Thailand Airports Prepared for Thai New Year Festival's Extra Flights

6th Apr 2012

The Songkran Thai traditional New Year which happens for 10 days is expected to bring in more people and extra flights and Anirut Thanomkulbutr, the president of Airports of Thailand (AoT), announced that Thailand's airports are prepared for it not to mention the added heightened security.

Many airlines, particularly those servicing Phuket International Airport and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi already asked for more flights for April 9-18 and Thanomkulbutr stated that facilities and security are already prepared by the AoT to serve more than the usual number of flights during the long holiday.

The AoT already got additional staff to serve passengers especially in ensuring no baggage claims delay. The agency already collaborated with airport transportation providers so that an adequate amount of vehicles can cater to the higher number of passengers.

According to Thanomkulbutr, the ten-day holiday period will bring 2,642 domestic flights and 6,795 international flights to Suvarnabhumi Airport, about 9,437 flights more than the usual, bringing in a total of about 1.7 million passengers. About 124 flights or an addition of more than 27,288 passengers will be added to Phuket International Airport and about 16 more flights or 4,088 passengers more to Chiang Mai Airport.

All of Thailand's airports will hold religious activities and special areas where activities for good luck, like water sprinkled by passengers on Buddha images, are also placed. Passengers will also be given jasmine garlands on their arrival.

Thanomkulbutr also mentioned additional and better security measures being adopted by the AoT, like the checking of unattended baggage and hand carried luggage. Vehicles are also not allowed to park on any passenger buildings and vehicles getting into the car parking lots are checked.

Thai airports are currently on level three security, from the highest level of four. Checkpoints along the way leading to the Hat Yai Airport are manned by both police and soldiers in the wake of last week's deadly hotel car bombing.

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