AOT shakes up commercial space at Bangkok and Phuket airports
Airports of Thailand (AOT) plans to reclaim prime commercial and office spaces at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket International Airports in a move to improve passenger satisfaction, despite facing a potential loss of over 90 million baht.
AOT revealed plans to reclaim areas currently operated by King Power Duty-Free and office spaces used by key government agencies, including the Immigration Bureau, the Thai Customs Department, and the Revenue Department. This decision will free up approximately 1,097.14 square metres at Suvarnabhumi Airport and 491.22 square metres at Phuket International Airport.
Effective July 1, the changes are driven by recommendations from renowned aviation consultancy firm Skytrax, which aims to elevate Suvarnabhumi Airport to meet passengers’ expectations and rank it among the world’s top 50 airports by 2025, with aspirations to reach the top 20 within the next five years. However, this strategic move comes with a hefty price tag.
The reclamation is expected to result in a monthly loss of around 1.01 million baht in office and state property rent. Additionally, the minimum guarantees for the 2024-2025 contract years at both airports could plummet, with losses of approximately 74 million baht and 19 million baht per month at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports, respectively.
To mitigate this significant revenue decline, AOT has devised a series of projects aimed at boosting income from alternative commercial activities. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to enhance airport facilities and improve overall passenger satisfaction, reported Pattaya Mail.
In related news, Qatar Airways has been named the best airline in the world for 2024, overtaking last year’s champion, Singapore Airlines, meanwhile, Bangkok Airways secured the title of the world’s best regional airline for the eighth consecutive year, according to Skytrax’s World Airline Awards.
In other news, the new Automatic Channel for passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport was personally tested by Wisanu Prasarttong-Osoth, chairman of AOT, before its official launch on June 7. This system aims to ease congestion at immigration checkpoints.
