AOT ready on 1 Dec. Traveling through 6 airports is more convenient and faster with the biometric system. Domestic passengers can use it first, starting on 1 Nov. Ready to boast the number of passengers in fiscal year 67, increasing to more than 120 million people, expected to increase to 130 million people in fiscal year 68.
Dr. Keerati Kitimanawat, President of Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), said that AOT aims to create an impressive experience for passengers using modern airports and deliver a satisfactory travel experience. AOT has therefore implemented an Automated Biometric Identification System (Biometric) with Facial Recognition technology to identify passengers. The system has been developed and tested to ensure readiness for use in order to facilitate passengers’ convenience and speed, as well as to reduce the waiting time at each service point in AOT’s six airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Don Mueang Airport (DMK), Chiang Mai Airport (CNX), Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai Airport
(CNX), Phuket Airport (HKT), and Hat Yai Airport (HDY). Domestic passengers will be able to use the system first on November 1, 2024, and international passengers will be able to use it on December 1, 2024. Passengers must consent to the use of their personal identity data.
For passengers who want to use the Biometric system, they can register for it when checking in at the airport. There are 2 methods: (1) Check-in at the check-in counter. Passengers inform airline staff to register their faces in the Biometric system via the boarding pass machine (CUTE machine). The system will then store the passenger’s facial data and travel document data in the form of a Token in the system. (2) Check-in at the self-service check-in machine (CUSS machine). After checking in, passengers select the airline they are flying with, then select ‘Enrollment’. Then, scan the barcode from the boarding pass, insert the passport or ID card, and scan the face as the final step. This completes the registration. The system will store
the passenger’s facial data and travel document data in the form of a Token in the system as well. Once this is done, it is considered that the passenger has given consent to the use of their personal identity data. Therefore, when passengers load their baggage through the automatic baggage claim machine (CUBD machine), go through the security checkpoint, and board the plane, they do not need to show their passport and boarding pass again. This is a consent to use the Biometric data for a single trip only.
Dr. Keerati added that AOT is confident that the biometric system is ready to facilitate both domestic and international passengers to receive convenience, speed, and less time spent at each service point, allowing passengers to have enough time to walk around, shop for duty-free products and souvenirs, have a meal, or relax. In the past, AOT has installed the CUPPS (Common Use Passenger Processing System) to support a total of 5 systems: (1) CUTE machines (ticket checking machines used by airline staff),
(2) CUSS machines (automatic self-check-in machines), (3) CUBD machines, automatic baggage claim machines, (4) PVS (Passenger Validation System) to verify passenger identities, and (5) SBG (Self-Boarding Gate) or boarding gate systems. All 5 systems have been installed to support the biometric system. When all 6 systems are used and connected comprehensively, the data will be completely linked to the network.
Dr. Keerati said that in terms of air traffic volume at AOT’s six airports in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 – September 2024), there were a total of 119.29 million passengers using the service, an increase of 19.22% when compared to the same period last year. Divided into 72.67 million international passengers, an increase of 34.82% and 46.62 million domestic passengers, an increase of 1.01%, while there were 732,690 flights in total, an increase of 14.5%, divided into 416,190 international flights, an increase of 29.63% and 316,500 domestic flights, a decrease of 0.73%, especially at Suvarnabhumi Airp
ort, there were 60 million passengers, an increase of 24.04% and 346,680 flights, an increase of 17.88%, while Don Mueang Airport had 29.15 million passengers, an increase of 13.25% and 197,250 flights, an increase of 11.47%, while Chiang Mai Airport had 8.82 million passengers, an increase of 13.14% and 57,780 flights, an increase of 9.68%, while Chiang Mai Airport had 1.9 million passengers, a decrease of 1.96% and 12,260 flights, a decrease of 3.37%, while Suvarnabhumi Airport had 16.40 million passengers, an increase of 25.94% and 98,710 flights, an increase of 19.97%, and Suvarnabhumi Airport had 3.03 million passengers, a decrease of 5.14% and 19,730 flights, a decrease of 5.84%. The top 5 nationalities of passengers were China, India, South Korea, Russia, and Japan.
Dr. Keerati added that from the data of the winter flight schedule allocation for 2024/2025 (W2024/2025), AOT’s six airports have been allocated a total of 370,239 flights, an increase of 22.1% from the winter of last year (W2023/2024), di
vided into 222,780 international flights, an increase of 33.1%, and 147,459 domestic flights, an increase of 8.5%. The number of both international and domestic passengers is expected to increase by 23%, and the top five international routes with passengers traveling to Thailand are China, Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
For air traffic volume at AOT’s six airports in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 – September 2025), AOT expects a total of 129.97 million passengers, an increase of 8.95% compared to the same period last year. Divided into international passengers approximately 78.61 million people, an increase of 8.17% and domestic passengers approximately 51.36 people, an increase of 10.18%, while it is expected that there will be a total of approximately 808,280 flights, an increase of 10.32%, divided into approximately 453,750 international flights, an increase of 9.02% and approximately 354,530 domestic flights, an increase of 12.02%, especially at Suvarnabhumi Airport, it is expected that ther
e will be approximately 64.44 million passengers, an increase of 7.40% and approximately 376,820 flights, an increase of 8.69%, while Don Mueang Airport has approximately 33.2 million passengers, an increase of 13.91% and approximately 223,200 flights, an increase of 13.00%.
Dr. Keerati concluded that AOT aims to develop modern airport facilities to meet the needs of airport users to create an impressive travel experience, which is in line with AOT’s vision to be a world-class airport operator and manager.
Source: Thai News Agency
