UPGRADES to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) are expected to cost RM442.3mil and will allow the country’s second busiest air terminal to accommodate 12 million passengers a year, says the Transport Ministry.
“The upgrades, which are scheduled to be completed in 2027, will also include another multi-tier car park and seven new parking spaces for planes,” said Minister Anthony Loke.
The plan also includes building rainwater catchment systems and solar panels on the airport’s buildings and improvements to its surrounding road network, he told a press conference outside the House yesterday.
The airport’s efficiency in processing air travellers, cargo and luggage will be increased through automation and other technology under “Airport 4.0”.
“The airport had seen over 9.4 million passengers in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, which exceeded its capacity. The number of travellers has bounced back to 6.6 million as of October this year.
“This is a commitment from the government to not only meet current demands but also accommodate future increased traffic as KKIA is the second busiest airport in the country,” he said.
He assured the public that KKIA would not see any closures or service disruptions during the planned 48-month upgrade period.
The cost of the upgrade will be borne entirely by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) which is also in charge of the plan, he said.
The pre-construction phase of the airport would begin later and continue for a maximum of 48 months.
“MAHB will be using an investment recovery model for this project in which they will recover their costs through a mechanism that will be announced later.”
The ministry was also looking to upgrade other airports across the country using the same investment recovery model.
“The airports in Tawau, Miri and Ipoh are those being considered next,” he said.
