Don Mueang International Airport is an airport in Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened as a Royal Thai Air Force base on March 27, 1914, although it had been in use earlier. Commercial flights started in 1924. Don Mueang Airport closed in 2006 following the opening of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport, before opening again after the big renovation on March 24, 2007.
Don Mueang was an important hub of Asia and the hub of Thai Airways International prior to its closure. At its peak, it served most air traffic in the whole continent, with 80 airlines operating 160,000 flights and handling over 38,000,000 passengers and 700,000 tons of cargo in 2005. It was then the 18th busiest airport in the world and 2nd in Asia by passenger volume.
On September 28, 2006 the airport was replaced by Suvarnabhumi Airport. Don Mueang became a facility for charter flights, military aircraft and civil aviation. The airport was reopened for non-connecting domestic commercial flights on March 24, 2007. Two airlines are now using the airport: Nok Air and One-Two-GO Airlines.
All Thai Airways domestic flights were transferred to Suvarnabhumi airport on March 28, 2009. (Bangkok Post, 20 june 2006: "All flights must use new airport from Sept 28").
Don Mueang is a joint-use facility with the Royal Thai Air Force's Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base, and is the home of the RTAF 1st Air Division, which consists primarily of non-combat aircraft. Vibhavadi Rangsit Road is the main route linking the airport with downtown Bangkok. The Uttaraphimuk Elevated Tollway, running above Vibhavadi Rangsit, offers a more rapid option for getting into the city and connects to Bangkok's inner city expressway network. There is also rail service connecting with Hua Lamphong station in the center of Bangkok. The train station is across the highway and is linked with the airport by a walkway bridge. An RTAF golf course is located between the two runways. The course has no separation from the runway, and golfers are held back by a red light whenever planes land.
Reopening the airport
Although initially deserted by commercial carriers upon the opening of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the higher costs of the new airport to operators as well as safety concerns over cracked runways at the new airport caused many to seek a return to Don Mueang. In particular, low-cost airlines have led demands for reopening of the airport. Airports of Thailand released a report at the end of 2006 which furthered this effort, proposing it as a way to avoid or delay second-stage expansion which had been planned for Suvarnbhumi.
On January 30, 2007, the Ministry of Transport recommended temporarily reopening Don Mueang while touch up work process on some taxiways at Suvarnabhumi proceeds. The recommendation was subject to approval by the government's executive Cabinet. On March 25, 2007, the airport officially reopened for some domestic flights.
Flights
Don Mueang International Airport has 3 terminals. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, used as the international terminal before the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, are currently not used, while Terminal 3 is in active use as a domestic terminal.
Future plans for Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are not yet officially published. It is speculated that Terminals 1 and 2 will later be utilised as a Low-cost carrier LCC facility. |
