Over the past few years, Myanmar has seen steady growth in visitor traffic. As the country is set to experience long-term growth in tourism, Yangon International Airport (YIA) is set to provide quality experiences and services for passengers and airlines.
Located at the Mingaladon township, 16km north of Yangon city’s downtown district, the airport currently serves 28 airlines, covering 24 international destinations and eight domestic airlines spanning 27 local destinations.
Have the right infrastructure in place
Completed ahead of schedule, and over a period of 23 months, Terminal 1 (T1) first opened its doors in March 2016, serving international airlines and destinations. Incorporating facilities, services and architecture of an international standard, T1 features a host of renowned retail and luxury brands, food and beverage dining options, and premium lounges.
Terminal 2 (T2), the original main international terminal of the airport, has been in operation since 2007. This terminal provided Yangon Aerodrome (YA) with its first experience as an airport operator, when it first took control in 2010.
In anticipation of the growth in air travel, Terminal 3 (T3) was built over a span of 15 months and was operational less than a year after the official opening of T1. Modelled closely after T1, T3 offers unparalleled connectivity to domestic destinations, and provides a safe and comfortable experience for all domestic travellers.
Continuous investment and improvement builds the future
Built for the shared future of YIA and YA, the airport is undergoing continuous investment for the upgrade and modernisation of its features. These include hardware and software additions and improvements, designed to maximise YIA’s overall efficiency and capacity.
YIA has also recently established its airport operations control centre. Using airport management software, the airport is able to automate various planning processes to boost productivity. These include real-time flight status tracking to optimise resources, having measurable key performance indicators through dashboard tracking and creating a single access point for flight data.
For the final phase of the airport’s modernisation, YIA will be stepping up its facilities with major works in anticipation of future demand. To allow travellers to seamlessly go between the international terminals, T1 and T2 are currently being connected; this feature will be operational from the second half of 2018. Plans are also under way for T2 to undergo more improvements in the near future, as well as the construction of a new VIP/CIP terminal.
YIA currently operates a single runway and is undergoing airside improvements, such as the widening of taxiways, extension of an apron and construction of rapid-exit taxiways. At the same time, landside improvements, including the expansion of ring roads and traffic lanes, are being implemented.
Managing with professionalism to continue furthering capacity
In recent years, YIA has welcomed a number of international airport professionals as part of its effort to achieve professional management standards. Working closely with the local teams, YIA is looking at ways to maximise its organisational and management efficiencies towards becoming a high-performance airport.
Moving forward, YIA targets a growth rate in line with Myanmar’s forecasted GDP growth of 7.2% for 2018, by way of World Bank Group’s estimates. Looking at growth trends across the three current international airports in the country – YIA, Naypyidaw Airport and Mandalay International Airport – YIA is well ahead of its handling capacity of 20 million passengers a year, which enables it to cater to the future needs of the coming decades.