Thailand: New Year travel boom

BANGKOK Six airports managed by Airports of Thailand will achieve record passenger and aircraft movements during the holiday season, 29 December to 4 January.

Officials say 2.69 million passengers will board and deplane aircraft at the six airports during the peak travel week.

Passengers are advised to check-in early as airline counters and security checks will be congested with long queues.

Most domestic airlines are adding flights to cope with the higher than anticipated  bookings for the New Year week.

Airports of Thailand  president, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, said aircraft movements during the New Year holiday would reach 16,911 flights or 2,416 per day, a 9.82% increase over the same period last year.

Number of passengers at the six airports should hit a record 2.69 million passenger movements, averaging out at 384,892 a day.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, the country’s main gateway, will handle 1,008 flights daily, up 6.22%, while passenger movements will reach 179,300 a day improving 2.61%.

Also in Bangkok, Don Mueang airport will register 730 flights daily, up 10.11%, and 102,000 passengers per day, an increase of 5.93% during the festive holiday.

Phuket airport will record 320 flights per daily (+12.68%) and 55,600 passenger movements daily (+19.02%), while Chiang Mai airport will handle 220 flights daily (+14.58%) and 29,200 passenger movements (+2.19%).

Hat Yai airport will handle 85 flights daily (+23.19%) and 12,000 passenger movements (+20.08%) and Chiang Rai airport 53 flights daily (+23.26%) and 6,700 passenger movements (+9.10%).

To ease congestion, Suvarnabhumi airport will waive car parking fees for zone C from 0800, 29 December to 1700, 4 January and add 500 taxis to the fleet to serve passengers.

Don Mueang airport will also extend the parking area to include a warehouse area while offering a free shuttle bus from the car park to terminal building, the president said.

sourced:ttrweekly.com