Bayan Lepas International Airport
Encyclopedia
Penang International Airport , previously known as Bayan Lepas International Airport, is situated in the Bayan Lepas
area of Penang
, Malaysia. The airport
is located 16 km (9.9 mi) south of George Town
, the capital city of Penang
.
Penang International Airport is a medium-sized airport
with good connections to major cities in South East Asia. The airport serves as the main airport for the northern region of Malaysia. Passengers arriving or departing from the north will have a view of George Town
, Butterworth
and the Penang Bridge
. Waiting times for check-in and baggage claims are relatively short compared to other larger regional airports. The airport is not crowded and basic facilities are available for users.
In 2010, over 4 million passengers used Penang International Airport. 43,621 aircraft movements were registered. Penang International Airport is the third busiest airport in the country
, right after Kuala Lumpur International Airport
and Kota Kinabalu International Airport
.
The airport is the hub of two low-cost carriers, namely Firefly
and AirAsia
.
Penang International Airport won the Best Emerging Airport (Asia) in 23rd annual Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards 2009(AFSCA) and Airport of the Year (below 15 million passenger annually) in the 2009 Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace and Defence Awards.
about setting up Malaysia's third low cost carrier terminal at the airport. In October 2008, Firefly was urged by the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng
to build a budget terminal, termed "community terminal" in order to better cater for the needs of budget travellers. He also called on the Federal Government and MAHB to consider renovating the current airport terminal to higher standards.
Reports in newspapers recently suggest that the new low-cost carrier terminal is approaching final stages. A parcel of land (36 hectares) has been reserved by Penang state government for the purpose. In NCER economic region, there is a proposal to build a new bigger and modern passenger and cargo terminal. An additional runway is also planned to cater increasing air traffic.
In the Mini-budget announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
, who is also the Finance Minister, on March 10, 2009, RM250 million has been allocated for the expansion of the airport..
also provides services to the airport. There are 3 bus routes: 102, 306, and 401E. 102 is a route to Teluk Bahang
from the Airport via KOMTAR, 306 links the airport to the Penang General Hospital through Air Itam
and 401E is the express bus connects the airport to George Town
, the state capital and Balik Pulau
.
Bayan Lepas
Bayan Lepas is a town in Penang, Malaysia being home to the Penang International Airport. It has a population of about 141,000 people. Bayan Lepas is the main industrial hub of Penang, being home to the Free Industrial Zone, where factories of many multinational companies are located...
area of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Malaysia. The airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is located 16 km (9.9 mi) south of George Town
George Town, Penang
George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, the capital city of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
.
Penang International Airport is a medium-sized airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
with good connections to major cities in South East Asia. The airport serves as the main airport for the northern region of Malaysia. Passengers arriving or departing from the north will have a view of George Town
George Town, Penang
George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, Butterworth
Butterworth, Penang
Butterworth is the principal town of Seberang Perai in the state of Penang in Malaysia. Named after William John Butterworth, Governor of the Straits Settlements , Butterworth was established in the mid-19th century as a landing place across the channel from the capital of Penang, George Town...
and the Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to...
. Waiting times for check-in and baggage claims are relatively short compared to other larger regional airports. The airport is not crowded and basic facilities are available for users.
In 2010, over 4 million passengers used Penang International Airport. 43,621 aircraft movements were registered. Penang International Airport is the third busiest airport in the country
Busiest airports in Malaysia
The busiest airports in Malaysia are measured according to data presented by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad .- Passenger traffic :...
, right after Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
and Kota Kinabalu International Airport
Kota Kinabalu International Airport
Kota Kinabalu International Airport serves the city of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia. It is located about 8 km southwest of the city centre. It is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport, handling 4.8 million passengers in 2009...
.
The airport is the hub of two low-cost carriers, namely Firefly
Firefly (airline)
FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd, operating as Firefly, is a full service point to point carrier and a full subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines. Its head office is located on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor. It claims to be the first community airline in Malaysia...
and AirAsia
AirAsia
AirAsia Berhad is a Malaysian-based low-cost airline. AirAsia is Asia's largest low-fare, no-frills airline and a pioneer of low-cost travel in Asia. AirAsia group operates scheduled domestic and international flights to over 400 destinations spanning 25 countries. Its main hub is the Low-Cost...
.
Penang International Airport won the Best Emerging Airport (Asia) in 23rd annual Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards 2009(AFSCA) and Airport of the Year (below 15 million passenger annually) in the 2009 Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace and Defence Awards.
Facilities
There are ongoing discussions between airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), Ministry of Transportation, and Asia's largest low cost carrier, AirAsiaAirAsia
AirAsia Berhad is a Malaysian-based low-cost airline. AirAsia is Asia's largest low-fare, no-frills airline and a pioneer of low-cost travel in Asia. AirAsia group operates scheduled domestic and international flights to over 400 destinations spanning 25 countries. Its main hub is the Low-Cost...
about setting up Malaysia's third low cost carrier terminal at the airport. In October 2008, Firefly was urged by the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng
Lim Guan Eng is the 4th Chief Minister of the State of Penang and Secretary-General of the Malaysian Democratic Action Party . He is the son of Lim Kit Siang, Leader of the Opposition in the Dewan Rakyat from 1973 to 1999 and 2004 to 2008....
to build a budget terminal, termed "community terminal" in order to better cater for the needs of budget travellers. He also called on the Federal Government and MAHB to consider renovating the current airport terminal to higher standards.
Reports in newspapers recently suggest that the new low-cost carrier terminal is approaching final stages. A parcel of land (36 hectares) has been reserved by Penang state government for the purpose. In NCER economic region, there is a proposal to build a new bigger and modern passenger and cargo terminal. An additional runway is also planned to cater increasing air traffic.
In the Mini-budget announced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
, who is also the Finance Minister, on March 10, 2009, RM250 million has been allocated for the expansion of the airport..
Airlines and destinations
Passenger Terminal
Cargo Terminal
Traffic and Statistics
| Years | Passenger Movements | Aircraft Movements | Cargo Movements in Metric Tonnes | Cargo Movements in Kilograms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2,325,535 | 30,771 | 196,392 | 432,965 |
| 2004 | 2,994,027 | 33,071 | 212,944 | 469,456 |
| 2005 | 2,834,545 | 31,173 | 221,971 | 489,357 |
| 2006 | 3,103,772 | 31,448 | 225,952 | 498,133 |
| 2007 | 3,173,177 | 39,265 | 208,582 | 208,581,847 |
| 2008 | 3,405,762 | 43,796 | 192,936 | 192,936,282 |
| 2009 | 3,325,423 | 43,621 | 137,775 | 137,775,000 |
| 2010 | 4,167,00025.31% | 50,20515.09% | 147,0576.74% | 147,057,0006.74% |
Statistics
| Rank | Destinations | Frequency (Weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Singapore |
74 |
| 2 |  Medan |
70 |
| 3 |  Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi |
14 |
| 3 |  Hong Kong |
14 |
| 5 | Jakarta |
7 |
| 5 |  Guangzhou |
7 |
| 5 | Banda Aceh |
7 |
| 8 |  Taipei |
4 |
| 8 | Phuket |
4 |
| 10 | Surabaya |
3 |
| Rank | Destinations | Frequency (Weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) |
117 |
| 2 |  Subang (SZB) |
70 |
| 3 |  Langkawi |
28 |
| 4 |  Johor Bahru |
14 |
| 4 |  Kuching |
14 |
| 6 |  Kota Kinabalu |
7 |
| 7 |  Kota Bahru |
4 |
| 8 |  Kuantan |
3 |
| 8 |  Kuala Terengganu |
3 |
Ground Transportation
Air passengers can take taxis, which are found within the airport. The main public bus transportation in Penang, Rapid PenangRapid Penang
Rapid Penang, an abbreviation for Rapid Penang Sendirian Berhad, is a government-owned company set up to operate bus services in Penang state in Malaysia. Rapid Penang began operations on 31 July 2007....
also provides services to the airport. There are 3 bus routes: 102, 306, and 401E. 102 is a route to Teluk Bahang
Teluk Bahang
Teluk Bahang is a fishing village situated on the northwestern part of Penang Island in Malaysia. The Teluk Bahang Dam is situated here. Teluk Bahang is also the entry point for the Penang National Park, which was previously known as the Pantai Aceh Forest Reserve.The expensive Mutiara Beach Resort...
from the Airport via KOMTAR, 306 links the airport to the Penang General Hospital through Air Itam
Air Itam
Air Itam is a town in Penang, Malaysia. The famous Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill are situated there. A famous Chinese secondary school, named Chung Ling High School, is located in Jalan Air Itam. The State Mosque, or Masjid Negeri, is also located there...
and 401E is the express bus connects the airport to George Town
George Town, Penang
George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, the state capital and Balik Pulau
Balik Pulau
Balik Pulau is a town in Penang, Malaysia. Durians and other kinds of fruits are planted there. Balik Pulau is famous for its durian plantations which include the 'ang heh' and 'holo' variety...
.
External links
- Penang International Airport at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad