According to Airports of Thailand (AoT), the third runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport is set to become operational by the end of the year, increasing the airport’s aircraft handling capacity from the current 68 planes per hour to 94.
On Thursday, a full-scale trial of the new runway was conducted, involving participants such as Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai), Thai Airways International, and Bangkok Flight Services.
Kittipong Kittikachorn, the airport’s general manager, reported that a civilian aircraft successfully took off and landed on the new runway during the trial. He noted that the evaluation focused on the physical aspects of the runway, including taxiways and supporting equipment, as well as overall safety.
Previously, on August 14, the Royal Thai Air Force had conducted a successful trial using its ATR-72 aircraft on the same runway.
After Thursday’s trial, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and other relevant agencies provided Suvarnabhumi Airport representatives with a briefing on the necessary improvements that need to be completed before the official opening of the runway.
Mr. Kittipong stated that the new runway would enhance the airport’s capacity to handle 94 aircraft per hour, aligning it with leading airports in the region.
In other news, AoT director Kirati Kijmanawat announced that the company posted a net profit of 14.9 billion baht during the first nine months of its fiscal year ending June 30, marking a remarkable 178% increase from 5.36 billion baht in the same period last year, when international travel was significantly lower.
The company reported total revenue of 50.76 billion baht, a 53.3% increase year-on-year, while operational expenses rose by 23.6% to 29.5 billion baht, according to Mr. Kirati.
This improved financial performance aligns with the rising traffic at all six airports managed by AoT, which collectively handled 90 million passengers, reflecting a 21.2% increase compared to the same period a year earlier.
