Suvarnabhumi to welcome incoming flights

[Admin]

Suvarnabhumi to begin welcoming incoming flights 
Bangkok Post: 2 Dec 2008
Suvarnabhumi to welcome incoming flights

(BangkokPost.com) - The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Tuesday accepted the Airports of Thailand (AOT)’s demand to allow incoming flights to use Suvarnabhumi airport after the Constitution Court dissolved the People Power, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties on charges of electoral fraud.

The first incoming flight to the international airport is expected to be within 24 hours.
 

[Admin]

THAI and other airliners resume Suvarnabhumi flights 
The Nation: 3 Dec 2008
AIRPORT CRISIS
THAI and other airliners resume flights
By The Nation

Thai Airways International is flying six special flights from Suvarnabhumi on Wednesday, the first since the airport was shut down on November 25.

TG 9939 to Sydney, leaving at 5.25pm/

TG 3159 to New Delhi, leaving at 7.50pm

TG 6409 to Narita, leaving at 10.35pm

TG 9209 to Frankfurt, leaving at 11.40pm

TG 6589 to Seoul, leaving at 11.45pm

TG 9509 to Copenhagen, leaving at 0.50am

Passengers with confirmed tickets for the flights are required to check in at Bitec at least 7 hours before departure.

Today, THAI also landed Flight TG2109 from Phuket at 2pm.

THAI said in a statement that it is considering to have more flights land at Suvarnabhumi. For more information, passengers can call 02-356-1111 or 02-545-4000 or check www.thaiair.com or www.thaiairways.com.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer of Thai AirAsia Co, said the airline would resume all of 108 daily flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport from December 5, 2008 onward.

The first flight, FD3232, will depart from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 6.20am to Chiang Mai.

Etihad, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has so far flown over 2,000 passengers on 5 relief flights out of U-Tapao to its home base of Abu Dhabi and onwards to Europe, Africa and other parts of the Middle East. A further 378 passengers will travel early morning of December 4 on the airline's six special flights.

Captain Richard Hill, the airline's executive vice president operations, said: "We've flown in extra staff from our Abu Dhabi headquarters to Thailand to help our full time team based there to try and help run the operation more smoothly and efficiently for travellers who understandably are keen to return home as soon as possible to see their loved ones. "

All passengers whose flights have been canceled are asked to contact Etihad Airways so as to confirm the flights they will be on, by calling +66 2 253 0099, or by visiting the town office at the 11th Floor, Tonson Tower, Ploenchit Road, for updated flight and logistic details. Passengers should not go to U-Tapao without first confirming their flights.

The airline suspended its double daily service to Suvarnabhumi Airport following its closure on November 25. Services will be resume when Suvarnabhumi Airport is fully reopened.

Since Wednesday, November 26, Jet Airways has been operating relief flights into and out of U-Tapao. Using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, Jet Airways has uplifted close to 1000 passengers to date, and is currently reviewing the situation in order to plan subsequent flights, in the days to come.

Like yesterday, it will on Thursday Dec 4 operates two flights - one from U-Tapao and the other from Kolkata.

For the convenience of its customers, Jet Airways' has also set up a coordination cell for managing the bookings and handling of its stranded travellers. Customers wanting to travel out of Thailand may call the Jet Airways Bangkok city office to register themselves on telephone number 02 696 8980 or 02 696 8975-8

During the week-long closure, THAI operated a number of outbound and inbound flights through U-Tapao International Airport.

On Nov 28, it flied 7 inbound flights. On Nov 29, there were 4 inbound and 2 outbound. On Nov 30, there were 13 inbound and 18 outbound. On Dec 1, there were 15 inbound and 13 outbound. On Dec 2, there 17 inbound and outbound flights. On Dec 3, there are 12 inbound and 15 outbound.

In addition, Thai Airways International has been able to operate a limited number of domestic and international flights from Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.

During the day of December 1 st , it was possible for Thai Airways International to remove a number of its jets from Suvarnabhumi, which had been prevented from flying due to the airport having been closed to passengers and flight crew. These aircraft have been relocated to other airports in Thailand where they can provide extra capacity for international and domestic services to assist the tens of thousands of passengers still awaiting flights home.

As a further concession to help passengers, Thai Airways International has announced that the validity of tickets and travel related documents already issued, plus Royal Orchid Plus award ticket period will be extended until January 31, 2009.