Senai International Airport upgrade 80 percent completed

The RM7-million upgrading works on the Senai International Airport (LTAS) which began last October are expected to be completed by the end of August this year.

Chairman of the Johor Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the upgrading works would focus mainly on security aspects and the convenience of the users whose numbers were increasing each year.

He added that to date, the upgrading works were 80 percent completed.

"This is to meet the requirements of the regulation to separate domestic and international passengers during departure and arrival. This is because the airport does not currently separate domestic and international passengers and does not meet safety standards.

"The upgrading works are necessary to meet the increase in the number of passengers resulting from new destinations and increased frequency of flights over the last few years," Tee told reporters after a working visit to the LTAS here today.

The airport currently provides flight services to 11 domestic and five international destinations, with 610 flights each week.

He added that for the second quarter of this year, the number of tourists showed a positive development with 1.54 million people, an increase of 9.5 percent compared to 1.36 million for the same period last year.

He said this figure is expected to increase with the possible introduction of more international destinations.

"I am confident that with the upgrading, the landscape of the tourism industry in Johor will be at a positive level, and I encourage industry players, especially tour agents to transform their businesses," he said.

-- BERNAMA