KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — The Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) Runway 1 has been fully rehabilitated and is ready to support the recovery of flights operations, said Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd (MAHB).

In a statement today, the airport operator said the runway had passed the recent calibration and audit checks by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

It added that the rehabilitation exercise was part of the KLIA Runway Sustainability Master Plan that contains a full-fledged framework for the continuous safety of flight operations at the airport.

"Completed within six months as scheduled, the rehabilitation exercise comprised comprehensive maintenance works that were timely with the gradual recovery of air travel, as herd immunity against the Covid-19 pandemic is being achieved with countries speeding up their vaccination programmes and initiatives,” it said.

It added that KLIA’s Runway 3 underwent the same exercise last year as MAHB continued with its mission-critical investments, despite aggressive cost-containment measures to ensure airport readiness and restore passenger confidence.

Meanwhile, MAHB chief executive officer, Datuk Mohd Shukrie Salleh said the group remain committed to providing top-notch facilities for the ultimate travel experience via its airports, and will never compromise the safety aspects of airport operations.

"Currently, 51 airlines — comprising 41 commercial passengers and 10 cargo airlines — are operating at KLIA, contributing to a 77.4 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in flight movements last month,” he said.

He noted that passenger movements also increased by 88.2 per cent y-o-y last month, at 166,000 passengers.

Mohd Shukrie added that the increase in flight movements emphasises the importance of improving MAHB’s offerings, especially after the recent announcement on the possibility of permitting those who have been fully vaccinated to travel interstate or even overseas. — Bernama