BANGKOK, Nov 15 – Thai AirAsia is greatly satisfied with service at Don Mueang airport since its relocation from a crowded Suvarnabhumi Airport on Oct 1.
Chief operating officer Tassapon Bijleveld of Thai AirAsia said service has been smooth with only a few minor problems — long waiting lines for taxis and insufficient food shops which the Airports of Thailand (AoT) quickly solved.
Thai AirAsia has informed AoT that it needs an expanded the passenger terminal in the near future since the budget airline, which currently has eight million passengers a year, will see an increase to 10 million next year.
Terminal 1 has a capacity to receive 18.5 million passengers a year.
Combined with passengers from other airlines, Terminal 1 will be on the brink of full capacity next year and the AoT will need to prepare for it, he said.
Mr Tassapon said Don Mueang has become Thai AirAsia’s springboard in the region with flights to various Chinese cities starting from here including Bangkok-Chongqing, Bangkok-Macau, Bangkok-Wuhan and Bangkok-Xi’an.
The airline will open three to four new routes to China next year, he said, adding that 2.8 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand this year, representing one-third of Thai AirAsia passengers.
Thai AirAsia has cooperated with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, King Power Group and the Mall Group hosting trips to Thailand for media from five Chinese cities: Wuhan, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau.
Media visitors learn first-hand of Thailand’s interesting destinations and the readiness of Don Mueang airport in providing service to international travellers, he said.
