Flight cuts taking toll on Thai traffic

Signs of a slowdown in air traffic through Thailand's six main airports clearly emerged last month as spiking fuel oil prices and low-season demand forced airlines to cut flights.

June's combined passenger throughput grew only 3.87% year-on-year, down from 8.89% in May. Total aircraft movements contracted 1.30% from 3.78% growth a month earlier.

Passenger flows through Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports was 4.21 million last month, versus 4.56 million in May and 5.04 million in April, according to figures from Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT).

Combined aircraft movements declined from 33,779 in April and 33,356 in May to 30,607 in June.

The figures underscore the perfect storm the global aviation industry is facing from surging oil prices, a slowing global economy, and overcapacity.

However, cumulative passenger totals through AoT airports in the first six months showed fairly good growth at 9.11% year-on-year to 30.35 million, with aircraft movements rising 3.78% to 204,349.

International passenger flows slowed from 2.89 million in May to 2.77 million in June. But the overall total for the first half was up a healthy 8.77% to 19.12 million.

Domestic passengers showed a dramatic slowdown, with growth of merely 1.79% in June (1.44 million), down from 9.71% in May (1.66 million).

But robust double-digit growth in February and March, when the impact of oil prices had yet to be felt, pushed up cumulative domestic numbers in the first half to 9.7% (11.23 million).

Total landings and takeoffs in the first six months increased only 3.78% to 204,349, with international flights rising 3.80% to 112,393 and domestic ones 3.76% to 91,956.

Suvarnabhumi showed a mixed monthly pattern in the first half but the overall January-June totals showed marginal growth in passengers but a contraction in aircraft movements.

Cumulative passenger numbers through the airport inched up 1.94% to 21.21 million, compared to 20.81 million in the same period last year. International passenger throughput increased 8.17% to 17.57 million, but the domestic total fell sharply by 20.25% to 3.64 million.

In the first half of this year, Suvarnabhumi handled 2.33% fewer flights thanin the same period last year with 130,488.

The numbers were sharply depressed by a 19.23% reduction in domestic movements with 30,418, while international numbers growing 4.30% to 100,070.

THAI Officially Opens Ground Operations Control Center (GOCC)

Bangkok, Thailand. Thai Airways International Public Company Limited today opened its Ground Operations Control Center [ GOCC ] at THAI’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Operations Centre. The Centre was officially opened by Flg. Off. Apinan Sumanaseni, THAI’s President.

GOCC is a seamless cooperation between THAI’s four Business Units; the Ground Customer Services, Catering, Ground Support Equipment Services and Cargo & Mail Commercial Departments.

GOCC is designed to perform HUB management and to function as the center of ground operations communications. A ‘paperless’ unit, GOCC employs modern IT equipment to support newly developed work processes that monitor and control all aspects of ground service activities.

GOCC aims for greater service and operational efficiency through 100 percent flight on-time performance, minimized ground time for better aircraft rotation, seamless transfer and handling of passengers and baggage as well as fast recovery from irregularities.

Flg. Off. Apinan Sumanaseni, THAI’s President presided over the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open THAI’s Ground Operations Control Center (GOCC).

Also present at the ceremony were (from left):

Mr. Sarinthorn Dhanabhuthi, THAI’s Managing Director, Ground Support Equipment Services Department; Mr. Vorapravat Suebsaeng, THAI’s Managing Director, Cargo & Mail Commercial Department; Mrs. Wanporn Wibooncharoenkitja, THAI’s Managing Director, Ground Customer Services Department; Flg. Off. Apinan Sumanaseni, THAI’s President; ACM. Narongsak Sangapong, THAI’s Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretariat Department; Mrs. Pismai Chandrubeksa, THAI’s Managing Director, Catering Services Department; and Mr. Chokchai Panyayong, THAI’s Vice President, Suvarnabhumi Project.

Novotel Suvarnabhumi bags another award voted the ‘Best Airport Hotel’

Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel was voted the ‘Best Airport Hotel’ in the recent TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards 2008 organised by TravelWeekly. The awards ceremony, which was held on Thursday, 17 July at The Marriott Hotel in Singapore, recognized the best in the Asian travel industry, acknowledging their contributions to tourism and hospitality.

The TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards selection process starts with nominations by a distinguished panel of judges who are experts and veterans in the industry. The awardees from each category are selected based on the total number of votes garnered from TravelWeekly readers and industry peers. This year, the winners were chosen from a total of 2.2 million votes registered for all categories.

Tristan Beau de Lomenie, General Manager of Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel personally received the award in Singapore said, “It is a great honour for our hotel to receive such a high profile award. Although we have been in operation for less than two years, I personally believe that our uniqueness in facilities and more importantly service quality has distinguished us as an outstanding airport hotel. This award is the encouragement for us to maintain our service excellence and strive to improve it even further”.

Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel was open on 28 September 2006 to coincide with the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the new international airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Located 10 mins walk from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the hotel is easily accessible to business travelers, with a 24-hr airport shuttle every 10 min from Gate 4 Level 2 at the airport. The hotel features a pillar- less grand ballroom for up to 1,000 people, 6 meeting and function rooms and a business centre. Boasting 612 comfortable and contemporary rooms, the hotel also offers 2 bars, 4 restaurants and Vous Spa, a luxurious urban spa from France. Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel was previously chosen as one of the three ‘Best Airport Hotels in Asia Pacific for Meeting & Conference’ from CEI Asia Pacific in 2007.

Novotel – Designed for Natural Living Novotel offers nearly 400 hotels and resorts located in the heart of major international cities, business districts and tourist destinations. Everywhere, the brand upholds its fundamental values of modernity, good design, simplicity and efficiency so that today's travellers feel naturally at home.

Through a consistent top quality offer, Novotel contributes to the well-being of business and leisure travellers alike. Guests will always find spacious rooms with flexible features adapted to both work and relaxation, a balanced choice of food and beverages available around the clock, and friendly, attentive staff, plus children's play areas, fitness centres and places to relax.

Novotel has long been committed to promoting sustainable development through its active involvement in the Accor Group's Earth Guest program. Today, it reaffirms this position by pledging to achieve Green Globe environmental certification for its entire network by 2010.

In 2008, the Novotel network includes 382 hotels and resorts, representing a total of more than 66,000 rooms, in 59 countries. By 2010 it will have an additional 20,000 rooms and be present in 70 countries. Said Accor Asia Pacific Chairman and COO, Michael Issenberg, “I am very proud of the team.

Under Tristan’s capable leadership, they have worked very hard within a short time to enhance service standards and heighten customer satisfaction. The award epitomises the team’s commitment to service excellence. They have proven that they understand what ‘Esprit Accor’ is all about”.

How Long Can Thailand be "Amazing"?

Thailand has always been at the top of Southeast Asia's tourism game. The P.R. for the country as a tourist destination is head and shoulders above the rest. You've probably seen the pictures: silhouettes of sky-high temples, smiling local residents, quaint floating markets, comely service industry workers flashing their most photogenic wai. But is the image that Thailand has spent so long building for itself becoming cliché?


According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the whole Amazing Thailand campaign is just getting started. Industry insiders at TTGAsia report that TAT is going to ride its campaign into the ground:


"TAT is considered to be repeating the same old story. It is Amazing Thailand again. It is Seven Amazing Wonders product again. It is even Visit Thailand Year (tagline) again."


Will that type of campaign continue to fly? What if some of the negative press that the Land of Smiles has been getting lately continues: rumors of another coup, ongoing complaints about Suvarnabhumi Airport (like having to walk half-a-mile to reach the W.C.), and security threats from southern militants?


Add to that the fact that regional player Vietnam is upping the ante by constructing a new airport and new rail system for Ho Chi Minh City.


Most visitors to Thailand still buy the "amazing" thing. But, one wonders if TAT will have to come up with a new branding scheme sometime soon.

PAD to travel to Suvarnabhumi Airport upon return of Foreign Affairs Minister

The People’s Alliance for Democracy rally last night at the Makkhawan bridge was especially lively with speeches concerning the usual topics of government issues while also urging the military and police to abstain from any violence in protecting the nation. PAD leaders also revealed that a collection of 20,000 for a petition to remove Civil Court judges who ruled for an injunction spurned by the Rajvinit School which ultimately caused the PAD to have to move away from the government house has been abandoned as many people have not supported the idea. The leaders also criticized the government on the recent registration of Phrea Vihear National Park, insinuating that the government caused Thailand to lose territory.

The PAD continued to state that its next target within its multi-pronged strategy would be to have demonstrators await returning Foreign Affairs Minister Noppadol Pattama at the Suvarnabhumi Airport on the 10th of this month.

Source : National News Bureau, Public Relations Department of Thailand