BANGKOK, THAILAND – Don Mueang International Airport expected a sharp rise in passengers over the Songkran travel period from 10 to 19 April, advising travellers to arrive two to three hours before departure, with the heaviest crowd forecast for 11 April.
Songkran drives heavy travel rush
Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport anticipated a significant increase in passengers during the Songkran holidays. For the period from 10 to 19 April, a total of 1,060,000 travellers was forecast.
This figure amounted to an average of about 100,000 passengers per day. Airport management released the projections on Thursday.
Traffic far above normal levels
Compared with the usual daily average, the expected volume was markedly higher. On a normal day, the number of passengers was around 64,000.
The projected traffic was therefore about 55% above everyday levels. For travellers, this meant longer walking distances, heavier crowds and potentially longer waiting times.
6,551 flights scheduled in ten days
According to airport management, 6,551 flights were planned for the ten-day period. This included both domestic and international services.
At this density, bottlenecks could occur at check-in counters, security checkpoints and gates, especially during peak times. Passengers were advised to plan their procedures accordingly.
Busiest day expected on 11 April
Saturday, 11 April, was expected to be the busiest day. The airport therefore strongly recommended arriving significantly earlier than usual.
Travellers were advised to be at the airport at least two to three hours before their scheduled departure time. This was intended to reduce delays caused by queues and high utilisation.
These time windows seen as particularly critical
According to the airport, peak times for both domestic and international flights lay between 5 and 7 a.m. and between 9 and 11 a.m. Another strong period was expected in the afternoon.
It was forecast to be particularly crowded between 3 and 6 p.m. Travellers with flexible schedules were urged to factor these periods into their arrival and check-in plans.
Online check-in and flight status checks advised
Passengers were advised to use online check-in whenever possible. This could save time at the airport, especially when passenger numbers were high.
They were also urged to check their flight status again before setting out for the airport. For further details, the airport referred travellers to its passenger guide.