CONVERGENCE V33 JAN - FEB 2016
Malaysia Airports' Magazine
Malaysia Airports' Magazine
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The second busiest airport in Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) is located just about<br />
8km from the town centre. Being the main gateway into the state of Sabah as well as Borneo, the airport<br />
boasts a variety of retail and duty-free outlets, cafes and restaurants, as well as offers premium passenger<br />
lounges for travellers’ convenience and comfort.<br />
With a capacity to handle about 9 million passengers per year, the airport has a single runway, seven<br />
aerobridges,12 parking stands and a total of 25 bays which are equipped to handle large aircrafts such<br />
as the Boeing 747.<br />
Jesselton Airport in1953<br />
So, what makes Kota Kinabalu International Airport into what it is today?<br />
Chronicles<br />
Kota Kinabalu<br />
International Airport<br />
Let's go back in time!<br />
First operated as a military airfield in<br />
World-War II, Kota Kinabalu International<br />
Airport was then known as Jesselton<br />
Airfield. The Department of Civil Aviation<br />
(DCA) of North Borneo took charge of<br />
the airport’s operations and maintenance<br />
after the war ended.<br />
Old runway in1970‘s<br />
Construction of new public<br />
car park in 2007<br />
Original site of KKIA known as Jesselton Airport<br />
(known as Terminal 2 now)<br />
The Existing Terminal Building (ETB) and New Terminal Building<br />
(NTB) constitutes Terminal 1 (Picture taken in 2007)<br />
Old DCA Control Tower<br />
The airport has then gone through various<br />
phases of upgrading. Between the 1970s<br />
and 1980s, a new, large terminal building<br />
was built and nearly all of the commercial<br />
flights were shifted here. The original<br />
terminal became “Airport Lama” which<br />
means old airport from then on. It was in<br />
1992 that Malaysia Airports Holdings<br />
Berhad took over the management and<br />
operations of the airport.<br />
Further airport expansions began in 2006<br />
for both terminals – old and new. In<br />
January 2007, the original terminal was<br />
renamed Terminal 2 while the new terminal<br />
became Terminal 1.<br />
But, due to limited expansion space and<br />
congestion observed at Terminal 2, as<br />
well as to consolidate all airlines operations<br />
in one terminal, all airlines at Terminal 2<br />
have moved to Terminal 1 since 1<br />
December 2015. Terminal 2 will be used<br />
for cargo and general aviation operations<br />
in the near future.<br />
The current Kota Kinabalu International Airport<br />
101
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