Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AoT) has announced that Don Mueang Airport, the domestic airport of Bangkok, will be able to resume its operation on 6 March while confirming no impact on flight operations from the upcoming maintenance work at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
According to AoT President Anirut Thanomkulbutra, Don Mueang Airport is scheduled to reopen for commercial services on 6 March after having been closed since the massive flood late last year. However, only the eastern runway will be available for use at the initial stage. Low-cost carrier Nok Air has confirmed to move its services from Suvarnabhumi Airport back to Don Mueang Airport after its reopening while Orient Thai Airlines is currently deciding whether or not to return.
On the other hand, Mr. Anirut stated that Suvarnabhumi Airport will carry out a routine maintenance of the eastern runway in April after having been in service for five years. The repair work on the 1,620-square-meter surface is expected to be completed within 60 days under a budget of 150 million baht. However, flight operations will not be affected since the AoT and relevant agencies have prepared measures to prevent the maintenance work from causing inconveniences and flight delays.
In 2011, Suvarnabhumi Airport welcomed 47.9 million passengers. It is predicted that 50 million people will be traveling through the national airport in 2012, which exceeds its annual passenger capacity of 45 million. In order to accommodate the increasing number of passengers, the AoT is prepared to carry out the second phase of the Suvarnabhumi Airport development project under a budget of 62 billion baht. Construction is expected to begin in May.
