Completion Of KKIA Upgrade Now Expected By First Quarter Of 2012

KOTA KINABALU – Upgrading of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) has yet again been delayed and is now expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year.


Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the contractors were struggling to meet the various earlier deadlines, especially in the expansion of the 2,988-metre runway and taxi-ways due to several factors.

“There have been many constraints for the contractors, especially in the expansion of the runway as part of it is still being used for take-off and landing of aircraft.

“There is very limited time as works are mainly done after midnight when the runway is closed,” he told reporters after being briefed by Malaysia Airports Berhad on the current situation of the project, here, today.

Kong hoped the contractors would put in more effort, including hiring more manpower, to meet the new deadline as KKIA was receiving more demands from international airlines to fly to Kota Kinabalu.

He said due to those demands, the development of the airport, which was 89.78 per cent complete as of July 31, was now in a critical situation as it had become the second busiest airport in the country after Kuala Lumpur. – BERNAMA