BANGKOK, July 27 – Thailand’s air transport-related agencies are speeding up measures to reduce congestion at the capital’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, Civil Aviation Department (CAD) Director-General Voradech Hanprasert said today.
Representatives from the department, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Airports of Thailand (AoT), and other concerned parties met to speed action on the issue, Mr Voradech said.
Officially the interagency report is proceeding through Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatr for prompt action.
One short-term measure to deal with the congestion includes more staffing at airport immigration arrival and departure channels, while Aeronautical Radio of Thailand is to increase air traffic control flights from 55 to 68 per hour, starting today.
According to the meeting’s result, incentives to attract airlines to use the airport during 2-5am should be implemented to ease the congestion at there.
Airport fees, as collected by AoT, for take-off and landing, and for aircraft parking will be reduced 95 per cent during such period.
The Civil Aviation Department chief said the meeting called on AoT to speed up using its passenger screening system to improve passenger flow and reduce congestion at the airport, and asked for time management to be improved in accordance with international standards for both departing and arriving passengers.
Mr Voradech said AoT must see passengers to the aircraft within one hour, and release them from the airport to the city within 45 minutes.
Concerning long-term measures, Airports of Thailand is asked to speed up Suvarnabhumi Airport’s expansion Phase II to support more passengers in the future.
Some 54 million passengers are expected to use the airport in 2017.
