Airports of Thailand at Phuket airport (AoT Phuket) announced the air conditioning maintenance through a statement issued on Saturday (Apr 6).
Phuket airport has four main air-conditioning units, which AoT Phuket called ‘chillers’. At any one time two of the units are in use, while the other two remain on standby as backups.
Two of the units have been taken offline as they undergo an overhaul. After that work has been completed, the other two units will also undergo an overhaul as “they must be maintained to ensure full efficiency at all times”, AoT Phuket explained.
Even with two air-conditioning units operational, the average temperature throughout the terminals will be 25°C, with the temperature not exceeding 26°C in any part inside the airport, AoT Phuket assured.
However, AoT Phuket did recognise that during the ‘overhaul’ maintenance, “This may result in higher than normal temperatures in some areas, causing passengers and users to not be comfortable.”
In the long term, AoT Phuket has begun a review of the design of the air-conditioning system in the international terminal “for further improvement”.
SONGKRAN RUSH
Phuket airport is expected to serve an average of more than 46,000 passengers per day during the holiday rush from Apr 11-17, AoT Phuket said in an announcement last week.
AoT Phuket General Manager Monchai Tanode explained that current estimates predict a total of at least 328,567 people entering and exiting through Phuket airport during the seven days, giving an average of 46,938 people per day.
Of those, 198,508 are expected to be international passengers, with the remaining 130,059 being domestic passengers.
Phuket airport is expected to serve 2,068 flights during the period, an average of 295 flights per day. Of those 1,085 are expected to be international flights, bolstered by 983 domestic flights.
AoT Phuket has already taken steps to help alleviate passenger congestion at the airport, including having airport staff on hand to provide assistance to passengers and making sure the Real-Time Passenger Tracking System (RTPTS) and automatic self-check-in machines are fully functioning.
AoT Phuket has also organised activities to welcome visitors arriving in Phuket for the Songkran holidays, Mr Monchai added
Arrivals will be gifted souvenirs after landing, a a decorated booth has been set up for visitors to take their photos and a long drum procession will be held this Thursday (Apr 11).
“We ask for cooperation from passengers to allow two to three in advance for their travel time to prevent missing their flight,” Mr Monchai said.
He advised travellers to check their flight schedule through the ‘SAWASDEE by AOT’ app. Alternatively, travellers can call the airport Contact Center at 076-351111 or 076-351801, he noted.
“And if service users see anything unusual or experience an emergency or disaster, you can notify the Phuket Airport security centre at Tel. 076-351191 24 hours a day, as our slogan is ’Safety is the standard. Service is the heart’,” Mr Mochai concluded.