PM ISMAIL SABRI VISITS MAHB'S SABIHA GOKCEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

From D. Arul Rajoo

ISTANBUL, July 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today visited the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISGIA), an international airport in Turkiye which is wholly owned and managed by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

The Prime Minister, who arrived today for his four-day official visit to the republic, toured the passenger terminal of the sixth busiest airport in Europe.

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Earlier, he was briefed on the operations and growth potential of ISGIA by MAHB chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and managing director Datuk Iskandar Mizal.

In 2021, the airport's total passenger numbers reached 25 million, which was 70 per cent of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic figure. It was ranked as Europe’s second fastest-recovering airport last year.

MAHB’s involvement in ISGIA started in 2008 when it, together with its consortium partners, was awarded the concession to operate the airport until 2034. The airport has now become one of the landmark symbols of Malaysia-Turkiye business relations.

In 2014, MAHB acquired a 100 per cent stake in ISGIA, making it one of the world’s largest airport operator groups in terms of passenger numbers. 

ISGIA is the second largest airport in Turkiye and is the world’s busiest single runway, with flights to 110 destinations in 49 countries.

In 2021, the airport became the first airport in the world to use an innovative remote-control system for passenger boarding bridges that enables the docking and undocking process of passenger flights to be done remotely through cameras and high-precision sensors.

-- BERNAMA