​Penang International Airport may only be the third busiest in the country in terms of overall passenger traffic, but it ranks second to Kuala Lumpur International Airport in terms of international passenger traffic passing through its terminal.
In 2013 data, the airport registered a total of 2.42 million international passengers out of the overall traffic of 5.48 million.
During the first quarter of this year, figures show that overall passenger traffic has grown substantially by more than 18% compared to last year's figure during the same period. If the growth rate is sustained during the rest of the year, there's no doubt that the airport will breach the 6 million mark in 2014.
The airport's single terminal is designed to handle an annual capacity of 5 million passengers, but if last year's as well as this year's first quarter traffic data are any indication, then it must be handling beyond its capacity already. Clearly, it needs a bigger terminal to meet the growing traffic in the years to come.
Penang International Airport is located in the state of Penang, the second smallest state in Malaysia. The Penang state is composed of two parts—Penang Island and Seberang Perai on the mainland. Penang Island straddles along the Straits of Malacca and is connected to the mainland by a 12-kilometer bridge.
The airport is situated in the southern tip of the island's Southwest District. It provides residents of Penang and neighboring states a convenient air access to domestic and international destinations. It has seen an impressive traffic growth over the last four years, by 65%. This was primarily due to the explosive growth of budget carriers in recent years that operate at the airport, foremost of which is the AirAsia group which contribute the bulk of the traffic.
George Town is the state capital which lies at the Northeast District of Penang island. Penang Island hosts to many beaches which are a magnet to many local and international tourists alike.
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