Congestion at KKIA caused by curbside parking

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KOTA KINABALU: Motorists’ preference for parking and waiting for passengers along the curbside at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) arrival hall level contributes to the congestion there.

Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB) senior airport manager Sunif Naiman noted the KKIA congestion issue, which often occurs during the rainy and again in the festive seasons, had surfaced in the newspapers in the past.

“Again here it is because of the attitude of the driver or could be the meeters and greeters. We have asked them to go to the proper parking but they prefer to wait in the car,” he revealed, adding that congestion could spill out to the main road previously.

“We appeal, make use of our open car parking area, at Terminal 2 which only has 142 parking lots compared to Terminal 1, which has 1,400. There is ample time for them to put their cars at the parking space,” Sunif added during the company’s media briefing held at the airport here yesterday.

He disclosed that police traffic records had shown that 2,146 fines had been issued between January 1 and May 24 this year.

In addition, 17 had been given out to motorists who refused to move and park their vehicles at the airport parking space during the same period of time.

He said MASB in KKIA was working majorly with the traffic police and Kota Kinabalu City Hall as well as the Road Transport Department, among others to manage the congestion at KKIA thus far.

“I have been informed that two traffic policemen are placed on the departure and arrival hall each. So be careful where you park your cars,” he told The Borneo Post at the breaking of fast ceremony with the media afterwards.

However, Sunif maintained that due to having more lanes there, the traffic flow at the Terminal 1 curbside was less congested compared to Terminal 2 during peak hours.