Korean budget carrier T’Way Airlines has filed a formal complaint decrying Don Mueang Airport as not fit for international flights.
T’way Airlines has since halted operations at the airport.
T’way Regional Manager Choi Byung-moon insisted that the airport is not ready to accommodate international airlines and listed several major deficiencies in the complaint against Don Mueang.
Don Mueang is the older airport in Bangkok, and airlines have been asked to use it in order to decongest Suvarnabhumi while it is undergoing a runway maintenance shutdown from June 11 to August 1.
Officials of the South Korean carrier listed the following as the airport’s shortcomings:
– insufficient check in counters
– no VAT refund counters
– breakdowns of luggage carousels, most of the time the luggages are handled manually
– lax security
– a shortage of immigration officers
– most electric devices are out of order
– luggage weighing scales do not seem to be properly calibrated
– electronic signboards are not functioning properly
Foreign travelers to Thailand file for VAT refunds at the airport prior to their departure. However, in the case of Don Mueang, since there is a shortage of check in counters as well as immigration officers, it takes too long for the passengers to check in for their flights. These lead to hour-long delays in the flight schedules.
The Korean airline official also mentioned several instances where, due to the delays, the security procedures were curtailed and passengers were sent through without undergoing the standard airport security procedures.
Incentives were put in place for carriers to use the Don Mueang airport.However, T’way officials said that due to other expenses incurred while operating at the airport, total costs turned out higher. Among the additional costs was a THB13,000 surcharge for the delivery of flight meals from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang airport.
T’way had also added an extra flight from Inchon into Don Mueang during the period of the complaint. The airline will instead consolidate operations at Suvarnabhumi.
Officials of the Airports of Thailand Plc (A0T) were not available for comment, the Bangkok Post reported.
