Residents Harbour Fond Memories Of Sultan Ismail Petra Airport

KOTA BHARU, May 12 (Bernama) -- For 22 years, the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) has been a focal point for the people of Kelantan and residents living near the area.

Reminiscing about the terminal, Nurul Syuhadda Ishak, 40, whose house is only 300 metres from the airport, said she enjoyed using the facilities in the LTSIP building, such as banks, restaurants and outlets selling handicrafts, batik and other products by Bumiputera entrepreneurs.

“When we were little, my siblings and I used to play and relax at the airport’s field,” she told Bernama here today.

Hashimah Hassan, 63, said locals loved to picnic along the airport fence to watch aeroplanes land and take off.

Meanwhile, LTSIP manager Suhaimi Abdul Sani said the old terminal would be demolished on May 20, adding that they were relocating assets to the new terminal, which started operating on May 1.

Phase 1 of the new LTSIP terminal can accommodate 1.5 million passengers, and construction for Phase 2, which is expected to accommodate four million passengers, is set to commence immediately.

The new terminal has over 20 airline counters, multi-storey car parks, special lanes for taxis, a fire and rescue station, a larger apron area and a cashless operating system for passengers’ convenience.

The LTSIP expansion and upgrading projects cost RM440 million.

Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the federal government agreed with the Kelantan state government’s proposal to extend the runway at LTSIP by an additional 400 metres to upgrade it to an international airport.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke is expected to launch Phase 1 of the project tomorrow at 8 am.

--BERNAMA