Suvarnabhumi Airport celebrates 18 years of service, Poised to enter its 19th years.

Suvarnabhumi Airport celebrates 18 years of service, handling over 5 million flights and welcoming more than 815 million passengers worldwide. Poised to enter its 19th years,
it aims to enhance its capacity to drive Thailand as a global aviation hub.

Mr. Kittipong Kittikachorn, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), announced that Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) will celebrate its 18th anniversary of operations on September 28, 2024. Since its opening in 2006, BKK has been a source of pride for the Thai people and has played a vital role in driving the country’s economy, welcoming over 815 million passengers from around the globe, accommodating more than 5 million flights, and handling over 22 million tons of air cargo.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected airports and the aviation industry worldwide, the Thai government's immediate and ongoing measures to revive the tourism sector have positively impacted BKK's performance. In the fiscal year 2024, from October 2023 to August 2024 (11 months), BKK served 128 scheduled airlines, with a total of 318,000 flights—an increase of 14.37% compared to the same period in fiscal year 2023. The airport welcomed 44.73 million passengers, reflecting a 33.66% increase, and handled 1.23 million tons of cargo, up 18%. Since September 28, 2023, BKK has opened the Midfield Satellite Building, or SAT-1, serving 1.06 million passengers and 31,400 flights. Currently, 28 airlines, including Thai Airways, Air Canada, Qatar Airways, and VietJet Air, are now operating at SAT-1.

Mr. Kittipong stated that BKK remains committed to enhancing its capabilities to position Thailand as a regional aviation hub, in line with government policy. This includes significant infrastructure investment projects as part of the airport development master plan and the development of various facilities within the airport. Notably, BKK is scheduled to officially open its third runway in November, following the successful operational trials in July and August, increasing its flight handling capacity from 68 to 94 flights per hour.

Additionally, BKK is preparing the East Expansion project to expand the capacity of the Main Terminal, which will accommodate an additional 15 million passengers per year by adding approximately 80,000 square meters of space. The design has been completed and is currently being presented to the AOT Board of Directors before submission to the Cabinet for approval.

Mr. Kittipong further highlighted that BKK has implemented technology to reduce service times and alleviate passenger congestion within the terminal. This includes the Automated Border Control (ABC) system, capable of reading E-Passports from over 90 countries, and a Biometric system currently being tested with airlines, which utilizes Face Recognition technology for passenger identification and is expected to be fully operational by November. The Common Use Self Service (CUSS) check-in and Common Use Bag Drop (CUBD) systems are also gaining traction, as they save time and minimize queues for passengers.
In terms of airport management, BKK has adopted the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) system to integrate operations with air traffic service providers, airlines, and ground operators. This facilitates more precise management of flight status and timing, enabling real-time information exchange across relevant sectors, which helps reduce flight delays and optimize resource management.
For air cargo services, BKK, in collaboration with AOT Ground Services Co., Ltd. and the Customs Department, has launched the 'Multimodal Transportation Center,' a comprehensive transit cargo service center that supports multimodal transportation across land, rail, water, and air. It offers complete customs procedures in one location and has the capacity to handle over 50,000 tons of cargo annually.

Mr. Kittipong concluded that throughout its 18 years of operation, BKK has continuously evolved, with the goal of ranking among the top 20 airports in the world within five years. As it enters its 19th year, BKK is dedicated to enhancing its capabilities, driving the aviation and tourism industries, providing services that meet international standards, and serving as a source of pride for the Thai people by welcoming visitors from all corners of the world.