Intrique over Don Muang continues

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AVIATION / AIRPORT OPERATIONS

 

Mystery over fate of Don Muang

 

BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

Pattaya _ Caretaker transport minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal has relayed mixed messages over the future of Don Muang airport after the scheduled opening of Suvarnabhumi airport later this year.

 

 

Mr Pongsak yesterday indicated that all air-transport activities, except chartered flights, at Don Muang would be moved to Suvarnabhumi, east of the capital.

 

 

The statement contradicted his words on Saturday, when he said Don Muang would continue to cater for domestic and chartered flights, while the 125-billion-baht new airport would serve international flights and other air services.

 

 

He reportedly said that it was the government's policy to continue using both airports as it would create more advantages for the country.

 

 

In his statement, he turned down a formal call from Thai Airways International's management and union for the shutdown of Don Muang after the opening of Suvarnabhumi for commercial operation.

 

 

Mr Pongsak's confusing message is one of the key national policy matters which the Thaksin Shinawatra government has not got around to clearing up.

 

 

The Transport Ministry earlier suggested that Don Muang should be retained for serving point-to-point, chartered and special flights, as well as for low-cost carrier operations.

 

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport meanwhile should serve international services and domestic flights connecting with overseas flights, according to the ministry proposal.

 

 

The idea of keeping Don Muang in operation was aimed at lessening the load for Suvarnabhumi to avoid congestion, if its capacity of 45 million passengers per year overflowed.

 

 

The heavily congested Don Muang airport is currently operating beyond its capacity, handling about 38 million passengers a year.

 

 

Don Muang could reduce Suvarnabhumi's load by around 10 million passengers a year, thus delaying the need for expansion of Suvarnabhumi, which would cost more than 30 billion baht.

 

 

Several airlines and critics are unhappy with the double-airport policy as they say it is likely that carriers operating out of Suvarnabhumi will be subject to much higher airport-services fees than Don Muang.

 

 

"It would be like Suvarnabhumi subsidising Don Muang," an airline executive said, adding that the cost of operating two Bangkok airports at the same time would mean a substantial burden for airport authorities.

 

 

Airlines operating out of Don Muang would also have the advantage of being closer to Bangkok's city centre, an important factor for passengers when choosing an airline.

 

 

THAI union has implied that the Thaksin Administration twisted the government's single-airport policy to benefit Thai AirAsia, the low-cost carrier, which was partly owned by Shin Corp, the telecom giant previously controlled by Mr Thaksin's family. Shin Corp is now largely owned Temasek Holdings, the Singapore government's investment arm.

 

 

Senior executives of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), the operator of Thailand's six key airports including Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi, said yesterday there had been no official word about the role of Don Muang.

 

 

"What we could sense from the most recent statement by government leaders was that all the scheduled flights would be operating in and out Suvarnabhumi only, leaving non-scheduled services at Don Muang," an executive said.

 

 

Technically speaking, all the works AoT was involved in were still geared towards a single-airport policy, he said.

 

 

Mr Pongsak yesterday reiterated that the long-delayed Suvarnabhumi airport would be ready for commercial service in July, but the date for the official opening would be set by the next government.