Airports of Thailand (AoT) expects a 13.3% surge in the number of domestic and international flights to and from Don Mueang airport during New Year, with 717,002 passengers expected through the gates.
The number of flights planned for the period represents an 88.62% rebound compared to the numbers in the years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, said (AoT) president Kerati Kijmanawat on Saturday.
The estimated 717,002 passengers, meanwhile, accounts for a 19.96% increase when compared to the same period of last year, or about 85.84% of volume logged before the pandemic, Mr Kerati said.
''This means this year the airport has to prepare to handle the needs of around 102,429 passengers per day throughout the festive travel period,'' he said.
The New Year travel period is defined as the seven days spanning from Dec 27 until Jan 2, during which 4,671 flights have been scheduled to take off and land on the runways of Don Mueang, or about 668 flights per day, he said. Preparations are underway to help the airport cope.
''Of this total number of planned flights, 1,980 are domestic flights and the other 2,691 international ones, which accounts for a 13.32% increase from the 2024 New Year travel period,'' he said.
The number of passengers on these domestic and international flights is estimated to be 313,447 and 403,555 respectively.
He was speaking on Saturday while inspecting Don Mueang airport's preparation for coping with an expected rise in the number of festive passengers.
And as part of the airport's plan, a passenger facilitation centre is ready to go into operation around the clock from Dec 27 until Jan 2.
Meanwhile, a new administrative IT system and strategy called "Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM)" will be adopted to improve efficiency and coordination in the airport's operations, including all airlines operating at the airport, said Mr Kerati.
For those passengers who may want to leave their cars at the airport while away during the period and pick them up when returning to the airport, free parking spaces will be offered to up to 250 cars in an area between Warehouse 2 building and the five-storey car park building, he said.
The airport has maximum car park capacity, including both free and paid parking, amounting to 2,622 bays when added together, he said.
Since Dec 1, free shuttle bus services also are provided from 6am until 10pm daily for added convenience.
These services are for passengers who may have to get from one point to another within the airport, such as from a car park to a terminal, he said, adding there are 15 drop-off and pick-up points for these shuttle services.
Passengers who opt to travel to and from the airport via the public bus service are assured they will also enjoy the added convenience during this part of the service.
The number of buses operating will be increased during the festival travel period.
The airport also aims to ensure the comfort of all passengers when waiting to board an aircraft by arranging sufficient waiting space, and cleaning up its restroom facilities more frequently. It also offers sufficient space for travelling mothers with infants who may need care, said Mr Kerati.
Extra mobile phone charging points will also be added, while it is expected the new automated biometric identification system which is now in operation at the airport will help to speed up the process of checking in and boarding passengers, he said. "The number of immigration officers at Don Mueang will also be boosted during the New Year period,'' he said.
Airport security too will be heightened, with extra patrols carried out around the clock on the airport's premises, in addition to the airport's standard CCTV security surveillance system, he said.
Despite the pledges to ensure passengers' convenience and comfort, travellers are also advised to leave home earlier than usual as heavy traffic is likely, he said.
Passenger on international flights should arrive at least three hours early while domestic passengers should have at least two hours to spare, he said.
Kerati: Inspected readiness for rush