Runway work to cut Suvarnabhumi capacity

Airlines and passengers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport could face disruption over the coming months, as work is carried out to repair one of the runways.

The Bangkok Post reports that a 1,250-metre stretch of the northern runway will undergo maintenance work, including resurfacing, from 3 March to 5 May 2017. This will reduce Suvarnabhumi’s capacity from 68 to 60 take-offs and landings per hour for a period of 60 days.

The runway will not be completely out of action however; smaller aircraft will still be able to take-off from the runway, which will be reduced to 2,750 metres in length.

The work will coincide with Thailand’s Songkran festival period, which falls in April. But the airport’s general manager, Sirote Duangratana, told the Bangkok Post that holiday traffic was unlikely to be significantly impacted.

“Much of the air traffic during Songkran is through Don Mueang Airport on domestic flights operated by low-cost carriers, so that should ease pressure on Suvarnabhumi,” Sirote was quoted saying.