By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 11: The new Miri Airport expansion project will see the number of aerobridges increase from three to five, allowing more planes to dock simultaneously and boosting the airport’s capacity to accommodate four million passengers annually.
Federal Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement on the project was discussed further in a recent Federal Cabinet meeting, and his Ministry has been instructed to expedite the project.
“I do not have the detailed information right now, but what I do know is that the estimated passenger capacity will rise to around four million.
“Additionally, the number of aerobridges will increase from three to five, meaning there will be more bays for planes. With five aerobridges, it means five planes can land at the same time.
“Thus, the capacity will definitely increase, and the facilities and amenities will also be improved,” he told reporters during a press conference after officiating the signing ceremony of an agreement for the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) Programme in Kuching between the Federal government and Biaramas Express Sdn Bhd held at Raia Hotel here today.
As for flight frequency, Loke believes that the larger airport will attract more airlines, responding to increased demand, especially for routes connecting Miri to regional destinations like Mulu.
“Once the airport is bigger, we don’t even need to suggest additional flights; airlines will request them based on market demand,” he explained.
He also pointed out Malaysia’s open sky policy within ASEAN, which allows for free movement between points in the region, meaning there will be no regulatory barriers for airlines looking to expand routes to and from Miri.
While no new requests from airlines have been received immediately following the prime minister’s announcement, Loke expects interest to grow as the expansion project progresses.
The project will take at least three years to complete. — DayakDaily
