KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The Penang International Airport (PIA) and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS) in Subang, Selangor will be upgraded, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.
This is because the PIA is one of the busiest airports in the country while the LTSAAS was an important asset, he explained during an interview on Bernama TV tonight.
“The two projects will not be funded by the (Transport Ministry’s) budget, but by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) as their operator,” he said.
The PIA is profitable and frequently serviced passengers above its own capacity before the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
“That airport is very crowded, so there is an urgent need to upgrade it to make it bigger so it can accommodate more passengers,” he said.
Loke added that the PIA is also a gateway into the country for flights from countries further up north from Malaysia such as Hong Kong and China.
As for the LTSAAS, there were suggestions to return jet operations to it, he said.
“The concept is to make it as a kind of city airport,” he explained, adding that it could be marketed towards premium and business classes for the business community.
Last Friday, at the tabling of the new Budget 2023, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that PIA and LTSAAS would be upgraded to support and attract the influx of investors, businessmen and tourists.
