Senai International Airport

Senai International Airport, formerly known as Sultan Ismail International Airport is an international airport in the town of Senai, Kulai District, Johor, Malaysia, serving Johor Bahru and the southernmost region of Peninsular Malaysia. The airport is located approximately 22 km north-west of the Johor Bahru city centre.

History


Opened in 1974, the airport is managed and operated by Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd (SATSSB) which took over the operations from Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) in 2003 under a 50-year concession to develop the airport. SATSSB is currently wholly owned by MMC Corporation Berhad. Senai International Airport is currently the only privately managed public airport in Malaysia. SATSSB also operates Kerteh Airport for Petronas.

Plans for expanding the airport was announced in 1978.

The federal government planned to upgrade the airport in 1990, costing RM 100 million. It was later approved in April 1990.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines' planned to reroute its international flights to the airport instead of Singapore Changi as it is cheaper. The plan was approved in August 1991.

In September 1990, Malaysia Airlines began adding direct flights from the airport to Kuala Terengganu attract tourists to Terengganu and Kelantan.

In April 1992, Malaysia Airlines began weekly flights from Senai to Hong Kong, marking "a new era" for the airport.

In 1993, Senai Airport was upgraded, costing RM 93 million. The uprgade works include expansions to the terminal and runway, and the construction of an aerobridge. The uprade would enable the airport to carry more McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft than before, with traffic increased to 100 flights weekly.

Senai International Airport is capable of handling up to 4.5 million passengers and 80,000 tonnes of cargo per annum.

Senai International Airport serves as the aviation gateway for Iskandar Malaysia and the southern region, and is dedicated to providing routes and services essential to cater the needs of both tourism and business travelers. Equipped with a 3,800-metre Category 4E runway, Senai International Airport can handle aircraft up to large jets such as the Airbus A350 XWB, the Boeing 777 and even the Antonov An-124 Ruslan freighter. Currently, there are four airlines operating at Senai International Airport, serving 12 domestic and 6 international destinations.

In 2019, Senai International Airport handled a total of 4,254,922 passengers and 15,010 tons of freight with a combination of 52,030 scheduled and non-scheduled commercial aircraft movements. Currently the terminal is being expanded to handle 5 million passengers by 2023.

Ground transport
Senai International Airport is connected to PLUS Highway, Senai–Desaru Expressway and Second Link Expressway. Taxis are available outside the airport. Buses are available to the city centre with the option to transit to Singapore.

Causeway Link provides the commuters a route to JB Sentral.

Senai Business Aviation Terminal (SBAT)
SATSSB also operates SBAT, a private aviation terminal located just beside the airport's main terminal building and sharing the same infrastructure. True to its name, SBAT features business facilities including meeting and conference rooms, and dining and private rest facilities.

Senai Airport Free Industrial Zone (SAFIZ)
SAFIZ forms part of Senai International Airport's total land area and operates as a free industrial zone for several multinational factories and distribution hubs, including Pokka, Celestica and BMW.