Airports of Thailand (AoT) is ready to accommodate tourists during the Chinese New Year period, with the number of airport users doubling compared to the previous Chinese New Year.
AoT president Kerati Kijmanawat revealed that the travel atmosphere at Suvarnabhumi Airport during this Chinese New Year festival has become bustling, with more passengers using the services compared to the same period last year, marking a 206% increase. This indicates that various government measures such as border reopening and free visas have led to the return of tourists.
Earlier this year, AOT introduced self-check-in kiosks and automated self-bag drop systems to reduce waiting times. Passengers could check in up to 6 hours in advance, with the process taking no more than 5 minutes, in contrast to the 3-hour advance check-in at counters, which could lead to waiting times of 30-40 minutes.
Currently, 24 airlines are using 200 service points throughout the airport, with plans to increase to 300 points if there is a positive response from airlines. Currently, the proportion of passengers using these facilities is at 17%, with AOT aiming for 50%.
AOT is also prepared to embrace the government’s policy of becoming a hub for airlines to attract airlines to use Thai airports.as the aviation market becomes more competitive, especially against Singapore and Hong Kong.
The president also mentioned the opening of a new passenger terminal, SAT-1, which became fully operational in September 2023. Currently, there are 18 airlines using the SAT-1 terminal or about 50 flights per day. It can accommodate up to 28 additional aircraft parking stands, with AOT aiming to cancel the use of bus gates for international flights. (TNA)
