CONVERGENCE SEPT-OCT 2017

Chronicles
The airport in the 90s
Lahad Datu Airport
A mere one kilometre away from the Lahad Datu town and an hour's flight journey from Kota Kinabalu
International Airport, this airport accommodates the ATR 72 and smaller aircraft, handles 100,000
passengers annually and is a prominent landmark in a district that houses over 350,000 people. If you're
visiting the district, here are key takeaways about its airport and surrounding attractions.
In 2008, then Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima
Lajim Ukin officiated upgrading works for the airport by signing a plaque
A region facing rapid economic growth
with tourism activities, vibrant plantation
and an affable local community, the
district and its airport will welcome you
with open arms.
As soon as you touch down at the Lahad
Datu airport which is manned by 39 staff
members from Malaysia Airports, the
airport strives to make memorable
journeys for passengers and possesses
minimal but sufficient resources without
compromising on safety and quality.
For passenger convenience, baggage
trolleys are available free of charge with
50 units located at both Departure and
Arrival hall. There is a canteen, sundry
shop, parking bays and taxis waiting to
bring you to your next destination.
However, travellers be
wary as the busiest
months for Lahad Datu
are generally the
months of November
and December for
Christmas and New Year
as most government
and private company
staff working here will
travel home to spend
time with their families
during the holidays.
In March, an influx of
tourists and international
students are a common
sight due to research
activities at Danum
Valley and Tabin Wildlife
Reserve while April sees the town of
Semporna hosting the Regatta Lepa, a
festival that honours the traditional art
of making beautiful lepas (a single mast
sailing boat). This makes it a great time
to visit Semporna via the airport.
Meanwhile, golfers should visit the Lahad
Datu Golf & Country Club as it is set
amongst a vast landscape of oil palm
plantations on the Sandakan to Lahad
Datu highway. At 6,325 metres in length,
the golf course was opened in 1994 and
is among the longest courses in Sabah
with 18 holes.
In January 2005, the Sabah state
government chose Lahad Datu as the
country's first dedicated palm oil logistics
hub. The Palm Oil Industrial Cluster
(POIC) Lahad Datu is one of the most
important ports in the region for export
of palm oil. It produces more than five
million tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO)
per year, providing ample raw materials
for downstream activities.
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