Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
That's some allowance for future growth right there. But was it the reason the airport was moved to the new site that is outside the city?
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Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
Vinci website has all the numbers. Exact number for 2019 was 6,029,000. This can be found for example from this report: https://www.vinci-airports.com/sites/de ... ogb_ok.pdfarmchairlawyer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 8:11 pmIt is surprisingly hard to obtain the total pax arrival numbers for PNH. The international visitor arrival numbers are more available but not the total arrival numbers.Several sources state the number was 6 million in 2019 (no more precise figure seems to be available) and in 2023 it was 1,365,735.Albror wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 6:02 pmTo be prepared for future growth perhaps as with all city planning where you plan decades ahead and not just for today?
It takes time to build a airport from the proposal to a airplane landing so its not a good strategy to do it first when the demand is already there, then its to late.
However im not sure how many % extra capacity the new airport has compared to current demand. You obviously have the answer if you dont mind letting me know?
The capacity is currently stated as 5 million.
It is normal for airports to anticipate capacity limitations by expanding the buildings and indeed PNH has done this several times recently. Having used the airport many times in 2019, I do not recall problems arising from it being overused. So I don’t know how accurate the 5 million figure is.
In terms of development economics, developing countries are in a good position when they spend (whether by borrowing or not) on infrastructure that achieves productivity gains. This is because the cost of the project can be more than balanced by the gains. The problem comes when you spend (especially borrowed money) on non- or low productivity gain projects. This can cause a drag on economic growth and lead to debt problems.
Cambodia has improved its roads enormously recently and this has led to spectacular productivity gains, primarily by reducing the cost of getting materials to factories and getting finished goods to ports. And there is room for more improvement with the roads.
As the roads (and probably railways) improve significantly, this will in itself have a negative impact on passenger traffic through airports. All domestic and some important international air destinations are short enough to be done by road or rail. And international climate change pressure will further cause switching to surface transport.
Of the 53 arrivals at PNH yesterday, 14 were from BKK, 5 from SGN, and 2 were domestic. Even if these routes were reduced, there is still plenty of demand for destinations that are too far to be done on the surface, Malaysia, Singapore, N. Vietnam, Laos, China, Korea, Philippines. But there is probably no need for further runway expansion. Airports can handle 400 arrivals per day with a single runway so we are a long way from needing a second runway at PNH. Only 3 wide-bodied planes arrived yesterday - a Qatar 777, and A330s operated by Korea and EVA. The latest generation of narrow-bodied planes can reach destinations such as the Middle East and Australia. The Airbus 321XLR will have a range of 4,500 nautical miles, tantalisingly not yet enough to fly to Western Europe but not far off, so it probably will happen soon. Increasingly, the reason for deploying wide-bodied aircraft is due to pax capacity being required, not for the range. That is the case with the Korean and EVA flights into PNH at present. The only passenger aircraft that PNH possibly could not currently handle is the A380, even this is just within the runway length (2900/3000m) but you wouldn't want to try it after a rainstorm.
Wikipedia seem to have same what Vinci reports on their website.
The airport was running at it's maximum capacity back in 2019. Both passenger and runway infrastructure caused struggle at peak hours.
And most importantly current airport has no space to grow anymore. There's no space for additional taxiways/runways or terminal building, and especially cargo facilities are from early 2000s and are way too small.
The airport doesn't have enough commercial space either. And that is where the airports make money now days. For example there's only space for one proper lounge and that was pretty packed back in 2019 at times.
There are big airports in world that have only one runway, but in those airport planes don't need to taxi on runway and do u-turns to take-off which of course has huge impact on capacity how many flights per hour the airport can handle.
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
I don't think business lounges are going to make the day. How many out of the supposedly 50 flights a day do actually have a business class in the plane?rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:02 pm
The airport doesn't have enough commercial space either. And that is where the airports make money now days. For example there's only space for one proper lounge and that was pretty packed back in 2019 at times.
Most airlines going to and from Phnom Penh are low cost / full coach.
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
Back in the days, pre COVID, the numbers increased every year, so there seemed to be a solid case for a larger airport. Pochentong is surrounded in every direction, and can't expand anymore, so a new area outside the city made sense back then. A bit of a Suvarnabhumi case. Major difference... Suvarnabhumi bordered the (toll) highway from Chonburi to Bangkok providing good road access with a large capacity. How those 13 million passengers are going to travel to and from the new airport every year using the existing infrastructure in Phnom Penh is a big mystery (and worry) to me.
Time will tell if the growth of the past will continue. I doubt it. The growing middle class will support it, but as someone said before, once there's a decent highway connecting Bangkok and Phnom Penh that market will largely evaporate for point to point travel. If Siem Reap airport is doing what it's supposed to, grow large, it will eat a large part of the market as well I guess. Domestic flights are a joke. There's no functioning domestic airports apart from Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Both within the range of bus / taxi which will be as fast, if not faster.
If healthcare in Cambodia improves travel to Bangkok will also decline. If Big C opens large stores around the country... Same story...
If you analyse the traffic to and from Phnom Penh airport it's not very diverse. That would worry me if I were an investor.
I am glad it's not my money in there. Spending an initial 1,500 million on an airport is easy, but earning it back, with a serious profit, is a challenge I think.
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Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
There's a plan for a toll road (above of the 60m boulevard) and also aa plan for a train/tram. I'm fairly sure both will be completed before the new airport hits 10 million annual passenger mark.Kammekor wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:42 pmBack in the days, pre COVID, the numbers increased every year, so there seemed to be a solid case for a larger airport. Pochentong is surrounded in every direction, and can't expand anymore, so a new area outside the city made sense back then. A bit of a Suvarnabhumi case. Major difference... Suvarnabhumi bordered the (toll) highway from Chonburi to Bangkok providing good road access with a large capacity. How those 13 million passengers are going to travel to and from the new airport every year using the existing infrastructure in Phnom Penh is a big mystery (and worry) to me.
Time will tell if the growth of the past will continue. I doubt it. The growing middle class will support it, but as someone said before, once there's a decent highway connecting Bangkok and Phnom Penh that market will largely evaporate for point to point travel. If Siem Reap airport is doing what it's supposed to, grow large, it will eat a large part of the market as well I guess. Domestic flights are a joke. There's no functioning domestic airports apart from Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Both within the range of bus / taxi which will be as fast, if not faster.
If healthcare in Cambodia improves travel to Bangkok will also decline. If Big C opens large stores around the country... Same story...
If you analyse the traffic to and from Phnom Penh airport it's not very diverse. That would worry me if I were an investor.
I am glad it's not my money in there. Spending an initial 1,500 million on an airport is easy, but earning it back, with a serious profit, is a challenge I think.
Are you suggesting that locals lack the same desire to travel as westerners do? Or why would medical tourism have any impact on future travel trends? Though I'm pretty sure medical travel constitutes only a small portion of overall travel.
Between 2015 and 2019, the number of local air travelers surged from ~400k to ~1 million at Phnom Penh airport.
The majority of visitors to airport lounges worldwide aren't business class travelers; rather, they gain access through credit card perks or elite status with airlines. Surprisingly, many Cambodians also purchase access at the Phnom Penh airport.
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
That's great, but the airport is supposed to open in a year. And it's a 35 km trip into town. To Pochentong is just 12 km and that's a horrendous experience already.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pm
There's a plan for a toll road (above of the 60m boulevard) and also aa plan for a train/tram. I'm fairly sure both will be completed before the new airport hits 10 million annual passenger mark.
Locals don't lack the the desire, but many lack the funds, to travel as Westerners do. I don't think medical travel to Bangkok is that large, I just think in the future reasons to fly to Bangkok point to point will evaporate for a plethora of reasons.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pm Are you suggesting that locals lack the same desire to travel as westerners do? Or why would medical tourism have any impact on future travel trends? Though I'm pretty sure medical travel constitutes only a small portion of overall travel.
I spent time in the lounge @ Phnom Penh last January. It's large (it take up almost 10% of the commercial space, although it's on the second floor - takes an effort to access), there were maybe 20 people, and it's the worst lounge I ever visited. And the price to spend your time there is about 80% higher than BKK airport, so if I had to choose .. Just saying. I simply can not imagine that lounge is profitable. People might want to spend their points and rewards elsewhere.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pmThe majority of visitors to airport lounges worldwide aren't business class travelers; rather, they gain access through credit card perks or elite status with airlines. Surprisingly, many Cambodians also purchase access at the Phnom Penh airport.
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Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
Yes, it's pretty awful now after it re-opened again in 2023(2?). And much less people there now days as well compared to 2019. But still during peak hours it's it's surprisingly full (70% or so is my estimation).Kammekor wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:12 pmThat's great, but the airport is supposed to open in a year. And it's a 35 km trip into town. To Pochentong is just 12 km and that's a horrendous experience already.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pm
There's a plan for a toll road (above of the 60m boulevard) and also aa plan for a train/tram. I'm fairly sure both will be completed before the new airport hits 10 million annual passenger mark.Locals don't lack the the desire, but many lack the funds, to travel as Westerners do. I don't think medical travel to Bangkok is that large, I just think in the future reasons to fly to Bangkok point to point will evaporate for a plethora of reasons.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pm Are you suggesting that locals lack the same desire to travel as westerners do? Or why would medical tourism have any impact on future travel trends? Though I'm pretty sure medical travel constitutes only a small portion of overall travel.I spent time in the lounge @ Phnom Penh last January. It's large (it take up almost 10% of the commercial space, although it's on the second floor - takes an effort to access), there were maybe 20 people, and it's the worst lounge I ever visited. And the price to spend your time there is about 80% higher than BKK airport, so if I had to choose .. Just saying. I simply can not imagine that lounge is profitable. People might want to spend their points and rewards elsewhere.rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:56 pmThe majority of visitors to airport lounges worldwide aren't business class travelers; rather, they gain access through credit card perks or elite status with airlines. Surprisingly, many Cambodians also purchase access at the Phnom Penh airport.
As the numbers showed local air travellers in Phnom Penh airport doubled in 4 years. Just checked the 2023 numbers and last year around 1,4 million local air travellers went trough Phnom Penh airport. So 40% increase, that's pretty amazing. So each year more locals have money to travel, and that number just keep increasing in future. My prediction it will skyrocket to 3-4 million by 2030.Locals don't lack the the desire, but many lack the funds, to travel as Westerners do. I don't think medical travel to Bangkok is that large, I just think in the future reasons to fly to Bangkok point to point will evaporate for a plethora of reasons.
I think it's more like 22km due to the new road they built that connects from airport to 60m road (not meaning the future toll road). Also from Pochentong to, let's say to Independence Monument, during peak hours it's easily 45 minutes. I don't think the travel time from new airport is much different. Price might be though. But let's see. Now it's just speculation.That's great, but the airport is supposed to open in a year. And it's a 35 km trip into town. To Pochentong is just 12 km and that's a horrendous experience already.
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Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
My favorite airport. From airplane gate opening to a taxi about 20 minutes. You cant beat that.
Don"t Eat The Yellow Snow.
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
Last time I arrived I managed fractionally over 5 minutes plane door to tuktukChuck Borris wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2024 2:37 am My favorite airport. From airplane gate opening to a taxi about 20 minutes. You cant beat that.
Re: Farewell to an Era: Phnom Penh International Airport Set to Shut Down to Make Way for New Airport Next Year
New airports are not for profit, just to kick Vinci out of the country and give control to chinese companies
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