| Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport | |
| Iata: | SZB |
| Icao: | WMSA |
| Wmo: | 48647 |
| Type: | Public |
| Owner-Oper: | MASB/Government of Malaysia |
| City-Served: | Greater Kuala Lumpur |
| Location: | Subang, Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Elevation-F: | 89 |
| Coordinates: | 3.1311°N 101.5481°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Malaysia Selangor#Malaysia West#Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia |
| Pushpin Label: | SZB/WMSA |
| Metric-Rwy: | yes |
| R1-Number: | 15/33 |
| R1-Length-M: | 3,780 |
| R1-Surface: | Asphalt concrete |
| Stat-Year: | 2020 |
| Stat1-Header: | Passenger |
| Stat1-Data: | 949,934 (58.0%) |
| Stat2-Header: | Airfreight (tonnes) |
| Stat2-Data: | 58,260 (68.1%) |
| Stat3-Header: | Aircraft movements |
| Stat3-Data: | 49,454 (38.6%) |
| Footnotes: | Source: official web site[1] AIP Malaysia[2] |
Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport — formerly Subang International Airport/Kuala Lumpur International Airport, often called Subang Airport — is an airport located in Subang, Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia.
Subang International Airport served as Kuala Lumpur's main airport from 1965 to 1998, before the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang was opened. Although plans existed to convert the airport into a low-cost carrier base, the change was opposed by Subang Jaya residents. The airport was repurposed to serve general aviation as well as turboprop domestic and international flights. In 1996, the airport was renamed after Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj (Salahuddin of Selangor), the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and eighth Sultan of Selangor.
Subang Airport is currently the base for SKS Airways and Firefly commercial turboprop services. Raya Airways is the only other non-passenger non-turbo prop aircraft landing and utilising Subang Airport Terminal 2. While heavily opposed by Ara Damansara residents of the noise of the jet engines, Raya Airways still operates out of SZB servicing DHL and other local hubs.
Work on the Subang International Airport started in 1961 and finished in 1965 at a cost of $64 million. Its deceptively simple design consisted of a roof composed of floating concrete shells that was held aloft by mushroom-shaped columns. Partners in the Booty Edwards Architectural practice Kington Loo and C.H.R Bailey are typically attributed with the design. The open structure also featured a massive circular ramp, reminiscent of Berthold Lubetkin's penguin pavilion in London. Most of the structure was removed during a major reconstruction in 1983.[3]
The airport was officially opened to traffic on 30 August 1965, and had the longest runway (long, wide – runway 15 – 33) in Southeast Asia, replacing Sungai Besi Airport. By the 1990s, the airport had three terminals – Terminal 1 for international flights, Terminal 2 for Singapore – Kuala Lumpur shuttle flights by Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, and Terminal 3 for domestic flights. Toward the end of service, the airport suffered at least two major fires that forced traffic to be diverted to other airports. By the end of 1997, Subang Airport had handled 15.8 million passengers. In 2003 terminal 1 was demolished.[4]
In July 2002, AirAsia began flying from KLIA, and in 2004, AirAsia considered utilising the airport as a primary hub in Malaysia. However, the plan was rejected and the Malaysian government planned to turn the airport into an international conference centre. Since Firefly started operations in the airport, AirAsia has been lobbying the government to allow AirAsia to use Subang Airport. As of December 2007, the government still maintains its policy of only allowing general aviation and turbo-prop flights out of Subang Airport.[5] The airport underwent renovation works at Terminal 3 from February 2008 and was finished in October 2009. Terminal 3 was renamed to Subang Skypark.
Raya Airways, a national cargo carrier, chose Subang Airport as its main cargo operation center. Several companies offer chartered flights and helicopter services from the airport. One of the largest FBO (Fixed-Base Operator) in the region (with covered hangar space of more than), Dnest Aviation Services is also based in this airport. Their newest hangar boast a "first of its kind" infrastructure capable of taking in either a 737 BBJ or A319 ACJ and 2 basement floors directly underneath it with ample of office space, lecture rooms, carpark and a cafeteria. A number of flying clubs are also located at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport, the most famous of these being Subang Flying Club, Air Adventure Flying Club, Eurocopter (An EADS Company), ESB Flying Club(Eurodynamic Sdn Bhd). With Eurocopter, the airport serves as a maintenance and support facility for Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency helicopters.
Berjaya Air's head office is in the Berjaya Hangar in the SkyPark Terminal Building.[6] Previously the head office was in Terminal 3.[7] Transmile Air Services has its head office in the Transmile Centre in the Cargo Complex.[8] The main headquarters of Malaysia Airlines was previously in Subang,[9] consisting of administrative departments & its maintenance, repair and overhaul subsidiary, MAS Aerospace.[10] In addition, another MAS subsidiary, Firefly also operates a fleet of ATR 72 out of Subang.[11]
Apart from that, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport was to be a hub for Global Flying Hospitals, but the humanitarian medical charity made the decision to close down Malaysian Operations, stating that the elements to make the correct formula for the GFH model were not present.
On 4 December 2007, Subang SkyPark Sdn Bhd announce a RM 300 million plan to transform the Terminal 3 building into an ultra-modern general and corporate aviation hub. The plan includes upgrading the terminal, creation of regional aviation center and finally the establishment of a commercial nexus. Under an agreement with Malaysia Airports, Subang Skypark will serve private aviation while Malaysia Airports will serve Berjaya Air and Firefly Airlines. Subang Skypark recently signed a lease agreement with Malaysia Airports for the land in the Airport in Langkawi.[12] [13] On the next day, VistaJet, a business jet service provider, has announced that it will use the airport as a base of operations in Malaysia. It has chosen Terminal 3, which is being operated by Subang Skypark to be the hub in Asia.[14]
The operator announce that construction works for a 9000square feet, five-star executive lounge begins in February 2008. The construction works was awarded to ArcRadius Sdn Bhd. It is expected that the lounge works will be done by end of March 2008.[15] The transformation plans also calls for a construction of two 42m (138feet) by 47m (154feet) maintenance, repair and overhaul hangars and ten 36sp=usNaNsp=us by 36sp=usNaNsp=us parking hangars. The construction of the MRO hangars will complete by end of 2008 while two of the ten parking hangars will complete by end of 2009.[16]
On 8 August 2008, VistaJet Holding SA started operations from the airport. It provides private jet travel from Malaysia to anywhere in the world.[17]
Subang Airport underwent a RM40 million facelift on the check-in terminals. The facelift did nothing much to address the lack of parking spots, although a valet service is provided. Parking cost RM25 on daily basis. A rail link was added in 2018 to connect to the airport to Kuala Lumpur Sentral via KTM Komuter; travellers can also catch a local bus out of Central Market bus hub.
The airport was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on 28 October 2009. The Prime Minister has expressed confidence that the airport will reach 2 million annual passenger and emerge as a regional hub of ASEAN.[18]
The next phase of development will entail the refurbishment of the former Terminal 2 (T2) of the SAAS airport into an extension of the SkyPark Terminal 3. Works are scheduled to commence end of 2017 with an estimated construction period of 24 months. The combined capacity of T2 and T3 will be 5 million passengers.
With a retail extension of, the project will include airport facilities and services and a multilevel car park of with 1,155 bays. The extension will also include an entertainment / event deck that overlooks the runway, a first of its kind, open to public, in Malaysia.
Skypark Commercial Nexus is a mixed development commercial project sited on a 5.13hectare plot adjoined to the main terminal. Among the proposed highlights of the Nexus would be a hotel, entertainment outlets, aviation museum and an aviation theme park (subject to approval from authority). A multi-storey car park is also included. Construction work is expected to commence in early 2014. The upcoming railway line is planned to connect SkyPark Nexus to Subang Jaya KTMB station.
| Year | Passengers handled | Passenger % change | Cargo (metric tonnes) | Cargo % change | Aircraft movements | Aircraft % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 11,343,648 | 262,053 | 137,871 | ||||
| 1995 | 12,776,877 | 12.6 | 325,871 | 24.4 | 146,248 | 6.1 | |
| 1996 | 14,556,879 | 13.9 | 372,339 | 14.3 | 163,493 | 11.8 | |
| 1997 | 15,819,863 | 8.7 | 413,695 | 11.1 | 162,652 | 0.5 | |
| 1998 | 8,263,930 | 47.8 | 166,794 | 59.7 | 88,882 | 45.3 | |
| 1999 | 1,999,302 | 75.8 | 14,069 | 91.6 | 27,753 | 68.8 | |
| 2000 | 2,100,727 | 5.1 | 15,893 | 13.0 | 38,129 | 37.4 | |
| 2001 | 1,955,688 | 6.9 | 14,445 | 9.1 | 35,691 | 6.4 | |
| 2002 | 1,130,169 | 42.2 | 12,261 | 15.1 | 28,170 | 21.1 | |
| 2003 | 72,491 | 93.6 | 14,358 | 17.1 | 19,616 | 30.4 | |
| 2004 | 90,593 | 25.0 | 18,670 | 30.0 | 22,757 | 16.0 | |
| 2005 | 83,602 | 7.7 | 46,082 | 146.8 | 29,668 | 30.4 | |
| 2006 | 83,502 | 0.12 | 71,953 | 56.1 | 36,626 | 23.4 | |
| 2007 | 95,583 | 14.5 | 63,382 | 11.9 | 44,302 | 21.0 | |
| 2008 | 307,747 | 222.0 | 18,473 | 70.8 | 46,989 | 6.1 | |
| 2009 | 819,840 | 166.4 | 18,536 | 0.3 | 55,148 | 17.4 | |
| 2010 | 1,118,309 | 36.4 | 19,988 | 7.8 | 63,616 | 15.3 | |
| 2011 | 1,320,227 | 18.0 | 19,928 | 0.3 | 68,135 | 7.1 | |
| 2012 | 1,442,514 | 9.3 | 22,680 | 13.8 | 74,008 | 8.6 | |
| 2013 | 1,859,020 | 28.9 | 26,443 | 16.6 | 80,047 | 8.2 | |
| 2014 | 2,762,556 | 48.6 | 28,128 | 6.4 | 91,529 | 14.3 | |
| 2015 | 3,059,144 | 10.7 | 31,357 | 11.5 | 95,845 | 4.7 | |
| 2016 | 2,834,836 | 7.3 | 36,147 | 15.3 | 94,544 | 1.4 | |
| 2017 | 2,880,586 | 1.6 | 36,568 | 1.2 | 98,955 | 4.7 | |
| 2018 | 1,964,059 | 31.8 | 32,284 | 11.7 | 80,775 | 18.4 | |
| 2019 | 2,259,595 | 15.0 | 34,648 | 7.3 | 80,606 | 0.2 | |
| 2020 | 949,934 | 58.0 | 58,260 | 68.1 | 49,454 | 38.6 | |
| Source: Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad[19] | |||||||
There is a taxi booth inside the terminal building, so arriving passengers can directly go to the booth and get on a taxi.
Buses from Subang Skypark towards Pasar Seni (Central Market) in Kuala Lumpur city center are Rapid KL bus No. 772 (also stops at Asia Jaya LRT station and KL Sentral). The bus ticket costs RM2.50 (Asia Jaya) & RM3.00 (Pasar Seni), and the route operates from 6:00 am till midnight.
To serve the newly opened Kelana Jaya extension line and MRT Kajang Line, there is a Rapid KL feeder bus No. T773 route between Ara Damansara LRT Station and Subang Skypark and MRT feeder bus No. T804 route between Kwasa Sentral station and Subang Airport. Fares are fixed at RM1.00.
| Feeder Bus No. | Stations Name | Line Name | |
|---|---|---|---|
| T773 | |||
| T804 |
There is also a bus shuttle service between Subang Skypark and Kuala Lumpur International Airport KLIA & KLIA2. The service departs from Subang Skypark from 5am until 7pm. The one-way journey takes around one hour (subject to traffic) and costs RM10 per passenger.
See main article: Skypark Link. A KTM Komuter shuttle service connecting KL Sentral through Subang Jaya to the terminal was operated between 1 May 2018 to 15 February 2023. This extension is a branch line of the Port Klang Line and provided rail connectivity to the airport that is currently only served by other kinds of road transportation. The line is 26 km long and has three stations: KL Sentral, Subang Jaya, and with two planned stations - Glenmarie, Sri Subang.[20] [21] However, the Subang Skypark airport train system was suspended from 15 February 2023 due to the low ridership.[22]