U-Tapao new terminal news & more UTP destinations!

[Sick Water Buffalo]

http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2015/10/new-terminal-to-boost-u-tapao-airport/

 

 

New terminal to boost U-Tapao Airport

30 October 2015

 

BANGKOK, 30 October 2015: A new airport terminal scheduled to open in June next year will help U-Tapao Airport cope with growing passenger traffic.

Speaking at Association of Thai Travel Agents monthly meeting on Thursday, the airport director, Rr Adm Wasinsan Janthawarin, said the new terminal will ready in March and officially opened 1 June, next year.

“The airport will serve both military and commercial flights under the concept of One Airport Two Missions. The new facilities will give airlines an opportunity to add new services ahead of the 2016 peak season.”

The new building, together with the existing terminal, will raise passenger capacity from 800,000 to 3 million per year. Between 2018 and 2020, capacity will increase to 5 million passengers.

The navy owned and operated airport would be responsible for air traffic control and all ground services, while Thai Airways International would provide support in other areas on request, such as inflight catering.

The airport will most likely see a growth in charters from western Europe and China.

AirAsia Group is the airport’s main customer after the Malaysia company began direct U-Tapao-Kuala Lumpur services four times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday).

“Thai AirAsia also uses U-Tapao as its fifth hub and operates flights to China and this will encourage more Chinese travellers to visit the eastern seaboard, while Kan Air resumes services from northern Thailand.”

Thai AirAsia launched services to Nanning and Nanchang in China late September and will fly to Singapore, Macau and Udon Thani from 27 November. It will use two A320s for the services.

Kan Air resumed services, last Monday, on the Chiang Mai – U-Tapao route with three weekly flights Monday, Thursday and Saturday using a 66-seat ATR 72-500 turboprop.

Currently, there are four commercial airlines operating flights to U-Tapao —  Bangkok Airways, AirAsia, Thai AirAsia and Kan Air.

He added: “We are confident U-Tapao will be a strong base for commercial airlines and will be ready to assume the role of the third major airport in central Thailand in line with government policy.”

The airport is handling almost 200,000 passengers and about 400 flights annually. Most of them are charter flights from China and Russia.

U-Tapao airport will offer convenience for passengers travelling to the eastern part of Thailand as it only 140 km from Bangkok, or a two-hour drive by car, he said.

Highway no 331 will be extended to four traffic lanes,and a motorway will be constructed to link Pattaya, Map Ta Phut and U-Tapao Airport.

The new motorway will link up to the existing Motorway no 7 to facilitate road traffic between Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports.

During the blockade of Bangkok’s airports by opposition protesters in 2008, U-Tapao was used to evacuate thousands of stranded tourists. It also had an emergency role for airlines diverted from Don Mueang airport during the 2011 floods that inundated the airport.

U-Tapao’s location on the east coast, close to Pattaya, makes it an ideal destination to take pressure off Bangkok’s busy airports.

 

Thai Air Asia also just announced adding two more air links (starting 27 November) - Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.

That'll make eight routes total for Air Asia at UTP: Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Udon Thani (Thailand); Nanchang, Nanning, Macao (China), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and Singapore.

Also, Kan Air restarted its Chiang Mai route this week.

[mr21]

I really like Chiang Mai and this will make it much easier to fly up there for a few days to break up a holiday in Patts

[Sticky Fingers]

Arriving in Thailand at U-Tapao is now a real possibility for me, connecting from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. 

[nurass]

200,000 passengers by 400 flights? A bit over one flight per day averaging 500 passengers. Wonder what else in that article is unreliable.

[davethailand]

Be interesting to see the planned new road layouts etc. My wifes land is right inbetween U Tapao, the 331 and 7.

[adrian83]

I've lived in Singapore and Thai AirAsia X is going to start a new route from Singapore to U Tapao by End November, but i'm not going to try it anytime sooner.

I don't trust this route as this is a fairly new route and i doubt much Singaporeans will travel to Pattaya. Not gonna gamble on it and got my flight cancelled in the last minute due to short of passengers on the flight. Gonna be so pissed about it.

How many flights are going to fly in here anyway? Tourists dont fly in to Pattaya just for holiday and flew off after (Maybe for Russians and Mongerers).

[Sick Water Buffalo]

i doubt much Singaporeans will travel to Pattaya  

How many flights are going to fly in here anyway? Tourists dont fly in to Pattaya just for holiday and flew off after (Maybe for Russians and Mongerers).

 

 

I'm guessing much of the traffic would be Australians connecting via Singapore?

 

Right now, the Authorities are looking to take pressure off Suvarnabhumi by encouraging UTP... I saw a story earlier this week that flight/passenger levels at BKK are back to pre-coup/bombing levels and rising, pressuring airport capacity again.

Bear in mind that these new commercial routes have really only 'gotten off the ground' in the last six months or so.

[davidge]

Sorry to go off topic, but every time I hear about this airport I start singing:

 

[Gnorman]

I'm guessing much of the traffic would be Australians connecting via Singapore?

 

Right now, the Authorities are looking to take pressure off Suvarnabhumi by encouraging UTP... I saw a story earlier this week that flight/passenger levels at BKK are back to post-coup/bombing levels and rising, pressuring airport capacity again.

Bear in mind that these new commercial routes have really only 'gotten off the ground' in the last six months or so.

 

Most Australians will connect via KL, the new Singapore route is an interesting one.

[adrian83]

I'm guessing much of the traffic would be Australians connecting via Singapore?

 

Right now, the Authorities are looking to take pressure off Suvarnabhumi by encouraging UTP... I saw a story earlier this week that flight/passenger levels at BKK are back to pre-coup/bombing levels and rising, pressuring airport capacity again.

Bear in mind that these new commercial routes have really only 'gotten off the ground' in the last six months or so.

 

i thought usually Aussies will travel on Qantas as the travelling time is long (9hrs++) as travelling in budget for long haul flights are tiring.

 

I believed at most only Singaporean, Indonesians or maybe (like u said) Aussies will used this route. Like i said, its a fairly new one so i won't take the risk to have my flight cancelled.

 

Airasia used to have flights travelling from KL to U Tapao but seems like they cancelled this route, maybe due to low sales. Untill Pattaya brushed up their reputation as a red light city, much tourists won't dropped by here as the sole holiday destination in Thailand.

[Nando9999]

I'm guessing much of the traffic would be Australians connecting via Singapore?

 

Would be a decent option if connections werent too long.

 

Scoot always have sales so could be good for people for who dont mind LCC without going via KLIA2 and DMK.

[Gnorman]

i thought usually Aussies will travel on Qantas as the travelling time is long (9hrs++) as travelling in budget for long haul flights are tiring.

 

I believed at most only Singaporean, Indonesians or maybe (like u said) Aussies will used this route. Like i said, its a fairly new one so i won't take the risk to have my flight cancelled.

 

Airasia used to have flights travelling from KL to U Tapao but seems like they cancelled this route, maybe due to low sales. Untill Pattaya brushed up their reputation as a red light city, much tourists won't dropped by here as the sole holiday destination in Thailand.

 

Qantas don't fly direct to BKK from MEL, if they did I wouldn't use them anyway, Alan Joyce has a lot to answer for the little turd.

 

To my knowledge this will be the first time AirAsia have flown the KUL-UTP route, roughly what years do you think they flew here and when do you think it was cancelled?

[Ron Rat]

A lot of expats in Indonesia could use this. Balikpapan  2 hour flight Silkair to Singers and then on to Utapao.  Going AA via KL means going to DMK.

[Gnorman]

 

Thai AirAsia from late-November 2015 will further expand planned expansion at Utapao/Pattaya, as it plans to launch new service to Chiang Mai and Hat Yai. Planned operational schedule as follow.

eff 27NOV15 Utapao/Pattaya – Chiang Mai

FD101 UTP0640 – 0755CNX 320 D

FD103 UTP1725 – 1835CNX 320 357

FD102 CNX0825 – 0930UTP 320 D

FD104 CNX1940 – 2050UTP 320 357

 

eff 03DEC15 Utapao/Pattaya – Hat Yai

FD161 UTP1805 – 1915HDY 320 x357

FD162 HDY2005 – 2115UTP 320 x357

[Tarpon]

Air Asia will start a route between Utapao and Udon Thai on November 27.

[adrian83]

Qantas don't fly direct to BKK from MEL, if they did I wouldn't use them anyway, Alan Joyce has a lot to answer for the little turd.

 

To my knowledge this will be the first time AirAsia have flown the KUL-UTP route, roughly what years do you think they flew here and when do you think it was cancelled?

As I was a member of AirAsia, so on and off I had notification on new route. I believed this KUL-UTP route started like 1 year ago. During august, I was exploring different route to Pattaya other than swampy and turn out on AirAsia route SIN-KUL-UTP but why would I fly and transit total time 6 hours when when I can reach Pattaya in 5?

 

I have no idea why KUL-UTP route was cancelled and AirAsia customer service is horrendous. They never answer your questions without using the standard template answers.

 

 

Sent from my MI PAD using Tapatalk

[semi-retired member]

Some good start-up fares currently available on CNX-UTP, but that 06.40 take-off for the return-flight is an "Ouch " !

[Sticky Fingers]

Some good start-up fares currently available on CNX-UTP, but that 06.40 take-off for the return-flight is an "Ouch " !

 

There is a flight at 17:25?

[semi-retired member]

There is a flight at 17:25?

 

Only days 3 5 7 (Wednesday  Friday  Sunday)  according to GNorman's post.

[Sticky Fingers]

Only days 3 5 7 (Wednesday  Friday  Sunday)  according to GNorman's post.

 

Fair enough. I'd be able to easily arrange things to fly on those days. Shouldn't be any need to get the early-morning flight.

[themehta]

The new director of U-Tapao airport says that the facility, in process of being dramatically expanded, will be run as a public service entity rather than a facility based on cash surpluses. Rear Admiral Worapol Tongpricha said U-Tapao in Rayong province would operate largely with balanced ledgers, taking in just enough revenue to pay off bills. He added that making a profit had never crossed his mind as that would place higher costs on consumers, namely the general public.

U-Tapao airport’s expansion underway

The airport, built by the United States during the Vietnam War but now operated by the Royal Thai Navy, is currently undergoing massive refurbishment to cope with the arrival of almost one million passengers next year compared with 200,000 in 2015. This number is anticipated to become three million a year by 2018. A new passenger terminal and upgraded facilities are expected to be in place by next June. Although U-Tapao handles mostly charter flights, it has recently gained scheduled carriers Thai Air Asia and Kan Airways in addition to long-standing flights by Bangkok Airways.

But critics say that there are various impediments which cast doubt on a wholly rosy future. The refurbishment plans are still unclear for ground handling services, airline catering and airport transfer services. Nor does the current development plan include a cargo terminal. Explaining these reservations, Louis Moser, chairman of the Airline Operators Committee (AOC), said the navy’s insistence that its personnel continue running the airport has raised questions about their ability to deal with the challenges resulting from the expected surge in commercial traffic. The AOC represents 86 international airlines and 26 aviation service providers operating at Suvarnabhumi.

U-Tapao’s existing domestic arrival area

Moser added that the navy’s “one airport, two missions” designation for U-Tapao, serving both commercial and military purposes, could be problematical. He was concerned that the ongoing military functions of the airport would take precedence and create difficulties for business airlines. “U-Tapao will probably only be able to attract narrow-body jets and turboprops operated by low-cost carriers and small-scale international route operators,” stated Moser. The AOC has been lobbying the navy to allow professionals, such as the staff of the Airports of Thailand PLC who run Thailand’s six major airports, to organize and operate U-Tapao as well.

The navy has also been urged to make the development and operation plans of the airport more visible to the industry and to the public with a view to welcoming greater private sector participation and joint investment. In response, the Royal Thai Navy has stated that U-Tapao’s commercial operations will have different staff from those used for military functions, currently 195 naval personnel rising to 260 once the new terminal is up and running. Rear Admiral Worapol said that deficiencies such as lack of a cargo terminal would be addressed by the construction of two warehouses, each measuring 40x50x17 metres, which would use navy funding. He added that joint ventures might be used for in-flight catering services, a full-flight pilot training school and the airport’s information technology system.

Another question arises from road surface links to the airport. Although Route 331 was widened to four lanes, most tourists still use Sukhumvit Road, consuming more time. The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association is cooperating with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to coordinate with the Department of Highways to increase the efficiency of the system between U-Tapao and Pattaya. It is expected that the development of the airport will bring many more tourists to Pattaya, resulting in a tripling of annual numbers to around 30 million by the end of the decade.

But it is not clear whether a high-speed rail route between Rayong and Bangkok, being negotiated as a joint Thai and Japanese venture, will include a stop at Pattaya. Even if it does, the current Pattaya railway station near Siam Country Club Road is nowhere near the city centre attractions, the principal hotels or the beaches. A previous plan to link the railway station to downtown areas by means of an overhead electric railway appears to have bitten the dust.

[Jack Frost]

Thanks guys for all the info & updates.

 

Most interesting.

 

[semi-retired member]

The usual turf-war ensues, I guess the AOC didn't notice all those Russian charter-jumbos, at UTP over the past few years ?

[davethailand]

My wifes land and family home is 5 mins away, they've just started to turn the road into a 4 lane dual carriageway.

Mixed thoughts as it means it will be alot busier and noisier BUT then again the price per Rai is climbing nicely.

[Kenjataimu]

Would be a decent option if connections werent too long.

 

Scoot always have sales so could be good for people for who dont mind LCC without going via KLIA2 and DMK.

I mainly fly Scoot from OOL as it suits and the connections (SIN and then to DMK), timing etc are fairly good for me.  Scoot Business is .... ok. Occasionally AirAsia via KLIA2 but that's mostly if I go to Cambodia first (once again, good timing and better connections).  I am on Scoot to DMK again in March.