Thai airports report positive trends

Thailand’s aviation business continued to grow during the first eight months of the current 2013/2014 fiscal year, according to Airports of Thailand president Makin Petplai.
Mr Makin was quoted by MCOT online as saying the number of passengers using airports in Thailand totalled about 60 million, 1 October, 2013 to May 31 2014, up 4.2% from the same 2012/2013 fiscal period, while 419,000 commercial flights took off and landed the six airports managed by AoT, an increase of 13.2%.
The growth in passenger traffic is in line with the 4.5 – 5% global average, although in the
Asia-Pacific region passenger traffic through airports recorded at average 6.5% growth.
For the remainder of the fiscal year ending this October he said the growth would be around 2 to 3%, based on the success of promotions and efforts by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to persuade more foreign tourists to visit Thailand.
Bangkok’s Don Mueang, which caters to low-cost airlines serving both domestic and regional routes, can now handle as many as 30 million passengers, while Suvarnabhumi International Airport can cater to a maximum of 45 million.
AoT has also submitted urgent plans to the National Council for Peace and Order to fast track the expansion of Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s Phase 2 by shortening the construction period to 58 months from the 70 months projected earlier, said Mr Makin.
The Bt62 billion project is due to start this December, he added. (MCOT online news)

Sourced: ttrweekly