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Bandar Seri Begawan / DPA
The Ministry of Communications is looking to use public-private partnership (PPP) to make the Brunei International Airport on par with the best in the world.
Interior refurbishment of the Brunei International Airport will need to be done to make it one of the best in the world,” Mustappa Sirat said at 12th Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting, in response to claims that the airport facilities are inadequate to meet the needs of modern travellers.
The minister said the Department of Civil Aviation will use the criteria and benchmarks set by the Sky Track World Airport Award to make the Brunei airport among the best in the world. The award is one of the largest customer-based awards in the airport industry.
Mustappa said the early stages of some facilities are being designed. These cilities include retail shops, food courts, a transit hotel and business centres. The minister said the government has so far spent BN$164 million (US$118 million) for the airport’s upgrade.
He said the ministry is conducting two projects — a runway rehabilitation project and the aviation revelatory advice project organised by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The two projects will cost approximately BN$114 million (US$182 million) over two years. The ministry is also looking at establishing a public transportation system which connects the airport to the city centre.
He said a smoking suite has been identified in the airport but he noted Brunei has laws and regulations that regulate smoking in public buildings and government under the Tobacco Act. He will still discuss with other agencies if the site can be exempted from this regulation as the airport has to cater to travellers who transit in the sultanate.