Built in 1952, Melaka International Airport assumes its current name in February 2010, when the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak visited the airport. In his visit, he officially renamed the airport Melaka International Airport. Melaka International Airport had undergone a major reconstruction to increase the capacity of the airport, as well as extend the runway to allow Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 to take off. The new terminal could handle 1.5 million passengers annually as opposed to the 30,000 of the old terminal. The new terminal was officially opened on May 2009.
Formerly known as the Batu Berendam Airport, the airport and its control tower are particularly nostalgic as they bear historical significance. It was the same control tower which guided the plane of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, to land from London on 20 February 1956. It was in Malacca that Tunku announced the date for the independence of the then Malaya from the United Kingdom.
Currently, the airport only services Wings Air, Riau Air and Melaka Air. Wings Air operates flights from Pekan Baru, Indonesia 3 times per week. Recently, Melaka Air has also operates flights to Subang and Medan. Over time, Malacca has become a popular destination for health care and medical tourism from Indonesia, particularly Sumatera because of the close proximity between the island of Sumatera and Melaka. The greatly increased of passenger influx through the airport has cause private hospitals in Malacca to operate regular free shuttle-bus services to and from the airport.
Melaka International Airport is also used as the base of the Malaysian Flying Academy (MFA), which has been operating at the airport since 1987.
4 comments
kurt says:
Jan 7, 2012
Riau Airlines suspended routes from Pekan Baru-Melaka since April 2010 till current,ceasing operation because of financial crisis.Early January 2011 the routes are resumed with initial flight Pekanbaru-Tanjung Pinang-Natuna vice versa 4 times a week with a Boeing 737-500 and renamed Riau Air.Riau Air will re-open this routes, possibly after receives more aircraft.
kurt says:
Jan 7, 2012
More about MIA http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=825332
kurt says:
Jan 7, 2012
p/s not april 2010 but april 2011
Riau Airlines suspended routes from Pekan Baru-Melaka since April 2011 till current,ceasing operation because of financial crisis.Early January 2011 the routes are resumed with initial flight Pekanbaru-Tanjung Pinang-Natuna vice versa 4 times a week with a Boeing 737-500 and renamed Riau Air.Riau Air will re-open this routes, possibly after receives more aircraft.
Erhern says:
Jan 8, 2012
Hi Kurt, thanks for the update on Riau Airlines! We appreciate your input on AmazingMelaka.com.