BANGKOK 7 June 2012 – Suvarnahumi Airport will be temporarily closing down its eastern runway for a period of 60 days for maintenance. The runway will be resurfaced with asphalt to prolong its efficiency in withstanding the speed and weight of airplanes.
Airports of Thailand, or AOT, President Anirut Thanomkulabut said that the eastern runway has endured over 1.5 million airplanes in the past six years since the beginning of Suvarnabhumi Airport. And despite the best efforts by the airport technical staff in maintaining the integrity of the taxiway in the past, the surface has become slightly eroded.
About 1.6 kilometers of the eastern runway will be closed from June 11th-August 9th, 2012 while another section of 2 kilometers will remain in use. He added that the measure may produce minimal impact on the overall operations around the airport such as flight schedules and air traffic, but relevant organizations have already been made aware of the closure in order to adapt their operation.
President of the Airports of Thailand, or AOT, Somchai Sawasdipol explained in his statement that the resurfacing will increase the thickness of the runway by 10 centimeters. Also, during the maintenance period, only A320s and smaller planes are allowed to use the opposite end of the taxiway.
He further stated that coordination has been made with other airports in the country should any airplane needs an emergency landing. Other contingency plans have already been developed to make sure the airport’s operation is being run without major hiccups.
