First phase of PIA expansion 98% complete, says exco

2026-03-11 - 07:06

Penang exco Wong Hon Wai said QR code-based immigration clearance has also been introduced at PIA via the Malaysia National Integrated Immigration System, replacing the MyBorderPass system. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: The first phase of Penang International Airport’s (PIA) expansion, which covers the construction of ancillary buildings, is 98% complete, says Penang exco Wong Hon Wai. The state tourism and creative economy chairman said phase two, which covers the construction of airport parking aprons and airside facilities, is 54% complete, while phase three, involving the construction of the main terminal building, has yet to commence. Wong said the existing 16 aprons were no longer sufficient to support the increasing number of flights, and that 12 more would be constructed, comprising six contact stands connected directly to the terminal and six remote stands. “Upon completion, the total number of aprons at PIA will increase to 28, enhancing operational capacity and providing sufficient aviation infrastructure to support the sustained growth of the state’s tourism industry,” Bernama quoted him as saying today. Wong said several facility upgrades had also been introduced to enhance the passenger experience, including a new autogate system for immigration clearance. He said the number of gates was scheduled to increase to 12 by the end of the year to accommodate growing passenger traffic. Wong said QR code-based immigration clearance had also been introduced at PIA via the Malaysia National Integrated Immigration System (MyNIISe), replacing the MyBorderPass system. “The MyNIISe app enables travellers to complete immigration clearance by scanning a QR code. It also allows users to access their personal entry and exit records, providing faster processing than traditional passport checks. “There are currently three methods for immigration clearance at PIA: passport scanning at autogates, MyNIISe QR code scanning at autogates, and manual counters,” he said. Wong said passenger traffic at PIA had been growing steadily, with 8.31 million passenger movements recorded in 2025 compared with 7.47 million in 2024 – an increase of 11.25%. He said the airport currently handled an average of 22,000 passenger movements each day, including about 10,000 domestic passengers and 12,000 international passengers, while managing an average of 179 aircraft movements daily and 1,253 weekly.