Langkawi International Airport expansion completed and open for operation
The year-long airport expansion project for Langkawi International Airport (LGK) has been completed and opened for operations on 1 September 2018 at 6 am. The project which started in October 2017 has increased the airport capacity from 1.5 million passengers per annum (mppa) to 4.0 mppa.
According to Malaysia Airports acting Group CEO Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin, “I am very pleased that the expansion project was completed right on schedule. With this expansion, LGK 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.”
Raja Azmi also said that the airport expansion is in line with Malaysia Airports aim to enhance airport experience for airport users and elevate service levels at all its airports. Along with the expansion which 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, terminal facilities have also been upgraded to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiencies. For example, the airport carpark is now larger with a total of 600 bays compared to 400 previously. The number of counters at passenger touchpoints have increased from 24 to 30 check-in counters and from 14 to 18 immigration counters. LGK 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 include increasing the number of boarding gates to 8 from 5 previously, as well as adding and refurbishing existing washroom facilities.
The terminal ambience has been spruced up considerably in keeping with its status a gateway to an increasingly popular tourist destination. The additional GFA has allowed the airport to provide more options to passengers in terms of retail, F&B and services offerings. Visitors to LGK can look forward to seeing established outlets such as Plaza Premium Lounge, Toast Box, Costa Coffee, Burger King, and many more.
“In 2017, LGK registered 2.7 million passenger traffic movements with a 14.6% increase in international passengers. As at year to date June 2018, international passenger traffic movements increased by 23.9% compared to the same period in 2017. We are confident that this expansion will further facilitate LGK’s growth. We are already seeing more interest from foreign airlines to operate from here. Currently, there are six airlines operating from LGK to four domestic destinations and five international destinations with combined weekly frequencies of 238,” Raja Azmi added.
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