SANDAKAN – Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is investing RM45 million to upgrade and develop Kota Kinabalu International Airport’s (KKIA) Terminal 1, with an action plan to be completed this year.
MAHB acting group chief executive officer Mohamed Rastam Shahrom presented the action plan during a courtesy call to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
The Airport Development Masterplan includes modernising and enhancing existing facilities at the airport as well as long-term development plans to address the growing volume of passengers.
“We (MAHB) are committed to our masterplan for KKIA, which has been designed to ensure the airport’s continuous expansion in tandem with forecasted passenger volume growth over the long term.
“MAHB is currently driving several initiatives to optimise airport operations’ efficiency. We started in December 2023, and will deliver the packages in phases to be completed within this year,” Mohamed said during the presentation.
The plan includes enhancements to airport ambiance by modernising and revitalising key passenger touchpoints at KKIA, such as elevating air quality and temperature standards, amplifying the PA system for enhanced communications, refurbishing prayer rooms and washroom facilities, optimising seating arrangements, increasing food and beverage offerings, and improving trolley and buggy services.
“We have completed Phase 1 of passenger-seat refurbishment and added 250 trolleys at the end of last year. In the next nine months, we will complete the refurbishment of 52 existing toilets (26 male and 26 female), and the surau as well, apart from tinted insulation to reduce heat,” Mohamed said.
Other airport infrastructure enhancements are also in progress, geared towards better efficiency and functionality.
These include upgrading works to the airport runway and taxiway, refurbishing air conditioning chillers, bolstering Wi-Fi connectivity, refurbishing existing passenger boarding bridges and installing new ones, improving check-in facilities, and strengthening security fencing and CCTV systems.
MAHB, a government-linked company, is one of the largest airport operator groups in the world, managing 39 airports across the nation.
Liew, in a statement on the masterplan, said it was long-awaited news for Sabahans who deserved an upgraded international airport, the second busiest in the country.
“The initiatives to optimise the airport’s operations efficiency levels are expected to immediately increase KKIA’s capacity by one million passengers per annum (mppa), from its current 9 mppa to 10 mppa,” Liew said.
The enhancements are timely, as Sabah is targeting three million tourist arrivals this year, including from South Korea, China and Singapore.
Meanwhile, Mohamed also briefed Liew on the future development for KKIA over a timeline of three years (2024-2026).
These plans will cater to increased airport capacity from 10 mppa to 12 mppa by 2027, and beyond to the ultimate goal of scaling the airport’s capacity to 21 mmpa by 2044, Mohamed added. – February 8, 2024
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