AeroThai prepares plans to support aviation growth

Last month, AeroThai president Nopasit Chakpitak said the agency was providing air traffic services to 63,945 flights or 2,063 flights per day, adding that he anticipated the number of flights from October last year to September this year to be 722,660, up 60% year on year. The flight volume is expected to return to pre-Covid levels next year, he added.

AeroThai is implementing standard operating procedures, high-intensity runway operations, air traffic flow management and an intelligent departure enhancement programme to support more flights.

Investment plans to boost efficiency include:

• Procurement and installation of instrument landing system and distance measure equipment to support Suvarnabhumi Airport’s third runway

• Improve the efficiency of the multilateration aircraft tracking system boost effective air traffic management and support flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport

• Improve air traffic management database to support Suvarnabhumi Airport's Satellite Terminal 1 (SAT-1) and third runway

• Procurement and installation of an air traffic management system for the new air traffic control tower at Chiang Mai Airport.

AeroThai has also designed new flight routes connecting Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-Tapao airports in a bid to boost flight capacity at the three airports, he said.

He expects the development of equipment and technologies, as well as new flight route designs, to support aviation growth, develop the aviation industry to meet international standards and drive the country's economy.

Airports of Thailand (AOT)'s construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport's third runway is now 73% complete and is expected to open in July next year. The third runway will help boost the efficiency of the airport's air traffic service from 68 flights per hour to 94 flights per hour.