From The Nation:
Carriers air test flight schedules
Suvarnabhumi Airport will get busy on July 29 when six local airlines conduct 13 commercial test flights ahead of the planned opening on September 28.
"We want to extend the opportunity to Thais in all parts of the country to join the historic commercial test flights," said Chotisak Asapaviriya, president of Airports of Thailand Plc. "They will be the first passengers to use this airport."
AOT will give passengers on these flights special fare air tickets, souvenirs and certificates.
Thai Airways International, Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, Orient Thai, PB Air and Bangkok Airways have already submitted their flight plans to AOT. They will not be charged user fees and they will also receive free services from the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand and Thai Aviation Refuelling Co Ltd - the 90-per-cent owned subsidiary of Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services Plc.
The airport has been in the works for more than 40 years, but construction delays and claims of graft have repeatedly postponed its opening - first scheduled for September 2005.
Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Monday that the opening would not be delayed again and operations would start on September 28. After that, the current Bangkok International Airport will be used only by personal jets, small jets and chartered flights.
The government hopes the new airport, designed to initially serve up to 45 million passengers a year, will surpass rivals Singapore and Malaysia as the region's most important hub.
THAI plans to test three flights, said Vasing Kittikul, executive vice president for commercial affairs.
They are TG1881 from Suvarnabhumi to Phuket using a Boeing 747-400, TG1882 from Phuket to Suvarnabhumi using a Boeing 747-400, and TG2772 from Chiang Mai to Suvarnabhumi to Phuket using an Airbus A300-600.
"We're quoting special rates for any interested travellers," he told reporters.
Nok Air will operate two flights - DD6700 from Chiang Mai to Suvarnabhumi and DD6701 from Suvarnabhumi to Hat Yai.
Other flights are Orient Thai's OX127 from Chiang Mai to Suvarnabhumi and OX269 from Suvarnabhumi to Phuket,
Thai AirAsia's FD3361 from Udon Thani to Suvarnabhumi and FD3151 from Suvarnabhumi to Narathiwat, PB Air's 9Q867 from Lampang to Suvarnabhumi and 9Q878 from Suvarnabhumi to Nakhon Phanom, and Bangkok Airways' PG311 from Trat to Suvarnabhumi and PG145 from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Samui.
Wish I was there in July to give it a try, it will be a rather unique experience.
