Construction at PIA is on track for the 2028 delivery target, according to MAHB. — Photos: LIM BENG TATT/The Star
WHEN plans to expand Penang International Airport (PIA) were first unveiled in 2017, the goal was to double the airport’s handling capacity to 12 million passengers a year.
In those days, PIA was handling about 6.5 million travellers a year, stretching facilities that were built for a much smaller crowd.
Eight years on, the long- awaited transformation is finally happening – a RM1.2bil redevelopment that will give Penang a modern and high-capacity gateway.
Visitors looking at visuals of the PIA expansion project.
However, the question remains as to whether the target of 12 million passengers will be a relevant figure when the new terminal opens in 2028.
Based on recent growth trends, PIA might be handling between 10 and 12 million passengers by 2028.
By the time the expanded terminal opens in 2028, the state’s gateway may once again be packed nearly to capacity.
Passengers at the PIA International departure hall.( October 29, 2025 )— LIM BENG TATT/The Star
New suggestions
Association of Tourism Attractions Penang (Atap) adviser Datuk Ch’ng Huck Theng said the expansion was long overdue and could have been planned with a higher capacity target.
“Since there is still time, perhaps the designers could adjust certain parameters to allow PIA to comfortably handle at least 15 million passengers a year when it opens in 2028,” he said.
Penang Tourist Guides Association president Clement Liang said land constraints continued to pose challenges.
“The current Bayan Lepas airport is restricted by its land area. Being surrounded by factories makes future expansion challenging and costly.”
Liang suggested that the authorities explore the idea to have a new international airport on the mainland that could be supported by a transport network linking the entire state.
A manufacturing industry insider said the expansion promised faster logistics and air-freight movement.
The reconfigured apron and cargo zones would handle heavier aircraft and quicker turnarounds – a boost for manufacturers in the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, where many multinational corporations depended on time-sensitive deliveries.
A consultant, who declined to be named, said: “The new airport will clear the present bottleneck, and by then, Penang will have a new bottleneck.”
Penang infrastructure and transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the design for 12 million passengers was part of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) phased roadmap.
“Twelve million should be sufficient because the next expansion is due in 2034.
“The plan anticipates growth in stages, allowing Penang to scale up in tandem with demand rather than overbuild too early.”
Travellers outside the departure hall at PIA.
New international routes
Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said total passenger movement (both domestic and international) at PIA reached 5.22 million from January to August this year, a 5.98% increase compared to 4.92 million during the same period last year.
Currently, he said PIA handled an average of 22,000 passengers daily, serving seven domestic and eight international destinations.
The airport operated round the clock with 49 check-in counters, nine boarding bridges and 2,248 parking bays, he added.
Its 3,354m runway, Wong said, supported over 1,200 aircraft movements weekly.
This year alone, he said several new international flights were announced.
A Jakarta-Penang direct flight starting Nov 24 will fly every Monday, Wednesday and Friday before expanding to a daily service in December, said Wong, highlighting that Penang has been a favoured destination of Indonesian healthcare travellers.
On Oct 26, he said two Hong Kong-Penang daily flights began and had brought visitors from Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong provincial cities.
Since June, Cambodia Air has been operating a Phnom Penh–Penang direct route, he said, adding that Batik Air announced two new daily Medan-Penang and Singapore-Penang routes starting December.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Wong said PIA recorded the second highest aircraft movements in Malaysia outside the Klang Valley, after Kota Kinabalu International Airport in 2019.
He said various airlines would increase frequency in the fourth quarter to several destinations and introduce new routes.
Frequency to increase are by Hong Kong Express for its Hong Kong-Penang route and Scoot for its Singapore-Penang route, while new routes are by Transnusa for Jakarta-Penang and Batik Air for Medan-Penang and Singapore-Penang.
A model of the PIA expansion project on display at the airport.
Building for tomorrow
A MAHB media statement had said that the airport expansion was aimed at modernising every part of the airport, from aprons and taxiways to terminal buildings and support facilities.
In its latest progress briefing, the airport operator reported steady advancement across all fronts.
Work on the airside zone, including new apron pavements, upgrading of drainage and cable trunking for advanced lighting and aircraft-guidance systems – was roughly a quarter complete.
The demolition and relocation of existing taxiways, it said, were also progressing – a key stage in preparing for larger aircraft movements.
At the same time, construction of ancillary buildings and infrastructure such as offices, remote stations, mechanical-electrical systems and ICT networks had passed the two-thirds mark, said MAHB.
The structures, it said, would support operations and future digital upgrades once the new terminal is in use.
The main terminal development would deliver expanded domestic and international facilities, new access roads and landscaping, and the relocation of high- and low-voltage utilities, it added.
MAHB had said all components remained within the original 2024-2028 delivery window, with the airside improvements going beyond pavements and taxiways.
Engineers are enhancing storm drainage capacity to prevent flooding that has disrupted flights during heavy rain.
The new 115,000sqm terminal will replace the existing 54,000sqm facility, offering 28 aircraft stands, automated check-in and baggage systems and a redesigned roadway network to ease congestion, added the airport operator.
When completed, it will handle up to 12 million passengers a year – almost double today’s capacity – and operate using Airport 4.0 standards with smarter, greener systems to improve efficiency and energy use.
MAHB wants the upgraded terminal to project a distinct “Sense of Malaysia” that blends national character with local flavour.
Design touches will draw from Penang’s multicultural heritage, tropical greenery, and seafaring history.
Retail and dining spaces will highlight Penang-made crafts, brands and cuisine alongside international names, offering travellers an authentic taste of the state from the moment they arrive.
“The total airport experience will be more seamless and immersive.
“We want visitors to feel Malaysia’s warmth the instant they step inside,” said MAHB.
The existing terminal, opened in 1979 and last upgraded in 2012, will remain operational throughout the upgrade works.
MAHB is maintaining regular flight schedules while temporary taxiways and rerouted access roads support 24-hour operations.
Prime destination
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the upgrade was both practical and symbolic.
The expansion of PIA, he said, was not just about increasing capacity, but about positioning Penang as a premier destination for both business and leisure.
“We are pleased to see tangible progress, especially in the airside works, which are critical to future connectivity,” he said, stressing that the airport must mirror the state’s personality.
The Penang airport should embody the spirit of innovation and culture, he said.
“This expansion rejuvenates our role as both a business hub and seaside destination.
“We want a gateway that connects the world to our culture, economy and creativity,” added Chow.
