Blackout threatens hub status of Suvarnabhumi

[flee 5]

Thousands of travellers hit, airlines seek payout

 

Bangkok's reputation as a key regional air hub could face a major threat following Thursday's breakdown of an airport control tower which affected nearly 50 flights.

 

The simultaneous breakdown of both the main and back-up power supplies paralysed the radar system which guides flights through Suvarnabhumi International Airport for an hour.

 

A total of 49 aircraft were affected - 21 take-offs and 15 landings were delayed, while 13 flights were rerouted or returned to their departure point.

 

The radar breakdown may be the longest in the world for 45 years, and airline executives and pilots yesterday called the incident "inexcusable".

 

"Our reputation has been tainted and trust in the reliability of the Thai system has diminished to a certain extent," said Marisa Pongpattanapun, chairwoman of Airline Operators Committee (AOC), a coalition of global airline managers at Suvarnabhumi.

 

A senior Thai Airways (THAI) pilot with 36 years of international experience and more than 20,000 flight hours said rival airports in the region could benefit from the malfunction, which lasted from 6.14pm to 7.12pm.

 

He said passengers affected by Thursday's delays may well choose to travel to or through different airports in future.

 

The senior THAI pilot said he had experienced radar system breakdowns elsewhere in the world, but that the disruptions caused by those incidents only lasted a matter of minutes.

 

Ms Marisa said airlines are counting the cost of the incident, which frustrated thousands of passengers.

 

She said the airlines will seek compensation from Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd (Aerothai), the air navigation service provider operating under the Transport Ministry.

 

The Board of Airline Representatives Business Association, also known as Bar, will act on the behalf of its affected member airlines to seek compensation from Aerothai, Ms Marisa said.

 

Costs incurred by the delays include the use of extra fuel by flights held up in-air and accommodating affected passengers.

 

The incident further inconvenienced international carriers which have been struggling since June 11 to lessen the impacts of the 60-day maintenance shutdown of one of Suvarnabhumi's two runways.

 

Aerothai president Prajak Sajjasophon said yesterday the company has yet to receive any claims for compensation from affected parties.

 

"I think they understand the case and we can discuss the whole matter with them," he said.

 

Mr Prajak played down suggestions that Thailand's reputation would be spoiled by the incident, saying Aerothai has done everything possible to lessen the impacts on visitors and most importantly ensuring maximum safety for air traffic during the blackout period.

 

He noted that Aerothai successfully employed radio communication during the radar down-time period to direct five aircraft to safe landings at Suvarnabhumi.

 

Mr Prajak insisted that the company has followed inspection and maintenance guidelines.

 

"Things happened unexpectedly," he said.

 

Aerothai's current power supply system has been in use for six years of its seven-year lifespan.

 

A 20-million-baht upgrade is set to be put into operation from August of this year.

 

The upgrade will be an additional uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system that will be independent of the existing UPS source.

 

This should ensure a secondary power source should a similar failure occur again.

 

Asked why aircraft approaching a Suvarnabhumi landing were diverted to alternate airports as far away as Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Siem Reap in Cambodia and not sent to Bangkok's Don Mueang domestic airport, Mr Prajack said Don Mueang relies on the same radar system Aerothai provides for Suvarnabhumi.

 

The Transport Ministry yesterday ordered the creation of a committee, headed by permanent secretary Silapachai Jarukasemrat, to complete an investigation into the incident within 15 days.

 

Suvarnabhumi International Airport, code-named BKK, is among the five busiest airports in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

When it opened in September 2006, it was designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, but last year it processed 47.2 million.

 

Passenger numbers are expected to soar further to 51 million this year.

 

Source: http://www.bangkokpo...of-suvarnabhumi

[Roy Chin 0]

I caught a flight last week from BKK and it was delayed for more than an hour, due to the airport problem (which the captain treated the matter as "busy traffic", but who knows it might be other probs going on behind...

[Isaac 0]

I caught a flight last week from BKK and it was delayed for more than an hour, due to the airport problem (which the captain treated the matter as "busy traffic", but who knows it might be other probs going on behind...

Happened to me too on SQ973 a month ago from BKK to SIN. The captain also said it was due to traffic congestion at Suvarnabhumi. By 10am, the captain came on PA again saying that we lost our take-off slot at 10am and we can expect another half an hour delay. We eventually took off at 10.50am, more than an hour delay.

[S V Choong 4]

Happened to me too on SQ973 a month ago from BKK to SIN. The captain also said it was due to traffic congestion at Suvarnabhumi. By 10am, the captain came on PA again saying that we lost our take-off slot at 10am and we can expect another half an hour delay. We eventually took off at 10.50am, more than an hour delay.

 

Were you guys stuck in the tube on a taxiway or the gate?

[TK 0]

Singapore and Bangkok has issue a NOTAM (notice to airman).

They call it "Gate Hold Procedure"

 

During peak period, if more than 6 aircraft on a queue for take off, Ground controller will not entertain a call from Pilot for push back and start.

"Gate Hold Procedure" may save fuel, but not "TIME".

And off course ATC will tell PILOT due to apron / airspace congestion!!!

 

Even in KUL during 0900-1000am, many times "gate hold procedure" in force.

At this peak time, we usually get a reply from KUL ATC mentioning, "you are number 3 for Push back, expect delay"

I remember once in India, Mumbai, "Sir, you are number 15 for push back!!!"

[Isaac 0]

Were you guys stuck in the tube on a taxiway or the gate?

At the gate. When the pushback finally began, the captain came on PA and promised that he will fly the plane faster to make up for the lost time and he really did. The actual flight time was only 1 hour 45 minutes instead of the scheduled 2 hours 25 minutes

 

 

I remember once in India, Mumbai, "Sir, you are number 15 for push back!!!"

Things are worse in Chinese airport right ? Because last time when i was on Cathay Pacific from PEK to HKG, the ang moh captain announced on PA that we can expect a delay up 15 minutes due to traffic congestion at PEK and we were 5th in line for take-off. But at the end, we were like the 20th or 21st to take-off and 1 hour behind schedule (preferential treatment given to local airlines to take-off first).

 

Anyway, just like the SIA captain, this ang moh captain also promised that he will fly faster so that nobody will miss their connecting flights at HKG and he did. Despite that we were an hour behind schedule, our flight arrived in HKG on-time. So it was like there was no delay at all

Edited June 24, 2012 by Isaac

[S V Choong 4]

Well my flights in china were often delayed or cancelled and according to the airlines over the PA was due to air space congestions.... I suspect it is due to what TK said.

[Sandeep G 1]

 

I remember once in India, Mumbai, "Sir, you are number 15 for push back!!!"

 

TK,

You must have responded with the standard Indian response of "Rog!" (pronounced "Raaaj!")

Number 15 is pretty good for Mumbai.. kena once before in PVG - "Expect delay, you are number 4" Which we initially thought wasn't too bad... then an Aussia Dragonair Pilot request an update on his que number to which he was told number 2, and i'll never forget the completely Aussie response:

"Number 2? We've been bloody number 2 for the past 3 hours! The only thing that you ain't lying about is the "Number 2" part!!!"... silence for 10 seconds..... "Sorry Dragonair.. now you number 3".

 

We sat at the gate for 3 hours before pushing back... more than half the flying time.. then it was another 60 mins to get airborne...

[Roy Chin 0]

 

 

Were you guys stuck in the tube on a taxiway or the gate?

both gate and taxiway. stuck stuck & stuck

[Radzi 2]

Just come back from BKK, and tonight the delay was not too bad. With single runway ops (19L is shortened and closed for landing, very limited for takeoff) we were about 10 minutes delayed for both takeoff and landing.

[Waiping 12]

Read somewhere that In China most of the time ATC gives priority to domestic Chinese airlines.

[Isaac 0]

Read somewhere that In China most of the time ATC gives priority to domestic Chinese airlines.

Indeed it is. Airlines from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are not considered Chinese airlines but foreign carriers, hence no privilege to jump queue at Chinese airports

[Pieter C. 5]

When will 19L re-open ?

 

Heard different dates...so wanna be sure...

[flee 5]

Estimate is mid August.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/aviation/295505/aot-cuts-flights-during-runway-repair

[leon t 0]

if I am not mistaken, I believe that in the last 2 years or less that KLIA also suffered a blackout for slightly more than half and hour and planes were diverted to other airports incl Changi; and later there was also a short few mins blackout a few months later.

[Waiping 12]

So we all should expected slight delay in arriving and departing BKK.

[flee 5]

I guess the length of the delay will depend on when you are arriving or departing. Should be worse during peak hours.

[S V Choong 4]

Indeed it is. Airlines from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are not considered Chinese airlines but foreign carriers, hence no privilege to jump queue at Chinese airports

 

So Chinese Airlines are given the priorities to fly? That sucks actually. Sometimes good things are not given to HK, Macau and Taiwan, which according to PRC's policies, they are part of China. They actually wanted to consider flights between China and Taiwan as "semi-domestic" which is why they depart from Taipei Song Shan airport. Then again, HK and Macau flights are almost treated as international!

[Isaac 0]

So Chinese Airlines are given the priorities to fly? That sucks actually.

Looks so unfortunately. We waited at the taxiway for almost an hour and all Chinese planes (about 16 of them!!!) that began pushback later than us managed to depart before us. Can you believe that... haih...

 

 

Sometimes good things are not given to HK, Macau and Taiwan, which according to PRC's policies, they are part of China. They actually wanted to consider flights between China and Taiwan as "semi-domestic" which is why they depart from Taipei Song Shan airport. Then again, HK and Macau flights are almost treated as international!

I thought they reinstated the international flights in and out of TSA (Taipei Sungshan) to cater mainly for business travellers ? Because that is how those media and aviation magazines reported it. TSA is now playing a role like HND is to Tokyo and GMP to Seoul. Besides flights to Mainland China (from Songshan), there are 7 or 8 daily flights to Hanada now. And just last month, they reinstated flights between TSA and GMP after 20+ years. If i were a business traveller living in downtown Taipei, i would very much prefer TSA too. It is so much more convenient. There is a subway station that stops right outside the airport and the airport is just so near to the city centre.

 

Anyway, still, there is strict border control between the two Chinas and not all Mainland Chinese can go to Taiwan as they wish.

 

 

Then again, HK and Macau flights are almost treated as international!

As well as all flights to Taiwan (Taipei-Taoyuan/Taipei-Songshan/Kaohsiung etc). It also seems that Mainland China is totally fine with the name Taiwan now because all signs at the new Beijing Capitol Airport T3 clearly write Taiwan simply as Taiwan

[Robert 0]

Maybe I missed the thread but it seemsthat Thai Air Asia is moving to Don Muang

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/299677/don-mueang-to-be-city-budget-air-hub

[Sandeep G 1]

Flew into BKK last night, STA 2000LT, ETA 1940LT.. After transferred to BKK APP, we were told 30 mins of holding. Held for that time and landed at 2015LT, turned around within 45 mins and were told pushback only at 2135. Pushed on that time, straight out to RWY, no holding in a queue on TWY, airborne in between arrivals.

 

Praise to the efficiency of BKK controllers. We weren't given any revisions and followed the published STAR profile minus a few speed controls on arrival.