Sabah’s next big question: Expand KKIA, or build a brand-new airport?

Malay Mail News & blogs · 1 hr ago

Key takeaways

Aviation experts debated whether to expand Kota Kinabalu International Airport or build a new facility, noting the airport has seen 4.1 percent annual passenger growth since 2005. Options discussed include a second runway, alternative configurations, or a separate relief airport.

KKIA recorded approximately nine million passengers last year with steady 4.1 percent annual growth since 2005.
Edward Clayton suggested a second runway on reclaimed land, though this faces cost and environmental challenges.
A separate relief airport was proposed to improve operational resilience, depending on demand and distance.

Summarised automatically by AI from the original article by Malay Mail. AI can make mistakes, so check the original for details.

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 9 — Sabah’s long-term aviation needs require careful consideration of whether Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) should be expanded at its existing site or replaced by a new airport at another location.

The two proposals were discussed by aviation experts during a public forum titled ‘The Future of Kota Kinabalu International Airport: Retain, Expand or Relocate?’, organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia Sabah Section at Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Saturday.

Airport, Airline and Civil Aviation Strategy Consultant Edward Clayton said several options could be considered to increase KKIA’s capacity, including constructing a second runway, adopting an alternative runway configuration or developing a separate relief airport.

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Published: November 9, 2026 at 1:47 PM GMT+8
Section: Malaysia
Format: Article
Original: malaymail.com ↗

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Malay Mail Sabah’s next big question: Expand KKIA, or build a brand-new airport? (this story)

Sabah’s next big question: Expand KKIA, or build a brand-new airport?

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