Myanmar plans Yangon airport upgrade

IN ANTICIPATION of growing inbound traffic, Myanmar's Department of Civil Aviation is redeveloping Yangon International Airport to double its handling capacity to 5.5 million passengers a year.

Tin Naing Tun, director general of the department, said the Ministry of Transport plans to develop Yangon International Airport into a “business centre” with private sector participation, which will see the expansion of both the international and domestic terminal buildings, apron and car parks.

The airport’s old terminal is used exclusively for domestic flights while the new terminal – in operation since May 2007 – handles international flights. In 2011, the international terminal handled 1.4 million passengers, while the domestic terminal handled nearly one million passengers.

“Yangon airport can handle only 2.7 million passengers a year. Last year we saw about 2.4 million passengers, (and) in 2012 we expect to handle about 2.8 million passengers,” said Tin Naing Tun. “If the number of passengers continues to grow as (predicted) over the next four years, we will urgently need to expand the terminal and aircraft landing area.”

He added that the number of passengers using the airport is likely to increase 20-23 per cent each year to reach 5.5 million in the next four years, based on a feasibility study conducted.

Located in Mingaladon, Yangon International Airport is Myanmar’s primary international airport and the second-largest airport in the country. Its revamp will take place at the same time as the construction of the new Hanthawaddy International Airport at Bago, 50km from Yangon.

Sourced: TTG asia