RM36 Mln Upgrade For Bayan Lepas Airport

January 01, 2007 19:21 PM

PENANG, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airport Sdn Bhd will spend about RM36 million to upgrade the Bayan Lepas International Airport including the construction of another aircraft parking bay and 32 check-in counters.

The project was expected to be fully completed by December next year, the airport's senior manager, Abdul Wahab Mohd Yusof, told reporters Monday.

He said RM26 million had been allocated for the construction of the aircraft parking bay and the repair of the existing 15 parking bays while another RM10 million was for a new building housing the new check-in counters.

The works would not adversely affect services at the airport, he said.

He said the work to build the new building was expected to start in April and scheduled for completion by year-end.

Abdul Wahab said the upgrading project was planned in 2004 but its implementation had been delayed due to various technical problems including in the building design.

"The additional check-in counters are in tandem with the increase of airline passengers. We have been experiencing congestion during peak hours, namely at 5am and between 4pm and 7pm," he said. The airport currently has 32 check-in counters.

Last year, it handled 3.1 million passengers and the number was expected to increase by 10 per cent during Visit Malaysia Year 2007, he said.

He said the airport presently received 14 passenger and 11 cargo airlines.

This year, it expected to get another Indonesian airline to land at the airport, he said.

Source: BERNAMA