The new SAT-1 satellite terminal is now set to open at Suvarnabhumi on September 28, a key component of the Suvarnabhumi Airport’s Phase-2 development. The new terminal adds 250,000 square metres of new gates, seating areas and refreshment stores. The new Midfield Satellite Building will increase the BKK airport’s annual passenger total throughput from 45 million to 60 million passengers.
The timing co-incides with the first day of the new visa-waiver travel for Chinese and Kazakh travellers – an initiative from the new Thai PM. Today’s introduction of visa-free travel for citizens from the two countries is hoped to increase tourism as Thailand battles to woo back tourists in the post-pandemic era.
The visa-waiver for the two counties will run until the end of February next year and allows them an initial stay for up to 30 days.
And a photo from Pattayacentral.com would suggest that Suvarnabhumi Airport needs all the help it can get today…
PHOTO: Passengers at BKK – Pattayacentral.com
The new SAT-1 terminal matches the existing airport terminal buildings. The original BKK Airport, aka. Suvarnabhumi Airport, was opened in 2006. The airport was designed by Murphy/Jahn from Chicago, Werner Sobek who designed the support structures and facade engineering.
The new SAT-1 has six floors…
• B2 level is where you catch the underground shuttle when you arrive or have a flight from the SAT-1 terminal
• B1 holds techincal infrastructure for the new terminal
• G level is for the Baggage Handling System and airport offices
• Level 2 is for arrival passengers and those on transit
• Level 3 is the departure area with a waiting area for boarding passengers
• The 4th floor has passenger lounges, airline lounges and sitting areas
You get to and from the new terminal from the main building via a driverless underground shuttle which runs to and from the main terminal almost continuously.
Richard Barrow, part-time blogger and travel enthusiast, has kindly given us permission to post some of his photos from the soft-launch of the new SAT-1 terminal…
