KUANTAN: The 'green light' to lengthen the existing airstrip in Kampung Tekek on Pulau Tioman, will allow the 72-seater Aerei da Trasporto Regionale (ATR) turboprop aircrafts to take off and land on the duty-free island.
Tioman Development Authority general manager Datuk Idros Yahya described Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's announcement to extend the existing runway and improve passenger facilities at the airport as a much-awaited news for tourism industry players, holidaymakers and the local community.
"The 2024 budget announcement today is certainly a win-win situation following the decision to scrap plans for a new airport due to environmental concerns several moths ago. Now, plans to upgrade the airport for bigger aircrafts will finally become a reality.
"The move to lengthen the current 913m airstrip in Kampung Tekek to 1.3km will allow ATR aircrafts to land. Most commercial carriers operate the ATR aircrafts so they can service the Tioman route," he said when contacted today.
When tabling the 2024 budget earlier, Anwar announced RM47 million would be set aside to improve passenger facilities at the Pulau Tioman airport terminal and extend the existing runway to 1,300m.
Idros also said the arrival of bigger aircrafts on the island would boost tourist arrivals especially from the neighbouring countries including Singapore and Indonesia.
The Tioman airstrip caters for smaller aircrafts from Berjaya Air, Pelangi Airways, SKS Airways and several other private companies.
Several proposal to realign the airport's existing airstrip had never materialised and plans to build a new airport on the island was twice cancelled back in 2009 and 2023.
Last month, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail proposed to extend the runway, with an additional 500m, to accommodate larger-sized aircraft on the island.
Currently, only SKS Airways 19-seater turboprop DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft operates from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang to the island.