Phuket Airport expansion begins

Phuket Airport in Thailand is bursting at the seams. Its owners, Airports of Thailand, has therefore begun an expansion process to help it cope.

The process will be split into three phases, and will be completed by April 2015 if all goes to plan.

The first phase is the construction of a new International Terminal. This will be able to handle six million passengers per year, and take the airport’s capacity up to 12.5 million passengers per year (it is currently at 6.5 million, but expected to handle 9.3 million this year). The new terminal is due for completion in late 2013.

Other phases will see modification of the old terminal building, the addition of ten new aircraft parking stands, a taxiway extension, and new car park.