Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) (IATA: KUL, ICAO: WMKK) is Malaysia's main international airport and is also one of the major airports of South East Asia, giving it huge, even multinational, catchment area. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. The airport is in the Sepang district of southern Selangor state. KLIA's construction cost RM8.5 billion or US$3.5 billion.
The airport can currently handle 35 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo a year. In 2010, it handled 34,087,636 passengers; in 2008 it handled 667,495 metric tonnes of cargo. It was ranked the 18th busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic, and is the 7th busiest international airport in Asia. It was ranked the 28th busiest airport by cargo traffic in 2009. The Bernama News Agency reported a modest growth in traffic in the first six months of 2011, with an almost 13% increase from 16.2 million to 18.3 million passengers.
The airport is operated by Malaysia Airports (MAHB) Sepang Sdn Bhd and is the major hub of Malaysia Airlines, MASkargo, AirAsia, and AirAsia X.
History
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially groundbreaking on 1 November 1991 when the government decided that the existing Kuala Lumpur International Airport, officially then known as Subang International Airport (now Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) could not handle future demand. 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia's Tun Doktor Mahathir Bin Mohamad instigated the project as part of the development of the Multimedia Super Corridor a grand development plan for the nation.
Upon KLIA's completion, Subang International Airport's Terminal 1 building was demolished.Malaysia Airports agreed to redevelop the remaining Terminal 3 to create Subang International Airport a specialist airport for turboprop and charter planes surrounded by a residential area and a business park.
The IATA airport code KUL was inherited from Subang International Airport, which currently handles only turboprop aircraft, general aviation and military aircraft.
Terminals
The Passenger Terminal Complex (PTC) was built with an emphasis on allowing natural light into the building. Thus, there is a huge expanse of glass throughout the building, and the spectacular roof has cut-outs for natural light to filter in. The PTC comprises three buildings – the Main Terminal Building, the Satellite Building and the Contact Pier. Besides the 80-room hotel at the Satellite Building, there is a 450-room 5-star Pan Pacific KLIA hotel a 10 minute (indoor) walk away. Shopping spots are available in an area encompassing 85,000 square metres. Currently, the retail space at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport stands at 63,644 square metres (685,060 sq ft). The airport operator plans to increase the retail space to 103,251 square metres (1,111,380 sq ft), an 62.2% increase in retail space. Malaysia Airports's retail arm Eraman will boost retail shops to 277 from 242 and add more food and beverage outlets to 99 from 88 presently.
As there are international flights operating out from the airport, therefore terminals of the airport are equipped with immigration processing facilities and security scanning for all passengers including domestic passengers. The Satellite terminal handles most of the international flights, while the main terminal building's contact pier handles domestic traffic, regional international flights and international flights routed to other hubs within Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operate from both terminals, where main terminal building's contact pier is their preferred terminal for domestic flights. Conversely, low cost carries such as AirAsia Group of Airlines, Tiger Airwaysand Cebu Pacific operates domestic and international flights out of the low cost carrier terminal.
The initial passenger growth was below average due to Asian Financial Crisis and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003 and the airport failed to reach its target capacity of 25 million passengers per annum (before the inclusion of low cost carrier terminal) by 2004. However, the recovery of Malaysia's economy boosted Kuala Lumpur International Airport's passenger movements, and the airport saw significant growth in traffic, hitting the 25 million passenger mark in 2007. In January 2008, the airport saw a growth of 8.3% in aircraft movements and 7.7% in passenger traffic to 2.17 million in January 2008 from 2.02 million in the same period last year.
Grand plans for a plantation
The airport's site spans 100 km2, of former agricultural land and is one of the world's largest airport sites. An ambitious three-phase development plan anticipates KLIA to have five runways and two terminals each with two satellite terminals. Phase One involved the construction of the main terminal and one satellite terminal, giving a capacity of 25 million passengers, and two full service runways. The Phase One airport had sixty contact piers, twenty remote parking bays with eighty aircraft parking positions, four maintenance hangars and fire stations. Phase Two, designed to increase capacity to 35 million passengers per year is largely complete. Phase Three is anticipated to increase capacity to 100 million passengers per year.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially building of construction on 1 February 1993.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially completed to passed on 1 January 1995.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially opened to public on 1 January 1996.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially excellent to renovated on 1 January 1997.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially inaugurated by the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Duli Yang Maha Mulia Almarhum Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman on 27 June 1998 at 8:30 pm as moment of reckoning as the new airport it sparkling like a fairyland and visible from as far as 15-kilometre away of beckoned the 1500-spectators who came to witness in 25,000 workers a 24-hours in daily built the airport within four and half years at opening a week ahead of Hong Kong International Airport it was officially closing ceremonies by the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Duli Yang Maha Mulia Almarhum Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman based in Subang 3-days later on 30 June 1998 in time for the 1998 Commonwealth Games. The first domestic arrival was Malaysia Airlines flight MH1263 from Kuantan (Kuantan Airport) at 7:10 am. The first international arrival was Malaysia Airlines flight MH188 from Malé International Airport at 7:30 am. The first domestic departure was Malaysia Airlines flight MH1432 to Langkawi (Langkawi International Airport) at 7:20 am; the first international departure was Malaysia Airlines flight MH84 to Beijing (Beijing Capital International Airport) at 9am.
Inter-terminal transportation
The main terminal and its satellite are well connected by an automated people mover (called Aerotrain). Each 250-person capacity train can transport 3,000 passengers per hour in each direction at up to 56 km/h (35mph). These three-car driverless trains run every five minutes on elevated rail and under the taxiways. The journey takes under two minutes.
Transport between the Main Terminal and the LCCT requires a 20km road journey, regularly plied by buses, though the government announced in November 2006 the approval in principle of a rail link between the Main Terminal and the LCCT. Construction was initially postponed until the LCCT was fully constructed (2010) and is still yet to commence.
On 25 November 2008, the train manufacturer and airport operator agreed to the 45 million euro addition of 3 new vehicles and a spur line to a new Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility worth. The new system was expected to be fully functional by 2011.
Accidents and incidents
§ In 2001, a Saudia Boeing 747 aircraft suffered nose damage as it entered a monsoon drainage ditch while being taxied from the hangar to the gate before a return flight to Saudi Arabia. None of the six crew members on board at the time were injured.
§ 14 July 2007 – An aerobridge suddenly shifted downwards, damaging the door of a Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330 bound for Beijing. The aerobridge was not occupied at the time, and no passengers or crew were injured.
§ 15 October 2007 – A Palestinian national managed to hide in the landing nose gear of flight SQ119, from KLIA to Changi Airport,Singapore. He was discovered in Singapore as he fell 2.4 meters from the nose wheel after landing. Despite the cold, thin air during flight, the man survived but was apprehended in Singapore. KLIA authorities have yet to find the cause of the security breach.
§ 9 April 2008 – Armed robbers shot six people in a three-minute heist and walked away with RM 3.5 million in cash. The incident happened at 7.30 pm at Door 8 when two moneychangers and two security guards walking towards the gate were ambushed by six men from a BMW vehicle. Victims were seriously injured but in stable condition.
§ 9 January 2009 – A small fire broke out in the LCC terminal, shutting down the terminal for two hours and delaying 20 flights. The fire was caused by a welding spark in the construction area of the terminal.
§ 3 March 2011 – 56 flights at the KL International Airport KLIA were delayed after a bomb, believed to be from World War II, was found at the site of the KLIA II construction site.
