In 2023, Tawau Airport recorded 1,710,472 passenger movements, ranking as the 8th busiest airport in Malaysia.
Old Airport (1953-2001)
Old Terminal
In 1951, the British North Borneo government approved plans to construct an aerodrome in Tawau. The Tawau Airstrip opened in 1953, located on Jalan Utara (Northern Road), about 3.2 km from the town center.[3] The first flight took place on September 24, 1953, with Sabah Airways Limited operating twice-weekly flights from Sandakan using a de Havilland Dragon Rapide aircraft. By 1954, the route included an intermediate stop in Lahad Datu following the completion of the Lahad Datu airstrip.[4]
By the end of the 1950s, Borneo Airways served the airport with a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer aircraft, connecting Tawau to Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Jesselton.[5] In the early 1960s, in response to increased air travel demand, the runway was extended from 2,400 feet of coral to 4,500 feet of gravel, allowing daily scheduled flights to Jesselton with a Douglas DC-3 by August 1962.[6]
New Terminal
A new terminal, capable of accommodating regional aircraft such as the Fokker 27, was officially opened in 1968 by Malaysia's then Transport Minister, Tan Sri Haji Sardon. During this period, the route leading to the original terminal was renamed as Jalan Airport Lama (Old Airport Road), while the road leading to the compound of new terminal was named Jalan Airport Baru (New Airport Road).[7]
On September 15, 1995, Malaysia Airlines Flight 2133, operated by a Fokker 50 aircraft from Kota Kinabalu, landed approximately 500 meters (1,600 feet) short of the 1,700-meter (5,577 feet) runway at Tawau Airport. While attempting a go-around, the aircraft crashed into an informal settlement in Kampung Seri Menanti, resulting in 34 fatalities, including two crew members.[9]
Earlier incidents at the airport included a crash on March 20, 1995, when a Cessna Caravan cargo plane crashed into residential houses due to a failed take-off. Additionally, in October 2001, a Boeing 737 went off the runway, but fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
Planning and development for a new airport
A survey revealed that the old Tawau Airport possessed one of the shortest runways in Malaysia. This limitation necessitated either an extension of the existing runway or the construction of a new airport to safely accommodate larger aircraft.
In response to this need, the government announced plans to develop a new airport situated near the Balung area, approximately 4 km from the current Tawau Airport terminal building. The proposed location is about 30 km (19 mi) east of downtown Tawau along the Tawau - Lahad Datu Highway.
New Airport
Inauguration and initial progress
The new Tawau Airport began operations in December 2001. Direct flights to Kuala Lumpur were introduced in 2002, followed by services to Johor Bahru in 2006.[10] The airport was officially inaugurated by Malaysia's then Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik, in 2003.
With an annual capacity exceeding 1.4 million passengers, it is the second-largest airport in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu International Airport. In its first year of operation in 2002, the airport handled 495,462 passengers and recorded 6,928 aircraft movements.[1]
Facilities
Malaysia Airlines briefly operated A330-300 for its cargo operations in Tawau utilizing the airports gate 1 Jetway.
Tawau Airport features a 2,685-meter by 47-meter (8,809-foot by 154-foot) runway, designated as Runway 06/24, with Runway 24 equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS). The terminal building, which has one and a half stories, includes two aerobridges and can accommodate up to eight aircraft simultaneously.[11]
The parking lot has space for 500 vehicles. Additionally, a police station is situated across from the terminal. The upgraded facilities support night operations, a significant improvement over the limited capabilities of the previous airport.
Regional connectivity
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tawau Airport provided international flights to Tarakan, Indonesia and Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. These routes were operated by MASWings and RB Link, facilitating travel between Tawau and these locations. Additionally, AirAsia had initiated flights to Singapore in 2010 and to Kuching in 2018, but both routes were subsequently discontinued due to insufficient passenger demand at those times.
In 2019, Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia Group, announced plans for AirAsia to commence direct flights from Tawau to various cities in China, Korea, Japan and other ASEAN destinations by 2020. This expansion was motivated by Tawau's proximity to major ecotourism attractions such as Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Mabul, Sipadan Island, Maliau Basin and Danum Valley in southeast Sabah.[12]
Additionally, Assafal P. Alian, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah, proposed reinstating flights between Tawau and Makassar due to strong demand.[13] Furthermore, the Deputy for Infrastructure in Nunukan, Indonesia, requested a direct air link to Tawau, citing substantial passenger and cargo traffic, with around 30,000 passengers traveling between Nunukan and Tawau each months. [14]
In 2021, amid disruptions in supply chains caused by the pandemic, MASkargo began operating twice-weekly flights to Hong Kong. These flights utilized a converted Airbus A330-300 from Malaysia Airlines, which was specially configured for cargo operations. This service aimed to address the increased demand for air freight during this period.[15]
Expansion and capacity issues
One of Tawau Airport's two aerobridges, mainly used by Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air Malaysia
The airport was slated for expansion following a record of 1.64 million passengers in 2018, exceeding its original capacity of 1.4 million. With a 19.4% increase in passenger numbers that year, it ranked fourth in the country for passenger growth, behind Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and Penang International Airports.[16] By 2019, the number of passengers grew further to 1,833,540, marking an additional 11.8% increase.
The expansion project, initially anticipated to commence by late 2019, was designed to address the increasing passenger traffic and enhance the overall airport experience. This included upgrading facilities and enhancing the shopping experience. The primary goal of this project was to increase the airport's capacity to accommodate up to 2.5 million passengers annually.[16][17]
As of 2022, Tawau Airport continued to face capacity issues. Problems included insufficient immigration lanes, limited seating in the terminal, and inadequate aircraft bays during peak times, leading to congestion. Despite efforts by local politicians and Malaysian Airports to advocate for expansion, no plans had been approved by the Ministry of Transport. A 2019 study by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) revealed that the airport was operating at 130% of its capacity, driven by a surge in domestic travel and its role as the main gateway for tourists to Semporna, without corresponding capacity adjustments to accommodate the increased demand.[18]
In July 2023, Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB) allocated RM11 million for a facelift improvement program. This upgrade includes additional toilets, an enhanced check-in area, an expanded departure lounge, more retail spaces and the installation of additional air-conditioning in the hall.[19]
The Malaysian Government is also considering further expansion of Tawau Airport as part of the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, through its Rolling Plan (RP4). This proposed expansion aims to increase the terminal's passenger capacity from 1.5 million to 2.5 million annually.[20][21]
In October 2024, the Malaysian Government has approved the expansion project. An estimated budget of RM130mil has been allocated with construction set to begin in January 2025 and will conclude in the end of 2027.[22]
Route proposals and new international destinations
In 2023, the state Minister of Tourism, YB Datuk Christina Liew said there's also proposal to have charter flights from Seoul in South Korea and Shanghai in China to Tawau. This initiative was in response to the significant demand for such connections.[23][24] Previously, in June 2022, then-Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin suggested expanding direct flights between Changi Airport and Sabah's east coast towns, including Sandakan and Tawau, to Singapore's Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs, Sim Ann. This initiative aimed to enhance tourism by promoting attractions such as Pulau Sipadan and the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.[25]
On 23 January 2024, new overseas services were introduced, beginning with charter flights to Nanjing, which take approximately five hours, marking the first medium-haul flight to the east coast of Sabah.[29] This reestablished international connections at Tawau Airport, which previously operated international flights to Tarakan, Indonesia and Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, both of which were discontinued during the pandemic. In 2024, Tawau Airport hosts both chartered and scheduled flights to Chengdu–Tianfu, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Macau, operated by Firefly and Batik Air. Furthermore, in 2025, AirAsia is set to resume seasonal flights from Singapore to Tawau.[30]
On 18 April 2024, over 2,000 passengers were left stranded at Tawau Airport due to flight cancellations resulting from the volcanic eruption of Gunung Ruang in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.[34]
