Suvarnabhumi, no more pain in the rear

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Suvarnabhumi, no more pain in the rear 
Bangkok Post: 1 Sep 2009
www.BangkokPost.com

AoT ends Suvarnabhumi's pain in the rear

Travellers at Suvarnabhumi Airport will no longer wait on uncomfortable seats, thanks to an upgrade that tackles one of passengers' most frequent complaints.

Upholstered seats will make Suvarnabhumi more passengerfriendly. AoT is spending 12.17 million baht to upholster the 18,466 grey metal seats in its 51 waiting lounges and 12 bus gates. It will also add 500 padded seats in other areas.

Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is spending 12.17 million baht to upholster the 18,466 grey metal seats in its 51 waiting lounges and 12 bus gates with artificial leather and padding.

At the same time, the company will add 500 padded seats in other areas including the terminal's fourth-floor departure hall and third-floor hall.

Upholstered seats are one of the passenger-friendly features being rolled out at the airport as it strives to enter the top ten in the Geneva-based Airports Council International's (ACI) rating this year, said Nirandra Theeranartsin, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

AoT has already provided a free internet service at departure gates through 126 kiosks. By mid-September AoT also plans to have introduced a free WiFi service for passengers who have passed the immigration check areas.

In addition, AoT will introduce more free water dispensers throughout the terminal.

So far, about one-third of existing seating has been upholstered. By October this year all seats will have a new look, which will come in seven colours including pink and purple.

The 500 additional seats will be installed between September and December this year, Mr Nirandra, also AoT's senior executive vice-president, told the Bangkok Post.

AoT had earlier placed 1,400 padded seats with blue covers from Don Mueang Airport at Suvarnabhumi to address frequent complaints of insufficient seating at the new airport.

Suvarnabhumi moved from 40th position in ACI's 2007 rating to 28th in 2008 and then to 19th place this year.