Thailand to ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK, July 27 (TNA) - Agencies concerned are working out measures to ease congestion at Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Woradet Hanprasert, Director-General of the Department of Civil Aviation, told reporters that representatives of his department, as well as those of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Company, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) and other concerned agencies held a meeting in Bangkok on Friday to discuss solutions to the congestion at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Woradet acknowledged that the concerned agencies initally plan to offer incentives to convince international airlines to schedule their flights from 2am to 5am to help relieve congestion at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in other periods, and that the plan will be submitted for an official endorsement by Thai Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan. Regarding the planned incentives, Woradet said that AOT will cut its landing, take-off and parking fees by 95 per cent for participating airlines. Besides, the Immigration Bureau will deploy more immigration officers at the Suvarnabhumi Airport; while Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Company will increase its capability to serve more flights during rush hours, from 55 to 68 flights per hour, from July 27 onward. According to the Civil Aviation Department chief, AOT will also speed up its passenger-screening process so that departing passengers can reach their aircraft within 60 minutes and arriving passengers can leave the Suvarnabhumi Airport within 45 minutes. The Civil Aviation Department chief revealed that AOT will speed up its expansion project for the Suvarnabhumi International Airport as well, given an assessment by transport authorities that about 54 million global passengers will use the Suvarnabhumi International Airport by 2017. (TNA)