THE Penang government has proposed the building of a new international airport to cater to air travel demand after 2050.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the new airport could be built on reclaimed land in Batu Maung near Pulau Rimau.

The proposed location is not far from the existing airport, which perpetually exceeds its operating capacity, despite being expanded in recent years.

Chow said expanding the current airport would only serve to cater to demands for the next 20 years.

“So, for needs after 2050, we propose building a new airport, the Northern Corridor International Airport. 

“The state will conduct a feasibility study on this project,” he said when tabling the state’s budget today.

Chow also said Penang would work with federal agencies on the Penang International Airport Comprehensive Master Plan to double its capacity and cargo facilities.

The master plan will study the need to widen the runway for Airbus A380 planes and new international flight routes.

Penang’s new airport idea also comes at a time when its neighbour, Kedah, is proposing an international airport in Kulim, less than an hour’s drive from Penang.

Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir had recently said his state government was finalising details of the airport’s design before presenting it to the federal government by year-end. – November 9, 2018.