Sultan Abdul Halim Shah Airport, Alor Setar - The northern airport

from masweng.net

Sultan Abdul Halim Shah Airport or Alor Setar Airport, is the airport that serve city of Alor Setar and its surrounding including neighbour state of Perlis. The airport is located in Kepala Batas, also sharing with the The Royal Malaysia Air Force training division which is positioned opposite to the airport terminal. Since May 2006, Malaysia Airport Berhad (MAHB), the management of the airport had opened new terminal (also new control tower) to meet increasing passengers movement inbound/outbound Alor Setar. The new terminal is equipped with two air - bridges and separate departure and arrivals area (1st for departure and ground floor for arrivals).  Moreover, the airport is able to handle widebody jet such as Airbus 330 and Boeing 777 types due to extension runaway.The airport is the second busiest by passengers in Kedah after Langkawi International Airport in Langkawi  Island.

from skyscrapercity

Airlines Operation
Currently, there are four commercial served from the airport. There are: Malaysia Airlines,  Air Asia, Firefly and Malindo Air. Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia serve flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and using narrow - body aircrafts. Malaysia Airlines 10th weekly flights utilized mix of Boeing 737 - 400/ - 800, while Air Asia operating twice daily flights using  Airbus 320 - 200. Meanwhile, Firefly (21 weekly flights) and Malindo Air (14 weekly/ twice daily flights) operating their flights out of Subang's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport and using both using ATR Turbroprop aircrafts. In addition, Malaysia Airlines serve charter Hajj flights to Jeddah/Madinah during Hajj season since 2006. This years, Malaysia Airlines had served five flights to Jeddah using Boeing 777 - 200 ER.

Table 1: Shows the table airlines operating to Alor Setar with their Frequency and Aircraft equipment respectively

Based on Table 1, shows that Firefly offers more flights than other competitor. Moreover, Firefly  which servicing from Subang Airport give advantage to the airlines as Subang Airport is located few kilometres to Greater Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley areas. Thus, business passengers may preferably fly to Subang rather than Kuala Lumpur International Airport with distance away from the areas. The airlines however is now competing with new airlines, Malindo Air which also flying daily flights to Subang Airport. 

Air Asia is also the largest airlines operating to Alor Setar airport in terms of seat capacity (2520 seats or 39.76%). The airlines offers morning and night flights from Alor Setar. These flights are serve to give easier especially connecting passengers, who are transit via Air Asia's hub in Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. National Carrier - Malaysia Airlines reducing its operation from 21 weekly flights (thrice daily flights) to Kuala Lumpur because of competition from Air Asia, Malindo Air as well as it's subsdiary company, Firefly. Beside that, the reduction of flights as the airlines struggling its financial as well as low demands from customers.

Figure 1: Percentage by Flights Frequency per weekly to/from AOR cited 28 Oct 2013.

Figure 2: Percentage by Seat Capacity per week to/from  AOR cited 28 Oct 2013.

Tabung Haji Hotel

Since, the airport has direct flight to Jeddah/Madinah during Hajj Season, Tabung Haji has built a hotel and convention center this year. The hotel is 5 minutes away from the airport and also awarded three stars hotel. The hotel offers 207 rooms with different standards such as Superior, Deluxe and family suites. The hall which is built beside the hotel building is also can be used as exhibition and conference hall. During Hajj season, the hall become as the center for Hajj pilgrims (from northern region) to assemble before they fly to Jeddah/Madinah.

Tabung Haji Hotel

Passengers Movement

Based numbers of statics, the number passengers movements increasing slowly (please prefer figure 3 below). 

Figure 3: Show Passengers movement inbound/outbound of Alor Setar Airport

Major Problems

This airport has many potential to expand and becoming important hub in  Northern region of peninsular. However, this airport is far less busy that it's neighbour, Penang due to several reasons: 

1. Alor Setar is capital city of State - Kedah, has not much attraction either Industries and Leisure.
2. The population of Alor Setar and its surroundings are small  as (more than 1 millions) compared to the Penang. Thus, reflecting to low demand.
3. The city and its surrounding areas are more focusing on govern , service, education and agriculture sectors. However, the industries involving investment, hi - tech, pharmaceutical and biotechnology are located in south of state, which are nearer to Penang. Thus, making less travelers flying through Alor Setar Airport.
4. The airport does not has proper public transportation such as bus commuter, that link between from the airport to Alor Setar, Jitra and etc. Compare to Penang Airport, the passengers/customers have option either taking bus (Rapid Penang and cheaper than other public transportation) or taxi in order to reach city and the island.
5. The airport has limited spacing for aircrafts parking.
6.  NO TAXIWAY (taking time to take off and arrival).
7. Inefficient runway slots (will discussed below)

All this factors may affected airlines to expand their service to this airport. No Taxiway - is a MAJOR PROBLEM (!) because, before taking off and after landing, the aircraft have to make a quick turn (taking time).. too shame!!. During Hajj season and VIP State visits, the airport becoming congested due to full occupied of parking bays.

So, in order to solve these problems, MAHB need to follow by following suggestions:

1. Built Taxiway as soon as possible
2. Adding more gates/airbridgse in order to increase slots for parking
3. Adding more aircraft parking bays.
4. Co - operate with local bus service to onnect between the airport and downtown of Alor Setar.
5. Increase retailing area (and proper!) for shopping area in the airport.
6. Need to built airport road/inner road from Tabung Haji Hotel/Center to the airport for smooth passengers, baggage handling and safety issues. 

FUTURE of the airport

The future of the airport is depending on Kedah Government. Kedah state goverment need to add values to Alor Setar and the surroundings. For example, attract investors, creating market, adding more industries may create job opportunity. Thus, it enhances population growing and thus increasing demands of air transport.

The location of Alor Setar (and the airports) is well connected to other small towns and Perlis is also an advantage for the airport. The airport is strategically nearer to Southern of Thailand, Sumatra of Indonesia and East coast of Malaysia may help the airport becoming regional and transit hub in future.

If the airport is congested and higher passengers movement, the airport may face with some issues such as efficiency of landings and take off. The airport's runway especially 22 is position nearer to hill (known as Bukit Minyak), which cause difficulty landings and take off especially for wide - body aircraft. If that happen, a new airport is need to built in future. Therefore, I would like to suggest Kedah state government need to start looking and reserve a large and flat piece of land located nearer to Alor Setar, Kuala Kedah or Kedah - Perlis border.

Suggested expanding area and adding more facilities.

Figure 4: Suggested Expansion area