NEW DELHI: Malaysia plans to spend about $1 billion over the next five years to refurbish and expand its airports as the Southeast Asian country paces infrastructure growth with a surge in passenger traffic, its main airport operator said. “My main terminal may require some upgrade,” said Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, managing director of state-controlled Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd., referring to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. “There are other airports that have grown beyond capacity,” including the tourist island of Langkawi, Kota Bharu in the north and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, he said.The upgrade of facilities is likely to benefit regional airlines such as AirAsia Bhd., Southeast Asia’s largest discount carrier, which are expanding their fleets and adding more routes as rising incomes and competitive fares encourage more Asians to fly. Boeing Co. is projecting 100 million new passengers annually in the region. - Bloomberg

Source: The Star September 12, 2016 23:48 UTC