Senai Airport

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Senai International Airport
Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMMC Corporation Berhad
OperatorSenai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd
Serves
LocationSenai, Kulai District, Johor, Malaysia
Opened1974 (1974)
Operating base forAirAsia
Time zoneMST (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL127 ft / 39 m
Coordinates01°38′26″N 103°40′13″E / 1.64056°N 103.67028°E / 1.64056; 103.67028
Websitewww.senaiairport.com
Maps
Johor state in Malaysia
Johor state in Malaysia
JHB/WMKJ is located in Johor
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ
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JHB/WMKJ is located in Peninsular Malaysia
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ (Peninsular Malaysia)
Show map of Peninsular Malaysia
JHB/WMKJ is located in Malaysia
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ (Malaysia)
Show map of Malaysia
JHB/WMKJ is located in Southeast Asia
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ (Southeast Asia)
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JHB/WMKJ is located in Asia
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ
JHB/WMKJ (Asia)
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Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
16/34 3,800 12,467 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers3,360,906 (Increase11.7%)
Domestic passengers2,702,307 (Increase21.8%)
International passengers658,599 (Increase58.1%)
Aircraft movements58,758 (Increase 39.9%)
Cargo (tonnes)80,000 (Increase 30.7%)(2024)
Sources: AIP Malaysia[1][2]

Senai International Airport (IATA: JHB, ICAO: WMKJ), formerly known as Sultan Ismail International Airport[3] or simply Sultan Ismail Airport,[4] is an international airport serving Johor Bahru District, Malaysia's second most populous district and other regions in southern Peninsular Malaysia. Located in Kulai of the Malaysian state of Johor, it is approximately 22 km northwest of the Johor Bahru city centre. The airport is adjacent to Sedenak Tech Park, the largest data centre hub in Malaysia.[5]

History

Senai airport interior

Plans for expanding the airport were announced in 1978.[6]

The federal government planned to upgrade the airport in 1990, costing RM 100 million.[7] It was approved in April 1990.[8]

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines' planned to reroute its international flights to the airport instead of Singapore Changi as it is cheaper.[7] The plan was approved in August 1991.[9]

In September 1990, Malaysia Airlines began adding direct flights from the airport to Kuala Terengganu attract tourists to Terengganu and Kelantan.[10]

In April 1992, Malaysia Airlines began weekly flights from Senai to Hong Kong, marking "a new era" for the airport.[11]

In 1993, Senai Airport was upgraded, costing RM 93 million. The upgrade works include expansions to the terminal and runway, and the construction of an aerobridge. The upgrade would enable the airport to carry more McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft than before,[12] with traffic increased to 100 flights weekly.[9]

A further expansion of the airport, costing RM 84.5 million, was completed in April 1998. The expansion enabled the airport to connect to more Asian cities.[4]

In 2019, Senai International Airport handled a total of 4,254,922 passengers and 15,010 tons of freight with a combination of 52,030 scheduled and non-scheduled commercial aircraft movements. Currently the terminal is being expanded to handle 5 million passengers by 2023.[13]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia Alor Setar,[14] Guangzhou,[15] Ho Chi Minh City,[15] Ipoh,[16] Kota Bharu,[14] Kota Kinabalu,[14] Kuala Lumpur–International,[14] Kuching,[14] Kunming,[17] Langkawi,[14] Sibu,[18] Tawau[14]
Batik Air Malaysia Bangkok–Don Mueang,[19] Kuala Lumpur–Subang,[20] Penang[21]
Firefly Kuala Lumpur–International,[22] Kuala Lumpur–Subang[22]
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International[22]
Indonesia AirAsia Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[15] Surabaya[15]
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang[23]

Statistics

PassengersYear01,000,0002,000,0003,000,0004,000,0005,000,00020082010201220142016201820202022PassengersAnnual passenger traffic
Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics[24]
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
20091,316,082SteadyN/ASteadyN/ASteady
20101,235,400Decrease 6.16,239Steady11,934Steady
20111,337,562Increase 8.35,438Decrease 12.815,167Increase 27.1
20121,376,383Increase 3.03,149Decrease 42.112,506Decrease 17.4
20131,989,979Increase 44.63,443Increase 9.337,998Increase 203.8
20142,325,816Increase 16.94,934Increase 43.342,976Increase 13.1
20152,581,966Increase 11.15,272Increase 6.941,892Decrease 2.5
20162,828,074Increase 12.16,245Increase 18.042,744Increase 2.0
20173,124,799Increase 10.57,614Increase 21.946,497Increase 3.0
20183,522,519Increase 12.79,691Increase 27.052,030Increase 12.0
20194,270,144Increase 21.214,694Increase 51.658,313Increase 12.1
20201,096,517Decrease 74.310,120Decrease 31.121,481Decrease 63.2
2021371,754Decrease 33.410,120Decrease 31.121,481Decrease 63.2
20222,144,036Increase 476.710,120Decrease 31.121,481Decrease 63.2
20233,010,000Increase 71.2310,120Decrease 31.142,000Increase 63.2
Source: Ministry of Transport[25]
Busiest domestic flights out of Senai International Airport by frequency as of September 2023
RankDestinationsFrequency (weekly)Airlines
1 Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur 76 AK, MH, OD
2 Penang, Pulau Pinang 29 AK, FY
3 Subang, Selangor 26 FY, OD
4 Kuching, Sarawak 21 AK
5 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 18 AK
6 Sibu, Sarawak 7 AK
7 Ipoh, Perak 7 AK
8 Langkawi, Kedah 4 AK
9 Alor Setar, Kedah 4 AK
10 Tawau, Sabah 4 AK
11 Kota Bharu, Kelantan 3 AK
12 Miri, Sarawak 3 AK
Busiest international flights out of Senai International Airport by frequency as of September 2023
RankDestinationsFrequency (weekly)Airlines
1 Jakarta–Soekarno Hatta, Indonesia 18 QZ, 8B
2 Bangkok–Don Mueang, Thailand 18 FD, OD
3 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 7 AK
4 Guangzhou, China 7 AK
5 Surabaya, Indonesia 4 QZ
6 Kunming, China 2 OD
7 Medina, Saudi Arabia 1 MH

Ground transportation

Senai International Airport is connected to PLUS Highway, Senai–Desaru Expressway and Second Link Expressway, which are directly linked to Port of Tanjung Pelepas, the 15th busiest port in the world.[26] The nearest train station is the Kulai railway station, connecting to the rest of Malaysia. Taxis are available outside the airport. Additionally, public and private buses are available to the Johor Bahru city centre with the option to transit to Singapore.[27]

Causeway Link also provides the commuters a shuttle bus route to JB Sentral.

Bus no.Destinations
AA1[28] JB Sentral

Senai Business Aviation Terminal (SBAT)

SATSSB also operates SBAT, a private aviation terminal located just beside the airport's main terminal building and sharing the same infrastructure. True to its name, SBAT features business facilities including meeting and conference rooms, and dining and private rest facilities.

Senai Airport Free Industrial Zone (SAFIZ)

SAFIZ forms part of Senai International Airport's total land area and operates as a free industrial zone with factories and distribution hubs for many multinational corporations, including Mercedes-Benz, Pokka, Dyson, Celestica and BMW.

See also

References

  1. "WMKJ – JOHOR BAHRU/SENAI INTERNATIONAL" (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 December 2013.
  2. "Senai International Airport : About Senai Airport : Facts at a Glance". Senaiairport.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  3. "Senai International Airport - Introduction". Senai International Airport.
  4. "Senai airport eyes regional traffic". The Straits Times. 14 February 1998.
  5. Aman, Azanis Shahila (6 May 2024). "Johor now the largest data centre market in Malaysia, driven by investments from MNCs: report | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  6. "Senai airport runway to be extended". The Straits Times. 7 March 1978. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  7. "'Re-route flights through Senai' call to MAS". The Straits Times. 4 August 1990. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  8. "KL okays $63.4m to expand airport in Johor". The Straits Times. 13 April 1990. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  9. "MAS 'yes' to using Senai as stopover point for global flights". The Straits Times. 7 August 1991. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  10. "Direct Kelantan and Trengganu flights to woo S'pore tourists". The Straits Times. 5 September 1990. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  11. "Direct JB-Hongkong flights mark new era for Senai airport". The Straits Times. 2 January 1992. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  12. "Johor airport upgrading to cost M$93m". Business Times (Singapore). 15 April 1992. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  13. "Statistic:Aviation". Ministry of Transport. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  14. "Airlines & Destinations".
  15. "AirAsia adds fourth international route from Johor Bahru".
  16. "AirAsia to start JB-Alor Setar, JB-Ipoh flights from Oct 1". 18 July 2018.
  17. "AirAsia strengthens southern hub with new Johor Bahru-Kunming route". AirAsia Newsroom. 11 November 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  18. "AirAsia adds 437 extra flights for Hari Raya | New Straits Times". 3 April 2019.
  19. "TOURISM MALAYSIA BOOSTS ASEAN TOURISM WITH BATIK AIR'S NEW BANGKOK-JOHOR BAHRU ROUTE". 1 December 2024.
  20. "Batik Air to launch nine new routes in December". The Edge Malaysia. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  21. "Batik Air starts daily Penang–Johor Bahru flights". New Straits Times. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  22. "Malaysia Aviation Group Accelerates Growth with New Routes, Added Frequencies and Elevated In-Flight Experience".
  23. "Bangkok, Thailand BKK". OAG Flight Guide Worldwide. 27 (2). Luton, United Kingdom: OAG Aviation Worldwide Limited: 109–113. August 2025. ISSN 1466-8718. OCLC 41608313.
  24. Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd
  25. "Malaysia Transportation Statistics 2020" (PDF). Ministry of Transport. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  26. "PM: PTP achieves extraordinary success at international stage". thesun.my. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  27. "By Bus".
  28. "AA1". 13 December 2019.