Airlines against move to old Bangkok airport
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Several airlines are against the move to transfer selected international flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport back to the abandoned international gateway at Don Muang airport.
According to a Bangkok Post report, airline executives had cited higher operational costs, plus a transportation hassle between the two airports.
Don Muang is now being used for a few domestic flights.
Sopin Daengteth, chairwoman of the Airport Operations Committee was quoted reiterating her stand that the AOC would not support a return to Don Muang airport for international flights. Meanwhile Udom Tantiprasongchai, chairman of Orient Thai Airlines, was quoted saying that the reopening of Don Muang airport for international flights would be senseless if the government wanted to solve problems prevailing at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
He said expansion at Suvarnabhumi Airport - which has been in operation for just over a year – could easily be carried out if the government claimed the airport was over-crowded.
Udom was quoted saying that a return to Suvarnabhumi Airport would benefit only some airlines. If low cost airlines flew from Don Muang to
some key international destinations, they would cut air fares considerably in order to compete with Thai Airways.
“That would damage the whole system of the national aviation industry.”
The report also quoted sources saying that even senior executives of the national carrier were against the government’s move to reopen Don Muang airport for international flights.
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