Airport upgrade gets green light

HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam has consented to a major upgrade of Brunei International Airport, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) yesterday announced.

The upgarde will include a major refurbishment of the existing terminal building in line with international standards, strengthening of the existing runway, provision of additional aerobridges and upgrading of existing operating systems to enhance passenger and flight security, BEDB said in a statement.

"This upgrading is timely because Brunei International Airport which was built in 1974 has fallen behind many of the airports in the region including Kota Kinabalu International Airport in terms of its appearance and the quality of its amenities," it said.

To oversee the implementation of the project, a committee comprising representatives of key government agencies and chaired by the chairman of BEDB has been established.

"The BEDB is honoured to be appointed the lead agency for this important national project. Our airport is the main entry point to Brunei and the first impression visitors will get of Brunei. It is an important ingredient in our attractiveness as a tourist and investment destination. We will work hard with other government agencies and stakeholders to implement a worthy transformation of our airport," said Dato Timothy Ong, BEDB acting chairman.

Some of the previous reports of the upgrading of Brunei International Airport included the Department of Civil Aviation's continuous efforts to accommodate the needs for the security and comfort of its visitors and passengers.

A number of its officers and staff members have joined personnel from other agencies at the airport for skills and knowledge upgrade courses held in the country and also abroad. This move was aimed to further ensure that the level of expertise of the department's personnel, especially those in charge of security service, is on par with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The department has also purchased and installed new CCTV for added security measure as well as two bomb containment units used to destroy explosives.

To increase the safety and security of controlled areas at the airport, the department also put emphasis on the usage of colour codes on vehicles that are allowed to operate inside the controlled areas (airside).

In addition to this, suggestions were also made on moving the headquarters from the area to a new location which will be executed sometime in the first half of this year.

In terms of enhancing the comfort of passengers, a zen garden was also created earlier this year by the department.

Debbie Too
The Brunei Times