Rep: Kelantan needs airport fast

KOTA BHARU: The state government has urged the Federal Government to speed up the construction of an international airport as a catalyst for tourism in Kelantan.

State Youth, Sports, Human Development and Non-Governmental Organisation Committee chairman Abdul Fatah Mahmood said the airport could take foreign investors to Kelantan directly without having to go to KL International Airport first.

“The call to build an international airport here had been brought up by many quarters, including Sultan Muhammad V whenever he opens the state assembly meeting every year,” Abdul Fatah told reporters after opening Al-Quds Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd's Air Asia Tourism Services centre here.

Abdul Fatah said the state government was also awaiting confirmation from the Transport Ministry over the status of the Sultan Ismail Petra airport in Pengkalan Chepa.

SOURCE: The Star | 27 September 2011 | 

Kelantan airport to soar

KOTA BHARU: The Sultan Ismail Petra Airport here is set to soar to become a regional hub for international flights after the upgrading of the runway and other facilities at a cost of RM45mil.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the runway had been extended from 1,981m to 2,400m, which could accommodate Airbus 320 and Boeing 737-800 series aircraft.

Several new taxiways have also been constructed to accommodate more aircraft, while facilities have been created for helicopter parking services and rescheduled visual docking guidance system. 

“I am happy to note that the project is going on schedule since works started in June last year.

“The project is almost completed, and it will be operational by Sept 9,” he told reporters after being briefed on the project by Malaysia Airports Berhad officials at the Sultan Ismail Petra airport here yesterday.

Kong said the runway needed to be expanded to accommodate bigger commercial aircraft.

He added that the better facilities would make the airport a regional hub for direct flights to Singapore or South Thailand.

“My ministry welcomes plans by any airline to start direct flights from anywhere because the airport here is ready to take in more traffic,” he said.

“This airport is ready for international flights from Asean countries. At the same time it can generate economic activities for locals in the tourism and transport sectors,” he added.

Malaysian Airlines, AirAsia and FireFly make an average of five to 10 flights each from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Baru daily.

SOURCE: The Star | 20 August 2011 | 

Khidmat antarabangsa di LTSIP boleh mula Sept - Cho Ha

KOTA BHARU 19 Ogos — Lapangan Terbang Sultan Ismail Petra (LTSIP) di Pengkalan Chepa di sini boleh mengendalikan perkhidmatan penerbangan antarabangsa setelah projek menaiktaraf bernilai RM45.5 juta siap bulan depan.

Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha berkata, dengan pemanjangan landasan daripada 1,980 meter kepada 2,400 meter itu dapat membolehkan pendaratan pesawat lebih besar termasuk Airbus A330 dan Boeing 737-800.

Katanya, projek naiktaraf LTSIP, yang bermula pada Jun tahun lepas, berjalan mengikut jadual dan sehingga kini telah siap 99.85 peratus serta dijangka siap sepenuhnya bulan depan.

"Diharap lebih banyak syarikat penerbangan domestik dan antarabangsa akan menambahkan penerbangan ke Kota Bharu selepas projek naiktaraf ini siap nanti,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri taklimat mengenai perkembangan projek naiktaraf LTSIP, di sini, hari ini.

Cho Ha berkata, lapangan terbang itu juga mempunyai pelbagai kemudahan termasuk Kompleks Kastam, Imigresen dan Kuarantin (CIQ) serta tempat pakir helikopter baru.

Beliau berkata, LTSIP telah mengendalikan sehingga satu juta penumpang tahun lepas dan dijangka mencapai 1.1 juta penumpang pada tahun ini. — Bernama

SOURCE: Utusan Malaysia/BERNAMA | 19 August 2011 | 

KB airport 'can be hub for region'

KOTA BHARU: The Transport Ministry is prepared to turn Sultan Ismail Petra Airport near here into an international hub if there is demand from airlines, Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said yesterday. 

He hoped airlines would introduce flights to new places from the airport, especially with the opening of the newly-widened runway next month. "If there are applications from airlines to fly to foreign destinations from here, we will consider them. 


"I encourage airlines to use the airport to go to destinations in the region like Singapore and southern Thailand. "The terminal is adequate to put up facilities like Immigration and Customs counters," he said after visiting the airport's expansion project. 


Kong said the airport at Pengkalan Chepa handled one million passengers last year and it was expected to reach 1.1 million this year. The airport runway has been lengthened from 1,981m to 2,400m, and can accommodate the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-800.


"The work is 99.8 per cent complete and I am confident that it will be ready for handing over to the government after Hari Raya." The RM45.5 million project includes the construction of a taxiway, helicopter pads, a meteorological station and instrument landing system.


SOURCE: The New Straits Times | 19 August 2011 | 

Upgrade for Narathiwat Airport

Narathiwat Airport, the only active airport in the restive south of Thailand, is about to receive a long-awaited runway upgrade.The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is allocating 506 million baht primarily to extending the length of the runway by 500 metres from 2,000 metres so it can accommodate jets the size of an Airbus A300-600 - a wide-bodied aircraft capable of carrying more than 260 passengers. 

The airport, known locally as Baan Thon, is receiving a boost not because of commercial considerations, but due to the government's desire to improve public infrastructure areas hardest hit by insurgents. Local authorities said the upgraded airport would better facilitate air travel of local residents, state officials and security forces on missions to tackle the unrest in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat that has claimed more than 2,000 lives since the strife emerged in early 2004. 

The improved runway, expected to be ready in 2009 at the earliest, will also better accommodate Thai Muslims making the Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Each year, about 70% of the 10,000 Thai Muslim pilgrims who travel to Mecca via the Hat Yai airport are from the country's three strife-torn southern border provinces. Muslims constitute 8% to 10% of Thailand's population of 64 million. 

The Narathiwat airport, owned and operated by DCA, serves one commercial scheduled flight a day by the budget carrier Thai AirAsia, which operates a Boeing 737-300 jetliner capable of carrying 148 passengers. Thai AirAsia started its first Bangkok-Narathiwat service in February 2005 and has since enjoyed a monopoly as the route is shunned by other commercial airliners. 

So far, no airlines have made plans to operate flights through Narathiwat, let alone use larger aircraft. The outlook for future air travel in the area is unclear due to the continued violence.While chances are slim that the Narathiwat airport will see more tourists or business travellers anytime soon, local authorities noted the improvement would prepare the region for the future if peace returns. 

When completed, the Narathiwat airport will be able to park one A300-600, two B737-300s and two Bell 212 helicopters. The only other airport in the region is in Yala, which has a 1,400-metre runway and is occasionally used by the military.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post  | 23 April 2007 |

Thai Polycons Signs Contract for Runway Extension of Narathiwat Airport

A contract was signed between Department of Civil Aviation and joint venture Thai Polycons P.S.M. at the Imperial Hotel, Muang Narathiwat to extend the runway at Narathiwat Airport. The budget for construction is 747,150,000 baht with a contract time of 700 days.

The project is needed to accommodate major events of the people who live in three southern border provinces who may travel to the Hajj Ceremony in Mecca, Saudi Arabia every year.

The government approved the construction budget of 474 million baht to extend the runway from 2,000 meters to 2,500 meters runway to accommodate commercial aircraft such as the 250-seat A300, one aircraft and B737 400, two aircraft. t will also allow aircraft capacity of approximately 80 seats and helicopter parking of type 2/2/HU-IN of two aircraft together at the same time.  

There will also be an upgrade of the electric system within the airport road, improved drainage system and paint marks to comply with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Source: http://www.thaipolycons.co.th/tpc/newsDetaileng1.asp?topicID=0000036