Phuket Airport to boost flight capacity to 35 per hour
The Thai Ministry of Transport has instructed the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Company Limited (AEROTHAI) to enhance Phuket Airport’s flight handling capacity. By 2025, the aim is to increase from 25 to 35 flights per hour.
Deputy Minister of Transport Monaporn Charernsri announced yesterday, February 27 that AEROTHAI is examining methods to boost Phuket Airport’s efficiency, one of Thailand’s busiest airports following Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. It currently handles 25 flights per hour.
Monaporn explained that Fukuoka Airport in Japan is being used as a benchmark due to its similar physical characteristics to Phuket Airport and other major regional airports in Thailand.
Fukuoka, a key economic city renowned for its tourism appeal, serves as a model in air transport management.
The aim is to apply Fukuoka’s air transportation technology to improve Phuket Airport and others, enhancing service quality and accommodating more tourists, particularly as free-visa policies boost arrivals.
Currently, Fukuoka Airport operates one of Japan’s busiest single runways, managing 38 flights per hour, with a second runway and terminal upgrades underway.
Air travel from Fukuoka to Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, is rising. Three airlines, Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, and Thai VietJet, have scheduled flights for cargo and passenger services.
Monaporn further highlighted the need for AEROTHAI to study optimal strategies to enhance air service capabilities, aiming to position Thailand as a regional aviation hub.
AEROTHAI chairperson Pichet Kunathumrak added that from October 2024 to January 2025, international flights totalled 165,474, a 23% increase from the previous year.
Flights between Thailand and Japan accounted for 5% of total international flights, with Japan ranking seventh in terms of flight frequency to Thailand, averaging 62 flights daily.
Pichet noted that Fukuoka, with its high tourism and economic profile, has increasing air travel demands. The study of Fukuoka’s dense air traffic management will inform improvements for Phuket Airport and others, focusing on efficient and safe air traffic handling.
Given Phuket Airport’s space constraints, an additional airport in Phang Nga province, the Andaman Airport, is proposed to link with Phuket, Krabi, and Ranong airports.
AEROTHAI CEO Naphasith Chakraphithak highlighted three focus areas for enhancing Phuket Airport’s flight capacity: air traffic management with the High-Intensity Runway Operation (HIRO) project to reduce Runway Occupancy Time, optimizing Rapid Exit Taxiway (RET) physical characteristics, and integrating Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) with Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM).
Additionally, AEROTHAI plans to implement Multilateration (MLAT) systems and Digital Towers for improved air traffic management at the airport, aiming to reach a capacity of 35 flights per hour by 2025, with a future target of 40 flights per hour, reported KhaoSod.
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