KRABI: Technicians at Krabi International Airport are trying to restore runway and taxiway lighting systems before nightfall on Sunday after electrical glitches on Saturday night caused the airport to suspend all flights.
On Sunday, takeoffs and landings resumed after technicians restored the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) systems, which provides pilots with visual glideslope guidance during their approach for landing.
The disruption stemmed from a short circuit in the manhole pit near aircraft parking bay no.3 at about 8.30pm on Saturday, causing a power outage. Authorities cancelled all flights in and out of Krabi airport and issued NOTAM (Notice To Air Missions) instructions to all carriers that all landing area lighting facilities were inoperable from 2.20am to noon on Mar 3.
The incident impacted 508 passengers on three flights including Thai Vietjet flight no. VZ345 (193 passengers), Bangkok Airways flight no. PG264 (145) and flydubai flight no.FZ1482 (170).
Transport Minister Suriya Juangruangreangkit instructed the delivery of portable runway lights to Krabi airport today for use as a backup system while the repair work was ongoing.
The power outage is the third in less than a month at Krabi airport. On Feb 26 a short circuit caused a fire and a two-hour shutdown of the airport's electricity system, affecting 12 domestic flights. A Feb 10 power outage forced immigration authorities to admit about 2,000 travellers without properly examining their personal data.
The incident came after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Fri announced plans to make Thailand a regional aviation centre and one of the world's five largest cargo distribution hubs.