Suvarnabhumi Airport
Route 34 / Bang Na Expressway
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Suvarnabhumi International Airport ( Thai: ท่าอากาศยาน สุวรรณภูมิ, pronunciation: [ t ʰ â ː ʔa ː kà ː tsàja ː n sùwannáp ʰ u ː m] - Tha - Akatsayan Suwannaphum ), also New Bangkok International Airport ( NBIA ) or Second Bangkok International Airport ( SBIA ) is a major international airport in Bang Phli in Samut Prakan province in Thailand. Suvarnabhumi means the Golden Land. It is located about 30 kilometers east of the capital Bangkok. With 42.78 million passengers in 2010, he was one of the largest airports in Asia and ranked among the world No. 17 In a transhipment of 1.3 million tonnes in 2010 he was ranked 20th Moreover, one of the airport, according to Skytrax, the best Airports of the world: 2010 he finished he got 10th place More Awards 2010 by ACI, Smarttravelasia.com, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation ( CAPA ).
- 2.1 Terminal and Tower
- 2.2 capacity
- 2.3 Slopes and taxiways
- 2.4 supply
- 7.1 occupation by protesters
History
Planning and construction
The first plans to build a new Bangkok airport have already been developed in the 1960s. Economic crises, changing governments, inefficient authorities and, not least, corruption, delayed the implementation of the plans but for more than 30 years. Thai authorities designated the project as the constant longest airport project in the world. The land at Nong Ngu Hao ( Cobra Swamp to German ) was acquired in 1973.
Only when the previous Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport increasingly its utilization limits reached in the early 1990s due to a lack of structural expansion options, which kicked off the construction of the new airport. This should be not only the most important airport in Southeast Asia, he should at the same time meet modern technological standards and are a symbol of the coming economic Thailand and its capital.
To an international architectural competition, the Chicago architecture firm Murphy / Jahn went under the direction of the German -American architect Helmut Jahn out in 1994 as a winner. Two years later, was established with some difficulty the New Bangkok International Airport Company. It took, however, due to political and economic circumstances (in particular the economic crisis of 1997 ) a further six years before, in January 2002 could be started with the construction work.
During the first phase, from 2005 when the airport was already limited functional part, as well as during the testing phase, was assigned to the Airport the temporary IATA code NBK. With the start of the IATA code BKK from Don Mueang International Airport over the previous airport. The name Suvarnabhumi (pronounced sù -wan- ná -p ʰ u ː m) was built by King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX ). Chosen and means gold or golden peninsula country.
Construction costs
The construction costs amounted to 120 billion baht. This corresponds to about 3.8 billion U.S. dollars and 2.4 billion euros (exchange rates of 23 April 2008). To date, allegations of corruption in the procurement of individual contractors are not eliminated.
Flight operations
The airport began operations on 28 September 2006 at 03:00 clock and was the newest airport in Asia. The first aircraft controlled by the evening of September 15, the new airport on ( domestic flights ). The first aircraft in international traffic was a machine of Lufthansa Cargo coming from Mumbai, who arrived at 03:05 clock. The almost seamless move from the old to the new airport was ultimately due to the experience of Munich Airport, where it was also completed within one night the entire move. The airports in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and the United Arab Emirates benefited previously from these experiences.
The previous Bangkok's Don Mueang airport is used as an airport for domestic low cost airlines, VIP flights and as an alternate airport in case of emergencies.
Structural problems
Besides the fact that the project had to be located on a very wet, only one to two meters above sea level in the terrain and prepared by consuming Wasserabführungsbauten, also opposed the construction presented itself daunting problems.
Overall, an accumulation of mishaps occurred in the first few months since the opening of the airport. In January 2007 it was announced that the concrete and asphalt flooring of the slopes and taxiways are brittle on a total area of 100,000 m² to 25 digits. The Inspectorate Department of Civilian Aviation ( DCA) examined whether the airport had to be temporarily closed for construction work.
The news magazine TIME reported in late January 2007 that may yield to the landfills. A parliamentary committee said in its inspection on 21 January, that the works have been carried out with inadequate quality. As a result, the Thai Ministry of Transport has ordered an independent investigation. The construction company IOT, a Japanese- Thai construction consortium, has denied and stated that the problems were due to excess groundwater as a result of the flooding of all deficiencies.
The end of January or beginning of February 2007 were at times both runways out of service, and eleven of the 51 gates can not be used due to repair work because of the repair work. At times, the air conditioning failed and stopped revolving. A water pipe burst several pieces of luggage had been damaged immediately after the opening. Many passengers complained about long waiting times and lost luggage, because the technology of check- in counters and baggage handlers failed. In Thai newspapers numerous pilots have expressed safety concerns. In addition, leaks in the roof and damage to the concrete of the building.
Airport infrastructure
The open around the clock airport has a modern airport infrastructure. The relevant prior art airport is prepared for the Airbus A380. The traffic complex has 360 check- in counters with staff and 100 automated switches, 102 lifts, 107 moving walkways, 83 escalators, 26 control switch for the Thai customs and baggage claim areas 22 ( Baggage claim ). There are 51 fixed gates and 69 remote gates, 52 taxiways and parking for 120 aircraft, including eight for the Airbus A380.
Terminal and Tower
The total area of the airport covers 3,200 acres. The central building is the 441 m long, 108 m wide and 45 m high passenger terminal, which is spanned by a steel truss roof. All public buildings and parts are air-conditioned. The tower is with 132.2 meters is the highest of its kind in the world. It is equipped with the most modern navigation systems, including an instrument landing system ILS CAT III.
The terminal has an area of 563,000 m² according to the Beijing airport and the airport, Hong Kong ( 570,000 m²) is the third largest contiguous terminal building in the world. It is divided into the passenger terminal ( 182,000 m²) and the concourses ( 381,000 m³).
Capacity
The total of 51 boarding gates are cross-shaped created and designed in the initial phase for each year 45 million passengers and three million tonnes of cargo. However, there are already expansion plans, which provide for the establishment of two other start and runways. A second phase to be completed by around 2015. The handling capacity is to be increased to 100 million passengers and 6.4 million tons of cargo then already. Five of the boarding gates are already prepared for the Airbus A380.
Slopes and taxiways
The two start and runways are 4,000 and 3,700 m long and 60 m wide each. With two additional taxiways a capacity of up to 76 aircraft movements per hour is possible.
Supply
The airport has a flood protection system, a 3.5 -meter high and 70 meter wide polder surrounds the property, a retention basin with a capacity of 3.2 million cubic meters is available. The drinking water supply is connected to the municipal supply of Bangkok, drinking water tanks with a capacity of 40,000 m³ ensure a reserve of two days. Wastewater treatment can process 18,000 cubic meters of water daily, your own garbage disposal can handle 100 tons of garbage daily.
Transport infrastructure
The connection from Suvarnabhumi to the road network is mainly on the Bangkok - Chonburi Motorway and Bang Na Expressway and the Thailand Route 34 opposite the terminal building there are two car parks with a capacity of 5,000 parking spaces. For long-term parking further 4,300 parking spaces were created. Six bus lines connect the airport to Bangkok. Three bus routes provide connections to other provinces safely. One of these lines runs up to the famous seaside resort of Pattaya. The Airport Express bus with four lines exhibited utilization reasons, the operation on June 1, 2011. The Thonburi Bus Service Company Limited operating this service since the commissioning of the airport in 2006. The four lines led from the airport to Silom, Khaosan Rd, Sukhumvit Rd and Hualamphong Hauptbahnhof
For the rail link to the airport to downtown area of Bangkok is the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail link. There is an approximately 28 km long high-speed railway. Express trains run non-stop to Makkasan station, where Metro can be switched in the Bangkok. In a Makkasan City Air Terminal with In-Town Check-In is for all major airlines. More express trains and regional trains run all over Makkasan addition to the station Phaya Thai, there is a transition to the Bangkok Skytrain possible. Regional trains stop at all six intermediate stations.
The official taxi rank is located outside the arrivals hall. Just like at the old airport ( Don Mueang ) may taxi drivers in other areas of the airport take no passengers.
Airlines and destinations
Currently serving 86 airlines Suvarnabhumi International Airport and offer to and from Bangkok airport air travel options to to 151 international destinations in 64 countries and 26 domestic destinations. Every major international airline is represented at Suvarnabhumi. Also use 18 large international cargo airlines the airport.
Thai Airways International, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways maintain their aviation hubs here.
The airport is also served by several airlines using the Airbus A380, such as Thai Airways International flies to Frankfurt, Paris - Charles de Gaulle, Hong Kong and Tokyo Narita. Emirates flies to Hong Kong and Dubai.
Companies and organizations
The following institutions are represented at the airport: Thai Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police (including Tourist Police ), the Thai customs as well as a post office. Furthermore, the company has offices and branches of the following companies: King Power, Airports of Thailand PCL, a majority of the airlines that serve the airport and a large part of Thai banks. Below the railway station and opposite the terminal building is a 600-bed hotel of the Accor Group: The Novotel Suvarnabhumi.
Sister Airport Agreement
The "Sister Airport Agreement" is a project to improve communication, marketing, inter alia, the current Sister airports are: Munich International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Narita International Airport and Beijing International Airport
Incidents
Occupation by protesters
In the wake of the political crisis in Thailand in late 2008 succeeded applied opponents of the government of the People's Alliance for Democracy ( PAD; " Yellow Shirts ") in the night of November 26, to bring the airport without bloodshed in your violence and penetrate even into the Tower. The airport was immediately closed, hundreds of thousands of travelers sat for days fixed. After the government dissolved the Thai Constitutional Court and the protests by the PAD have been completed, the airport resumed operation on December 4 again.