Phuket IA:Expansion Plan

[jpatokal]

Mildly interesting article on how HKT and KBV are faring:

http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=191800

Note the mysterious "Airbus 200" as well as a fishy airline called "Fin Air"...

[GWR]

Statistics are revealed for Phuket & Krabi airports in March 2008

The Airports of Thailand company who manage Phuket international Airport have revealed to Andaman News their statistics for March 2008 showing 4,041 aircraft movements or flights in and out, a 10.38% increase on March 2007. The total number of passengers, both domestic and international, in and out, was 638,119 an increase of 20.76% and only 2% less the record-breaking month of February 2008 when there were 652,468 passengers. The amount of freight was 1,839 tonnes which was actually down 3.67% compared to last year’s month.

...........
See thread on Krabi IA Stats from same article:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=20890#post20890

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews2.php?news_id=18

[GWR]

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews2.php?news_id=18

Airport of Thailand, Public Company Limited prepares to enhance Phuket International Airport’s accommodation capacity to take up to 11.5 million passengers per year

Under its 3 years development plan, the Airport of Thailand, Public Company Limited prepares to spend 5 billion baht to enhance the carrying capacity of Phuket International Airport to be able to cater for 11.5 million passengers compared to the present capacity of 6.5 million. The long term plan will be in action during the 2009–2011 fiscal years. The Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Songsak Thongsri made the statement during his visit to the airport on Friday. He said after the improvements, he expects the airport to handle 11.5 million passengers per year until 2016. Under the plan the development would include a bigger apron, more bays, building a new terminal for international flights and improving the existing terminal & car park for domestic service. The Deputy Minister also stated that the company has a plan to propose to the Ministry to transfer Krabi airport to be a ‘reliever’ or substitute airport for Phuket has the latter is limited for expansion due to its location and the two provinces are linked in tourism already.
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews2.php?news_id=104

[GWR]

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews2.php?news_id=104

Tuesday, May 27, 2008
5bn baht airport expansion approved

http://www.phuketgazette.com/newsimages/bull5272008-6510-1.jpg
[Photo: Phuket Gazette - This aerial photograph illustrates why the sole runway at Phuket International Airport, with the Andaman Sea at one end and a main road at the other, cannot be extended much beyond its current 3,000 meters.]

MAI KHAO: Airports of Thailand (AOT) is set to inject 5 billion baht into the expansion of Phuket International Airport (PIA) to bring its capacity up to 11.5 million passengers by the year 2016 – an increase of 77% over current capacity.

The announcement was made on May 23 by Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri, who joined Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Rathasima, PIA Director Wicha Nernlop, and other officials from AOT and PIA in a meeting and inspection tour of the airport.

In 2007, PIA had a total of 38,368 flights, a 32.4% rise from the year 2006, with 5.47 million passengers using the airport, a 22.6% increase over the previous year. The sharp rise is attributed to the growing popularity of low-cost carriers.

This year, the AOT expects the airport to accommodate 41,000 flights and about 6 million passengers.

Following the 516-million-baht expansion of the international terminal completed last year, the airport can now handle up to 6.5 million passengers per year. The 5-billion-baht funding will cover the development plan for fiscal years 2009-2011, said K. Songsak.

Beyond that, AOT will need to provide more funding in order for the airport to be able to welcome 15 million visitors by 2020, he said.

The 2009-2011 budget will cover the construction of more taxiways and 11 parking bays for aircraft, a new international passenger terminal, conversion of the existing international terminal into a domestic terminal, a new cargo building, new roads and improved transport systems, a parking garage for the international terminal, improvements in car parking areas, as well as a new airport office and airline offices.

However, the two-year plan does not address the airport’s main limiting factor: that its single 3,000-meter runway can only accommodate 20 flights per hour and is too short to allow for safe takeoff of fully-laden jumbo jets or the mammoth Airbus 380.

Given this restraint, AOT is intending to propose to the Transport Ministry that Krabi International Airport be designated as a relief airport for PIA when traffic exceeds capacity, K. Songsak said.

...........

Phuket, Thailand
21:04 local time (GMT +7)
http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=6510

[GWR]

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=6510
Phuket and Krabi airports still record the highest ever numbers of passengers up to May

The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited, which manages Phuket International Airport, have informed Andaman News about their latest statistics up to May 2008. They showed a total of 18,744 aircraft movements, up 9.81% from 2007. The total numbers of arriving, departing and transit passengers in the first 5 months of the year, was 2,855,750 showing an increase of 13.56% compared to the same 5 months in 2007: This year still shows the highest ever numbers at Phuket. The total freight showed 8,695 tons in and out, a 3.24 % increase. Meanwhile Krabi International Airport, under the Civil Aviation Department, also reported its January to May 2008 figures, with with a total of 3,240 aircraft movements or 14.58% decrease compared to 2007: but the total numbers of passengers arriving and departing, with no transits, was 443,450 showing an increase 13.08% compared to the same 5 months in 2007: again these are still the highest numbers of passengers ever at Krabi.
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews2.php?news_id=281