister Sohpon, asking for the urgent intervention in the matter and suggested  the expansion of Suvarnabhumi should proceed but Don Mueang should be used only for general aviation and non-scheduled traffic.

"IATA is of the firm opinion that a one-airport solution is in the best interest of the passengers, airlines and the overall economy of Thailand," Bisignani wrote.

Splitting airline operations between the two airports would be an inconvenience to travellers who may have to fly into one airport and out of the other. In addition, the two-airport model would result in a duplication of investment thus increasing costs for airlines and passengers, Bisignani said.

Rather than diverting limited resources to Don Mueang, Bisignani suggested all efforts should be undertaken to optimise and expand the capacity of Suvarnabhumi, which is operating close to its annual capacity of 45 million passengers.

Bisignani said IATA supports an initiative to build a new domestic terminal at Suvarnabhumi to raise its capacity to 65 million passengers annually by 2013.

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