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Chronicles<br />
SULTAN ABDUL HALIM<br />
AIRPORT<br />
SERVING 800,000<br />
PASSENGERS ANNUALLY<br />
A closer look at the airport's<br />
modern architecture<br />
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, Alor Setar, Kedah<br />
The airport in the 1950s<br />
Did you know that the first civil aircraft landed in then<br />
Malaya at the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, popularly<br />
known as the Alor Setar Airport in the early 1920s?<br />
The airport was also a buzz of activity for Dutch<br />
airlines, KLM, as it operated fortnightly services<br />
in the late 1920s.<br />
Today, located at Kepala Batas and 13 kilometres<br />
away from Alor Setar town, the airport serves<br />
national carrier Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and<br />
AirAsia.<br />
It handles around 14 flights daily with most<br />
destinations headed towards KL International<br />
Airport (KLIA) and Subang Airport.<br />
The airport underwent several upgrades and<br />
renovations with the most recent being in 2006<br />
after a new terminal was opened and its runway<br />
extended to 2,745 metres.<br />
Today, the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport can handle<br />
up to 800,000 passengers annually.<br />
Two new aerobridges in the new terminal has allowed<br />
for smoother passenger traffic as well as paved way<br />
for increased land area. The airport has more space<br />
for aircraft bays, capable of holding two Airbus 330<br />
and one ATR 72 at any time. Three additional<br />
baggage conveyor system and two customs counters<br />
were also incorporated ensuring travellers a hasslefree<br />
experience at the airport.<br />
In addition, there are plenty of choices for food and<br />
beverages as well as retail therapy for passengers,<br />
offering brands both local and international.<br />
Apart from being a commercial airport, the Royal<br />
Malaysian Air Force (RMAF)'s training division is also<br />
based there utilising the same runways as the airport.<br />
The airport before it was<br />
upgraded in 2006<br />
An interior view of the airport<br />
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