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| Langkawi International Airport (LIA) can now handle four million passengers a year following the completion of its expansion by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd. Picture courtesy of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd. |
KUALA LUMPUR: Langkawi International Airport (LIA) can now handle four million passengers a year following the completion of its expansion by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd.
MAHB on Saturday announced the re-opening of LIA after a year-long airport expansion project which started in October last year.
MAHB acting group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said the LIA’s expansion project was completed right on schedule and allowed its operations to increase the airport capacity from 1.5 million passengers per annum (mppa) to 4.0 mppa.
“LIA will be better positioned to support Langkawi’s growth as a popular tourist destination, as well as act as a larger catalyst to its economic development. On a larger picture, it will also strengthen the country’s position as a preferred global hub,” he said in a statement.
Raja Azmi added that the airport expansion was in line with the airport operator’s aim to enhance its airport experience for users and elevate service levels at all its airports.
MAHB said the LIA expansion had increased the total gross floor area (GFA) of the terminal building from 15,000 sqm to 23,000 sqm, resulting in a comfort level of 22 sqm per passenger.
It said terminal facilities had also been upgraded to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiencies. For example, the airport car park was now larger with a total of 600 bays compared to 400 previously.
“In 2017, LIA registered 2.7 million passenger traffic movements with a 14.6 per cent increase in international passengers.
“As at year to date June 2018, international passenger traffic movements increased by 23.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2017.
“We are confident that this expansion will further facilitate LIA’s growth. We are already seeing more interest from foreign airlines to operate from here,” Raja Azmi said.
Currently, there are six airlines operating from LIA to four domestic destinations and five international destinations with combined weekly frequencies of 238
The number of counters at passenger touchpoints have also increased from 24 to 30 check-in counters and from 14 to 18 immigration counters.
LIA is also now equipped with In-Line Hold Baggage Handling System (ILHBS) – an automated system with three levels of security screening, allowing for more efficient check-in process.
Other upgrades included increasing the number of boarding gates to eight from five previously, as well as adding and refurbishing existing washroom facilities.
Source: New Straits Times | 2 September 2018
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