IPOH, May 21 – The Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, today officially opened the upgraded Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here.
The opening ceremony was held to coincide with the celebration of the 85th birthday of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah.
The project to upgrade the airport at a cost of RM42 million began on April 13, 2011, and the airport became fully operational again on Nov 1 last year. The upgrading encompassed the widening of the arrival and departure halls, additional seating at the arrival hall, departure hall and check-in area and installation of air-conditioning at the arrival hall, departure hall and public concourse.
It also involved the extension of the runway length from 1,798 metres to 2,000 metres and expansion of the commercial vehicles parking area.
The Raja Puan Besar of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim; the Raja Di Hilir of Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa; the Raja Puan Muda of Perak, Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar Shah; Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Aziz Kaprawi were also present at the event.
Zambry, in his speech, called on the Transport Ministry to increase flights to Ipoh now that the airport had been upgraded.
He said the state government planned to make the airport a centre also for maintenance, repair and over haul.
“We want to make the airport really beneficial,” he added.
– BERNAMA
