Thai Airways hit by move to old airport

The Straits Times, April 26, 2007


BANGKOK - A DECISION by Thai Airways International to move a large part of its domestic services to the old Don Muang Airport has resulted in a loss of thousands of passengers who required connecting flights.

The Bangkok Post reported that the national carrier could have lost as many as 70,000 foreign travellers, who were transferring from international flights to domestic destinations, or travelling from domestic routes to overseas, since operating through the 93-year-old airport on March 25.

These travellers have turned to other carriers because of the hassle and long wait for connecting international flights - all of which run through Suvarnabhumi Airport, a time-consuming 27km away.

Many of these passengers who could have flown Thai Airways from abroad and transferred to domestic Thai Airways flights have instead used the domestic services of Bangkok Airways and budget carrier Thai AirAsia, which have continued to operate through Suvarnabhumi.

Thai Airways operates 31 domestic flights a day through Don Muang, offering more than 8,000 seats a day, while retaining 11 flights a day at the new airport.

It is one of the three local airlines that opted to offer domestic flights through the old airport after it was reopened to reduce congestion at Suvarnabhumi, which is undergoing repairs.

The other two players at Don Muang are Thai Airway's budget subsidiary, Nok Airlines, and local no-frills airline One-Two-Go, both of which have not experienced similar problems.