AOT team set on safety, security issues
AIRPORTS of Thailand (AOT) has set up a team to deal with the impacts of recent concerns about the country's aviation safety.
AOT chairman Prasong Poontaneat said yesterday that the team would work with relevant bodies such as the Department of Civil Aviation, the Transport Ministry and airports on aviation security and safety matters.
“AOT prepared the team in case we have to deal with problems regarding the current aviation-safety issues,” he said.
Thailand was recently classified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as being a country with significant safety concerns in its aviation oversight.
Nikkei Asian Review reported that the Philippines was given an aviation-safety upgrade by the European Union, taking all of that country’s remaining airlines off a blacklist it imposed in 2010.
The publication said that while Thailand and the Philippines had been in the spotlight, the safety issue was now shifting to Indonesia, where aviation-safety standards have been questioned by regulators.
Prasong said AOT had implemented intensive measures against Middle East respiratory syndrome at its six international airports, including Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.
AOT is also running emergency practices and drills to bring its preparedness for natural disasters, terrorism, and disease outbreaks up to international standards.
The agency yesterday celebrated its 36th anniversary. To date, its six international airports have served 1.2 billion passengers and 8.2 million flights.
AOT is continuing its expansion plans at major airports. Renovation of Don Mueang International Airport will be completed in August, which is expected to increase its capacity from 18.5 million passengers to 30 million per year. Suvarnabhumi Airport is also planned to have another passenger terminal and aircraft hangar.
A third runway is under an environmental feasibility study. Once these projects are completed, Suvarnabhumi’s annual capacity should rise from the current 45 million to 60 million.
Phuket International Airport is scheduled to open a new terminal next February that is expected to serve up to 12.5 million passengers per year. Chiang Mai International Airport has drafted a five-year plan to increase annual capacity from 8 million to 15 million.
AOT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said the number of passengers served by its six airports in the eight months to May in this fiscal year grew by 19.58 per cent to 72.1 million. Of that number, 41.6 million were international passengers, up 16.5 per cent, and 30.5 million were domestic travellers, up by 20.0 per cent.
Aircraft movements, in terms of takeoffs and landings, rose 12.4 per cent to 471,499, consisting of 243,213 international and 228,286 domestic.
The top five countries in terms of arrivals were China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and India.
On financial performance, AOT posted 17.8-per-cent growth in net profit for the fiscal year’s first six months to March on revenue of Bt23.2 billion, up by 11 per cent.
