Sjelden kritisk artikkel om den nye flyplassen i BKK

Farmer · 06-10-2005, 22:16

Sjelden kost i Thailand, hvor avisene er meget forsiktige med å kritsere STATSMINISTEREN og andre offentlige anliggender.
Dog meget interessant lesning!

False dawn at Suvarnabhumi

DON ROSS

It was called a Hollywood set by at least one airline manager even down to the Airports of Thailand trucking in brand-new suitcases to place on the luggage carrousel at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Like other airline managers he was not on the official invitee list for the test flights to this Bt155-billion airport. The truck load of suit cases was just one of many cosmetic touches to demonstrate that technically the prime minister could keep a two-year-old promise by landing at the airport on September 29.

Now the Airports of Thailand can rewind the countdown clock for a yet to be decided date somewhere between June 1 and September 30, 2006.

To support the Hollywood set observation it was noted that one half of the airport facing north looked pretty tidy. The runway lights were functioning, roads were completed, white lines painted in the correct places and the buildings looked ready to open. But like all Hollywood sets there is a front and back. To the south of the terminal it was a contrasting scene of hectic construction, visible only to the curious journalists and VIPs who happened to peep around the corner.

As publicity stunts go, it was an impressive affair that prompted a few tears of joy among government officials who had lived through the good old days compiling endless studies on the project.

Yet it was still a very early and premature test flight, costly for the national airline in fuel, aircraft time and possibly serving no technical purpose as far as certifying the airport. That task will have to be undertaken on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organisation next year.

Experts agree there is still some distance to cover before the golden era dawns at Suvarnabhumi Airport. We could say that the PM's expensive, fuel-guzzling demonstration flight was akin to the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

There were hints of the challenges in some of the statements made by the International Airlines Transport Association's presentation September 28 and even in the newspaper's cartoon depicting a Hollywood set. We read about the controversy over luggage scan machines, but not so much about the Airports Information Management System (AIMS) that could be more than a year away from readiness. So while the government may convince THAI to spend its resources on publicity flights, on the ground the airport is still far from ready to handle passenger, cargo and baggage transfers. Airports cannot function without an AIMS infrastructure in place and Airports of Thailand has so far not given any indication as to when this crucial system will be up and running.

This explains why IATA executives hinted the airport could still be 12 to 18 months away from commercial operations. They also suggested that in line with current passenger traffic trends the airport would be short of boarding gates about one year after it opens.

Anyone who has invested in Suvarnabhumi Airport acknowledges it was touching moment to see all the VIPs waving to the Thai nation from TV screens and newspaper front pages. They have considerable reasons to be smiling as they stand on the tarmac of this colossal set. They represented decades of involvement in the second airport project. This was their day in the limelight. Their baby is breathing.

A day after the celebrations private investors would remember the huge capital tied up in this project and wonder just when they could expect to see a return on investment. Perhaps that is over optimistic. They may just hope for the day when their projects will create cash flow.

It was a theme that has so far not been addressed _ companies invested in the construction of cargo warehouses, offices and catering buildings and they have so far not earned a baht. Were they basing financial projects on a promise of commercial operations by September 29, 2005?

Even so airline managers state that they would prefer to stay at Don Muang Airport until all the facilities at the new airport have been tested and ready for commercial use. If the Airports of Thailand learns from mistakes that were made in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong they will not rush the opening. They are talking about a six-month test period after the construction companies hand over the project to the Airports of Thailand.

Then it will be time to prove that behind the sparkling exterior and cosmetic touches there is a reliable AIMS functioning to provide a safe and secure environment for passengers.

Showtime at Suvarnabhumi last week revealed a variety of obstacles for approaching aircraft, some of which were quite novel. We can assume the native cobras are history so they are not going to turn up in cargo holds or snapping at our heels as we walk through the posh terminal building. Fowls making a fly past mimicking the F16s that escorted Mr Thaksin have been listed as a threat. Then a THAI pilot mentioned there are residents in the area who are inclined to fire their revolvers at the moon just as a 747 flies over their homes. This can be quite risky for an aircraft approaching an airport at heights of 2,000 metres or less. We have to assume that residents in the Don Muang Airport flight path have learned over the last 50 years to be better behaved even during Loy Krathong celebrations.

An Airports of Thailand official told a local reporter there was yet another fear. Districts around Suvarnabhumi, he claimed, had a high frequency of lightening strikes. Now they tell us?

http://www.bangkokpost.net/en/Horizons/06Oct2005_hori06.php

LN-MOW · 06-10-2005, 22:22

Quote:

An Airports of Thailand official told a local reporter there was yet another fear. Districts around Suvarnabhumi, he claimed, had a high frequency of lightening strikes. Now they tell us?

Flere enn meg som dro parallellen til den 'ukjente' freezing fog'en paa Galemoen..?? :devil

LN-KOG · 08-10-2005, 18:26

Jeg synes de glossy brosjyrene jeg får fra Bangkok forteller alt, jeg! Alt er i rute og alt kommer til å gå bra. Vi må bare stole på myndighetene så skal nok dette gå bra, ser dere :smokin

Farmer · 08-10-2005, 18:29

Quote:

Originally posted by LN-KOG
Jeg synes de glossy brosjyrene jeg får fra Bangkok forteller alt, jeg! Alt er i rute og alt kommer til å gå bra. Vi må bare stole på myndighetene så skal nok dette gå bra, ser dere :smokin

Hva sier brosjyrene mht til ny åpningsdato ?

LN-KOG · 08-10-2005, 18:32

Tja, det har vel variert litt ...

Snakket nettopp med min gode venn på ambassaden som fortalte at det skjedde mykje skumt

06-10-2005, 22:16	#1
Farmer ScanFlyer Crusty Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,619	Sjelden kritisk artikkel om den nye flyplassen i BKK Sjelden kost i Thailand, hvor avisene er meget forsiktige med å kritsere STATSMINISTEREN og andre offentlige anliggender. Dog meget interessant lesning! False dawn at Suvarnabhumi DON ROSS It was called a Hollywood set by at least one airline manager even down to the Airports of Thailand trucking in brand-new suitcases to place on the luggage carrousel at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Like other airline managers he was not on the official invitee list for the test flights to this Bt155-billion airport. The truck load of suit cases was just one of many cosmetic touches to demonstrate that technically the prime minister could keep a two-year-old promise by landing at the airport on September 29. Now the Airports of Thailand can rewind the countdown clock for a yet to be decided date somewhere between June 1 and September 30, 2006. To support the Hollywood set observation it was noted that one half of the airport facing north looked pretty tidy. The runway lights were functioning, roads were completed, white lines painted in the correct places and the buildings looked ready to open. But like all Hollywood sets there is a front and back. To the south of the terminal it was a contrasting scene of hectic construction, visible only to the curious journalists and VIPs who happened to peep around the corner. As publicity stunts go, it was an impressive affair that prompted a few tears of joy among government officials who had lived through the good old days compiling endless studies on the project. Yet it was still a very early and premature test flight, costly for the national airline in fuel, aircraft time and possibly serving no technical purpose as far as certifying the airport. That task will have to be undertaken on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organisation next year. Experts agree there is still some distance to cover before the golden era dawns at Suvarnabhumi Airport. We could say that the PM's expensive, fuel-guzzling demonstration flight was akin to the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. There were hints of the challenges in some of the statements made by the International Airlines Transport Association's presentation September 28 and even in the newspaper's cartoon depicting a Hollywood set. We read about the controversy over luggage scan machines, but not so much about the Airports Information Management System (AIMS) that could be more than a year away from readiness. So while the government may convince THAI to spend its resources on publicity flights, on the ground the airport is still far from ready to handle passenger, cargo and baggage transfers. Airports cannot function without an AIMS infrastructure in place and Airports of Thailand has so far not given any indication as to when this crucial system will be up and running. This explains why IATA executives hinted the airport could still be 12 to 18 months away from commercial operations. They also suggested that in line with current passenger traffic trends the airport would be short of boarding gates about one year after it opens. Anyone who has invested in Suvarnabhumi Airport acknowledges it was touching moment to see all the VIPs waving to the Thai nation from TV screens and newspaper front pages. They have considerable reasons to be smiling as they stand on the tarmac of this colossal set. They represented decades of involvement in the second airport project. This was their day in the limelight. Their baby is breathing. A day after the celebrations private investors would remember the huge capital tied up in this project and wonder just when they could expect to see a return on investment. Perhaps that is over optimistic. They may just hope for the day when their projects will create cash flow. It was a theme that has so far not been addressed _ companies invested in the construction of cargo warehouses, offices and catering buildings and they have so far not earned a baht. Were they basing financial projects on a promise of commercial operations by September 29, 2005? Even so airline managers state that they would prefer to stay at Don Muang Airport until all the facilities at the new airport have been tested and ready for commercial use. If the Airports of Thailand learns from mistakes that were made in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong they will not rush the opening. They are talking about a six-month test period after the construction companies hand over the project to the Airports of Thailand. Then it will be time to prove that behind the sparkling exterior and cosmetic touches there is a reliable AIMS functioning to provide a safe and secure environment for passengers. Showtime at Suvarnabhumi last week revealed a variety of obstacles for approaching aircraft, some of which were quite novel. We can assume the native cobras are history so they are not going to turn up in cargo holds or snapping at our heels as we walk through the posh terminal building. Fowls making a fly past mimicking the F16s that escorted Mr Thaksin have been listed as a threat. Then a THAI pilot mentioned there are residents in the area who are inclined to fire their revolvers at the moon just as a 747 flies over their homes. This can be quite risky for an aircraft approaching an airport at heights of 2,000 metres or less. We have to assume that residents in the Don Muang Airport flight path have learned over the last 50 years to be better behaved even during Loy Krathong celebrations. An Airports of Thailand official told a local reporter there was yet another fear. Districts around Suvarnabhumi, he claimed, had a high frequency of lightening strikes. Now they tell us? http://www.bangkokpost.net/en/Horizons/06Oct2005_hori06.php __________________ Upcoming flights: En liten flyoversikt siden 29/7-2006.. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, Leonardo Da Vinci

08-10-2005, 18:26	#3
LN-KOG Osapanga chipongwe Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hjemme Posts: 8,380	Re: Sjelden kritisk artikkel om den nye flyplassen i BKK Jeg synes de glossy brosjyrene jeg får fra Bangkok forteller alt, jeg! Alt er i rute og alt kommer til å gå bra. Vi må bare stole på myndighetene så skal nok dette gå bra, ser dere :smokin __________________ *Better On A Camel* across Africa, than *Sit And Suffer* across the North Sea.

08-10-2005, 18:32	#5
LN-KOG Osapanga chipongwe Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hjemme Posts: 8,380	Re: Sjelden kritisk artikkel om den nye flyplassen i BKK Tja, det har vel variert litt ... Snakket nettopp med min gode venn på ambassaden som fortalte at det skjedde mykje skumt __________________ *Better On A Camel* across Africa, than *Sit And Suffer* across the North Sea.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Flyplassen som tok av ( Tempelhof artikkel )	BraathensSafe1985	Flyhistorisk forum	4	22-06-2013 16:02
Den "nye" flyplassen i Alicante er ferdig!	Sim_henrik	Flyforum	0	25-03-2011 22:27
Flyseelskapene klager på den nye BKK flyplassen	Farmer	Flyforum	7	01-11-2006 14:09
Endelig åpning av den nye flyplassen i BKK	Farmer	Flyforum	3	07-08-2006 00:05
Slik blir den nye flyplassen	X-BU	Flyforum	15	30-01-2006 09:25