How U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya Airport scaled operations in response to fluctuating demand during COVID-19

July 13, 2022

Last updated: August 4, 2022

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Admiral Worapol Tongpricha

Director, U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya Airport

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We are in a unique position here at U-Tapao airport — operating as the base of the Royal Thai Navy First Air Wing while also acting as a commercial hub hosting 15 airlines, flying 33 routes, and serving more than 1.5 million passengers since the opening of its second terminal in 2019.

However, due to the lockdowns and travel restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of flights in 2021 was 30% compared with 2019. Passenger numbers dropped to 8% of pre-pandemic levels.

In late 2021 the Thai government changed its guidance on domestic and international travel, enabling us, after two years of relative inactivity, to re-establish routes and welcome back tourists in a matter of weeks. We were able to deal with the sudden influx of passengers with Amadeus Airport Cloud Use Service (ACUS) technology. One of the benefits of this technology is operational flexibility. Before ACUS, we had one dedicated network connection for a single airline at a desk, effectively tying it to one location. ACUS has helped us fulfil the potential of common-use service points and means multiple airlines can operate from each check-in desk. Ultimately, we can serve any passenger, no matter which airline they fly on, from any check-in desk thanks to Amadeus.

Such a fast reopening may not have been possible with traditional technology — on-site servers and costly fixed network connections for each carrier would have made scaling a much harder task, with IT teams having to work for months rather than days to set them up.

U-Tapao’s passengers are mainly tourists, meaning demand drops in the winter months. Therefore, the number of airlines operating here fluctuates. We need the ability to scale down as well as up. Because an airline isn’t tied to one area of a particular terminal, we can move airline service points to another location easily, effectively shutting down a terminal and reducing operational costs during the offseason. Furthermore, when the Omicron wave slowed re-opening plans in 2022, we were able to scale accordingly.

There are myriad benefits of ACUS for passengers too. Because the operating costs of the airport system reflect ticket prices that the airline has to charge, having common use check-in systems operating from the cloud means carriers can offer cheaper flights. If we can provide cheaper airline fares from our airport, that's a compelling reason for passengers to fly here, rather than the nearest competitor hubs.

As a coastal vacation hotspot, we have the option of using ACUS to offer off-site check-in at the many beach resorts, hotels, and conference venues in the area. Usually, tourists will check out of accommodation early on the day they travel home, meaning they are stuck with their bags all afternoon. ACUS means we have the technical capability to serve passengers and process their bags at remote locations, giving passengers more time to enjoy the destination and to worry less about where to keep their luggage. Off-airport check-in also frees passengers to spend more time shopping at duty-free or eating at on-site restaurants, bolstering non-aeronautical revenues at the airport. We’re actively investigating such use cases with our airline and ground handling partners as the recovery continues.

We are very confident in ACUS technology — from the lower operating costs to the flexibility it offers during peak and off-seasons. That’s why we’ve committed to expanding our use of ACUS to 35 counters across the airport, as well as extending services beyond the terminal. As Thailand leads the tourism recovery in South-East Asia, we are excited to work with Amadeus and our local implementation partner Ai Terminal to respond to increasing passenger numbers and improve their experience with reduced queues and the option to check-in where and how they want.

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