Sibu Airport: Difference between revisions

| name = Sibu International Airport

| nativename = <small>''Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Sibu''</small>

The upgraded terminal started its operation on 31 July 2012.<ref name="theborneopost.com">[http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/08/01/new-sibu-airport-terminal-commences-operation/ New Sibu airport terminal commences operation]</ref> The airport terminal is the third largest airport terminal in Sarawak after [[Kuching International Airport]] and [[Miri International Airport]], with a total terminal floor space of 15,240m².<ref name=MAHBSarawakTender>{{cite web|title=Tender Briefing for Package Deal (Sarawak) |url=https://www.malaysiaairports.com.my/sites/corporate/files/2019-04/PD%20Tender%20Briefing%20-%20Sarawak%20Region.pdf |accessdate=10 July 2019 |publisher=MAHB |date=15 March 2019 }}</ref>

Operation of the new airport officially began on 1 June 1994. The airport is located at 23 km away from the town of Sibu. On 31 May 1994, four [[Malaysia Airlines]] aircraft performed inaugural landings. The aircraft were three Fokker 50 and a [[Boeing 737]]. The airport was built with a single runway, designated as Runway 13/Runway 31.<ref name="DCA Sarawak"/> The runway at that time measured {{Convert|1981|x|45|m|abbr=on|0}}. Runway 13 was equipped with approach lightninglighting system known as "Precision Approach Lighting Category 1", while Runway 31 was equipped with "Simple Approach Lighting System". Airside areas such as taxiways and [[airport apron]] are also equipped with lightning systems.<ref name="DCA Sarawak">{{cite web |title=Sibu Airport:History |url=http://www.dca-sarawak.gov.my/Airport/Sibu%20Airport/Sibu%20Airport_History.htm |publisher=DCA Sarawak |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225101130/http://www.dca-sarawak.gov.my/Airport/Sibu%20Airport/Sibu%20Airport_History.htm |publisher=DCA Sarawak |access-date=9 January 2022|archive-date=25 February 2012 }}</ref> The maximum capacity of the parking apron was one Airbus, two Boeing 737-400s, two Fokker 50 and two Twin Otter or similar aircraftsaircraft. Only Bay 2 and 3 were equipped with aerobridges.<ref name="DCA Sarawak"/>

The runway was later extended to 2,745 metres and commissioned for use on 9 May 2006 to accomodateaccommodate the landing of Airbus.<ref name="DCA Sarawak"/>

On 8 April 2017, [[Malaysia Airlines]] Flight 2718, operated by [[Boeing 737-800]] 9M-MXX, overran the runway on landing. The nose gear collapsed. All 67 people on board survived.<ref name=AH4a75addd>{{cite web |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=4a75addd&opt=0 |title=Accident: Malaysia B738 at Sibu on Apr 8th 2017, runway excursion, nose gear collapse |first=Simon |last=Hradecky |work=The Aviation Herald |accessdate=8 April 2017}}</ref> The incident resulted in Sibu Airport closure until 10 April, and left 1,413 passengers were affected cancellations and delays of flights.<ref name=opens10apr>{{cite web |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2017/04/10/cancellations-delays-affect-1413-passengers-after-mh2718-incident/ |title=Cancellations, delays affect 1,413 passengers after MH2718 incident |first=Peter |last=Boon |work=Borneo Post |date=10 April 2017 |accessdate=31 October 2017}}</ref> The airport was closed on 13 August 2019 to repair faulty lights on the runway. A total of 12 flights operated by MASwings and AirAsia were cancelled.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Banji |first1=Conny |title=12 flights at Sibu Airport cancelled, AirAsia states runway lighting failure as cause |url=https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/08/13/12-flights-at-sibu-airport-cancelled-airasia-states-runway-lighting-failure-as-cause/ |access-date=13 January 2022 |publisher=The Borneo Post |date=13 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609132844/https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/08/13/12-flights-at-sibu-airport-cancelled-airasia-states-runway-lighting-failure-as-cause/ |archive-date=9 June 2021}}</ref> The airport resumed normal operation on the next day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Banji |first1=Conny |title=Sibu Airport resumes normal operations after faulty runway lights repaired |url=https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/08/14/sibu-airport-resumes-normal-operations-after-faulty-runway-lights-repaired/ |access-date=13 January 2022 |publisher=The Borneo Post |date=14 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609125059/https://www.theborneopost.com/2019/08/14/sibu-airport-resumes-normal-operations-after-faulty-runway-lights-repaired/ |archive-date=9 June 2021}}</ref>

| [[AirAsia]] | [[Senai International Airport|Johor Bahru]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/475744/airasia-adds-437-extra-flights-hari-raya|title=AirAsia {{Bareadds 437 extra flights for Hari Raya &#124; URLNew inlineStraits Times|date=December3 2021April 2019}}</ref> [[Kota Kinabalu International Airport|Kota Kinabalu]], [[Kuala Lumpur International Airport|Kuala Lumpur–International]], [[Kuching International Airport|Kuching]], [[Penang International Airport|Penang]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Jim |title=AirAsia 4Q20 Malaysia domestic network additions |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/294481/airasia-4q20-malaysia-domestic-network-additions/ |website=Routesonline |accessdate=20 October 2020}}</ref>

| [[Malaysia Airlines]] <br />operated by [[|MASwings]] | [[Bintulu Airport|Bintulu]], [[Miri Airport|Miri]], [[Mukah Airport|Mukah]]

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! | <{{center>|Passenger<br />% Change</center>}}

! | <{{center>|Cargo<br />(tonnes)</center>}}

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|+ '''Busiest domestic flight out of Sibu Airport by frequency as of April 20192024'''

|5349

|AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Batir Air Malaysia

|3534

|2825

|147

|147

|64

|107