Passenger traffic at Suvarnabhumi Airport rose 9 per cent in the first seven months of the 2011 fiscal year to 40 million, compared with the same period last year, according to Airports of Thailand.
In the OctobertoApril period, flight frequency also increased 11 per cent, to 258,457 flights.
Though May is the start of low season, passenger traffic jumped 39 per cent year on year, while flight freฌquency increased 13 per cent.
AOT told analysts at a meeting yesterday that doubledigit growth in air traffic was likely this year, so long as there was no serious political unrest.
Bualuang Securities said in a research note that AOT was selectฌing a project management consultฌant for the second phase of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Groundbreaking is expected in mid2012 and completion in 2017.
In the second phase, Bt62.5 bilฌlion is earmarked for a midfield conฌcourse and passenger terminal, which will increase passenger capacฌity by 15 million, from 45 million now.
AOT told analysts that it would borrow 24 per cent of the financing for the investment while 76 per cent would come from operational cash flows.
As Suvarnabhumi Airport is expected to be fully utilised by the end of this year, a new domestic terminal with capacity of 20 million passengers per year, to be completed by 2014, is a mitigation plan while waiting for completion of Phase 2. However, this project is subject to Cabinet’s approval.
AOT also plans a Bt5.8billion investment to expand the capacity of Phuket International Airport, to accommodate 6 million more pasฌsengers. That investment should be completed in 2013
Source: The Nation
