BANGKOK, Sept 27 — Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand’s main international airport, is set to officially open its third runway in November, following successful operational trials conducted in July and August, as confirmed by Airports of Thailand (AoT).
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn said the airport is committed to enhancing its infrastructure and services, aligning with the Thai government’s vision of positioning Thailand as a regional aviation hub.
As part of its master development plan, BKK has invested heavily in various infrastructure projects, including constructing its third runway.
“The third runway is scheduled to open in November, boosting the airport’s capacity to handle flights from 68 to 94 per hour,” he said in a statement today.
Additionally, Suvarnabhumi is preparing for the East Expansion project, which aims to increase the capacity of the main airport terminal, and it will add approximately 80,000 square metres of space and enable the airport to handle an additional 15 million passengers annually.
“The design for the East Expansion has been completed and is now being reviewed by the AoT Board of Directors. After this, it will be submitted to the Cabinet for final approval,” Kittipong said.
He emphasised that the airport has introduced advanced technology to reduce service times and alleviate congestion within the terminal, and among the innovations is the Automated Border Control system, capable of reading e-passports from over 90 countries.
“Additionally, a Biometric system, utilising facial recognition technology, is currently being tested in collaboration with airlines and is expected to be fully operational by November,” Kittipong said.
The airport has also adopted Common Use Self Service check-in and Common Use Bag Drop systems, which streamline the check-in process and reduce passenger wait times.
Meanwhile, Suvarnabhumi Airport, which will celebrate its 18th anniversary on September 28, has played a pivotal role in boosting Thailand’s economy.
Since its inception, the airport has welcomed over 815 million passengers, accommodated more than 5 million flights, and processed over 22 million tons of air cargo.
During the fiscal year 2024, from October 2023 to August 2024 (11 months), BKK served 128 scheduled airlines, handling 318,000 flights, reflecting a 14.37 per cent increase compared to the same period in fiscal year 2023.
The airport also welcomed 44.73 million passengers, representing a 33.66 per cent rise, and managed 1.23 million tons of cargo, an 18 per cent increase.
— Bernama
