THE Thai government has revised the aviation policy to endorse Suvarnabhumi Airport as a single airport, but Don Muang-based airlines still disagree on the change.

Airport of Thailand (AOT) acting president and Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager, Mr Serirat Prasutanond, told TTG Daily News Suvarnbhumi Airport had been ready to welcome low-cost carriers(LCCs) Nok Air and One-Two-Go and some of Thai Airways' domestic flights, particularly after the cabinet gave the green light on the single airport operation policy yesterday.

Mr Serirat said current operating flights in Don Muang only represented 10 per cent of total arriving flights in Bangkok.

Moreover, he added, Suvarnbhumi Airport was expected to receive 41 to 42 million passengers this year, the same number as last year, and with a maximum capacity of 45 million passengers per year it could accommodate the airlines.

He believed the new policy would be a business opportunity for the LCCs to gain more passengers through connecting flights, rather than stand-alone operations at Don Muang Airport.

However, One-Two-Go founder and CEO, Mr Udom Tantiprasongchai, said the change meant additional operation costs least needed by the airlines in the economic recession.

Nok Air CEO, Mr Patee Sarasin, also said the change was not timely, adding it would cost the airline around 20 million baht (US$573,600) to move operations to the main airport.