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Friday, 27 March, 2009. Bangkok, Thailand. Air Chief Marshal Narongsak Sangapong, Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretariat, and Acting President, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Mr. Serirat Prasutanon, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited, together with Air Chief Marshal Somchai Thean-anant, President, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, chaired a press conference to announce the readiness of the three organizations for all of THAI’s domestic operations to operate from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok.
ACM Narongsak Sangapong, said that THAI will shift 23 domestic flights back from Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok’s former main airport, to Suvarnabhumi Airport on 29 March 2009, making a total of approximately 45 domestic round flights operated to/from Suvarnabhumi Airport, as follows:
Northern route
Suvarnabhumi – Chiang Mai v.v. 10 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Chiang Rai v.v. 3 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Phitsanulok v.v. 2 flights/daily
Northeastern route
Suvarnabhumi – Khon Kaen v.v. 3 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Udon Thani 3 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Ubol Ratchathani 3 flights/daily
Southern route
Suvarnabhumi – Phuket v.v 10 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Krabi v.v. 3 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Surat Thani 2 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Hat Yai v.v. 4 flights/daily
Suvarnabhumi – Samui v.v. 2 flights/daily
The last five flights, which are scheduled to arrive at Don Mueang Airport on 28 March 2009, will be adjusted to land at Suvarnabhumi Airport per following details:
Flight Details Depart Arrive
TG 1236 Hat Yai – Suvarnabhumi 18.45 hrs 20.15 hrs
TG 1274 Surat Thani - Suvarnabhumi 19.00 hrs 20.10 hrs
TG 1141 Chiang Rai – Suvarnabhumi 20.20 hrs 21.35 hrs
TG 1015 Udon Thani – Suvarnabhumi 20.35 hrs 21.35 hrs
TG 1165 Phitsanulok – Suvarnabhumi 21.50 hrs 22.35 hrs
- The last flight arriving at Don Mueang Airport on 28 March 2009 is TG1047, Khon Kaen – Don Mueang, depart Khon Kaen at 19.45 hrs, arrive Don Mueang Airport at 20.40 hrs.
- The last flight departing Don Mueang Airport on 28 March 2009 is TG 1124, Don Mueang – Chiang Mai, depart from Don Mueang Airport at 22.15 hrs, arrive at Chiang Mai at 23.25 hrs.
- The first flight departing from Suvarnabhumi Airport on 29 March 2009 is TG 020, Suvarnabhumi – Ubol Ratchathani, depart Suvarnabhumi at 06.00 hrs, arrive at Ubol Ratchathani at 07.05 hrs.
- The first flight arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport on 29 March 2009 is TG 123, Chiang Mai – Suvarnabhumi, depart Chiang Mai at 07.00 hrs and arrive at Suvarnabhumi at 08.10 hrs.
With more flights to be operated to/from Suvarnabhumi Airport, THAI has prepared better and additional facilities and services for passengers’ convenience. In addition, THAI is introducing boarding pass printing at home via internet, 24 extra check in counters, expanding its domestic lounge area and employing new, ground communications PDA device to enhance service at Suvarnabhumi Airport..
THAI anticipates that an average of 3500-4500 extra passengers a day will be processed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the vast majority of them expected to be customers who would have previously used Don Mueang Airport.
According to ACM Narongsak Sangapong, THAI’s Acting President, THAI was also using the move back under one roof as an opportunity to increase services across a range of areas.
“The move under one roof concept is a major strategy of Star Alliance, of which THAI is a founding member. It is ideal for Suvarnabhumi Airport because it is a single terminal. It means we can further consolidate our passengers services, increase traffic flow and efficiency and improve transit times,” ACM Narongsak Sangapong said.
Mr. Lek Klinvibul, THAI’s Managing Director, Ground Customer Services Department, said that 12 domestic check- in counters will be added and another 12 will meet both domestic and international traffic demands. Thirteen self- service kiosks are already at check-in. THAI is also working with the Airports Authority of Thailand [AOT] to introduce Common Use Self-Service [CUSS] kiosks which can be used by passengers of many airlines. These CUSS kiosks will be placed throughout the airport to help alleviate congestion and improve passenger flows.
For passengers’ convenience, THAI advises all passengers to spare maximum time for check-in as THAI’s check-in counters will be closed 30 minutes prior to flight departure and passengers are required to arrive at the boarding gate 10 minutes before flight departure.
THAI is planning to encourage passengers on domestic flights, particularly local Thai people, to use the kiosks and also to become familiar with a new online service, Internet Home Print Boarding pass. Internet Home Print Boarding Pass was introduced by THAI on in February this year for domestic e-ticket passengers only. It enables passengers to print out their own boarding passes from home. THAI tentatively plans to introduce Internet Home Print Boarding Pass for international flights in May.
Mr.Lek commented: “We are certain that the Internet Home print Boarding Pass concept will contribute to a smoother facilitation for passengers, particularly those with only hand luggage, as they will not need to check-in but instead can go straight to immigration and the gate. We see this as a great improvement and would encourage e-ticket holders to take advantage of it.”
The domestic lounge on Concourse A, already a large size, will be extended by 284 sq. metres. It will be decorated as an interior garden lounge, serving a wide range of drinks and snacks.
To further improve communication and efficiency, THAI’s ground-handling staff will now be using Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs], which provide data and voice communication among frontline staff. The 40 PDAs are on a GPRS satellite system and will greatly increase communications for different features such as check-in, load control, reservations, frequent flyer profiles, baggage tracing and flight information.
Check-in information
From Sunday, 29 March, 2009 the check in counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport for THAI will be:
Door 1 Row A International Royal First and Royal Silk Class
Row B Domestic Royal Silk and International/Domestic check in for ROP/Star Alliance Gold Card Member
Door 2 Row C Domestic Economy Class and International/Domestic Group Check-in on both
Door 3 Row H/J International Economy Class
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No. TG 088
