Peeking Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Terengganu

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

In online searching before leaving for Kuala Terengganu, I never found the word “International” attached to its name. I just kept guessing that the airport I was going to was only a domestic airport which only served domestic flights.

Turned out I was only slightly right, but still horribly wrong in the end. Because this airport also provided international flights, although only for Hajj and Umrah purposes, i.e direct flights to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Now I was hovering over Kuala Nerus District. Terengganu River was seemed when Malaysia Airlines MH 1326 slowly lowered all its flaps on its two iron wings. That iron sheets slowly pushed the plane down towards the sole runway belonging to Sultan Mahmud Airport.

Gliding on the runway, I was presented with a view of a small yellowish building gracefully standing and showing off its distinctive style. The beautiful carvings at its wooden ornaments along airport’s wall seemed to take me to the gates of old sultanate era. Meanwhile, terraced roofs in airport corners add to its authority and classic impression.

Arrival Hall

The plane had done its job and came to a gentle stop in an apron which made from solid-uncoated concrete. The aerobridge line welcomed and provided a way for me and other passengers to enjoying the beauty of airport inside.

Malaysia Airlines 1326 in the apron.
Corridor leading to arrival hall.

Yellow….became the color of Malay majesty which was consistently exhibited. The waist-high wooden planks lining its walls made me feel like I wasn’t far from home. While the motive of three-color tile patterns made the atmosphere along arrival hall more lively.

Stepping into Domestic Arrival Council, the feel of Malaysian tourism was evident in advertisement wall throughout the room. Pictures which were familiar to my mind, beautifully displayed, the legendary Mining Boat which had been sailing for 90 years, Batu Burok Beach with its beautiful white sand and Traditional Trishaw which offered the beauty of a city tour made me impatient to be closer to downtown.

Malaysia’s tourism jargon also created an euphoria which always grew my longing for Malaysia. “Leave Malaysia” was a jargon for domestic tourism, “Malaysia Truly Asia” which was the marketing campaign of Ministry of Tourism and “Beautiful Terengganu” which was the last tourism slogan belonging to the State of Terengganu, seemed crowded to fill the arrival halls.

I arrived at Domestic Arrival Council after descending the escalator, in downstairs I found an unguarded tourism counter which allowed me to freely pick up Kuala Terengganu tourism brochures.

Like airports in general, of course this Arrival Hall was dominated by car rental counters, taxi ticket counters, souvenir shops and restaurants. There was also an ATM Area and Ticketing Counter on this floor. There were ticket counters belonging to Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia and Firefly.

While the public seating area utilized an empty space around airport poles with the presence of seats without a backrest.

Arrival Hall.
Vehicle lane in front of the arrival hall.
Sultan Mahmud Airport was so beautiful.

My intention to exploring the airport, whose its name was taken from the name of the 16th Sultan of Terengganu, made me in no hurry to leave. Now I had stepped out of the airport building to see beautiful facade of airport which was built to replace the old airport building thirteen years ago.

Crossing a lane lined with airport taxis, I began walking down a corridor with a typical Terengganu roof splitting a large parking lot. Finally at the end of corridor I could freely enjoy the beauty of this airport.

Departure Hall

To complete visitation, I stepped into Departure Hall upstairs. After all, the day after tomorrow I wouldn’t visit this airport again to go back to Kuala Lumpur. I prefered to take an interstate bus which of course offered cheaper ticket. I would buy it right away when I got to downtown later.

Using escalator, I arrived at top floor. Of course I just found a row of impenetrable check-in counters and screening-gates. I prefered to walk out of Departure Hall and enjoyed airport’s atmosphere from Drop-off Zone upstairs. Arriving outside, I found ancient cannons which were neatly arranged to decorate Departure Hall’s face.

This top floor drop-off zone was where I would wait for almost 45 minutes just to be able to enjoy airport bus service to downtown.

Parking lot seen from Departure Hall.
 Vehicle lane in front of Departure Hall.

The adventure at Sultan Mahmud Airport was completed.

Next Story—->

Sejenak Mengintip Bandar Udara Sultan Mahmud, Kuala Terengganu

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Dalam pencarian di dunia maya sebelum keberangkatan ke Kuala Terengganu, aku tak pernah menemukan sematan kata International pada namanya. Aku hanya terus menduga bahwa bandara yang akan kutuju ini hanyalah bandara domestik yang hanya melayani penerbangan dalam negeri.

Ternyata aku hanyalah sedikit benar, tetapi tetap saja salah besar pada ujungnya. Karena bandara ini juga menyediakan penerbangan internasional, walaupun hanya untuk keperluan haji dan umrah, yaitu penerbangan langsung menuju King Abdulaziz International Airport di Jeddah.

Kini aku melayang di atas Distrik Kuala Nerus. Sungai Terengganu nampak lamat ketika Malaysia Airlines MH 1326 perlahan menurunkan segenap flap di kedua sayap besinya. Lembaran-lembaran besi itu perlahan mendorong pesawat ke bawah menuju landas pacu tunggal milik Sultan Mahmud Airport.

Meluncur di atas landas pacu, aku disuguhkan pemandangan bangunan mungil berwarna kekuningan berdiri anggun memamerkan corak khas. Ukiran-ukiran indah pada lisplang dan ornamen kayu di sepanjang dinding bandara seakan membawaku ke pintu gerbang era kesultanan tempoe doeloe. Sedangkan atap-atap bertingkat pada pojok-pojok bandara menambah kewibawaan dan kesan klasik.

Arrival Hall

Pesawat paripurna sudah menyelesaikan tugasnya dan berhenti lembut di atas apron beralaskan beton kokoh tak berpelapis. Juluran aerobridge menyambut dan memberikan jalan untukku dan penumpang lain untuk menikmati keindahan bagian dalam bandara.

Malaysia Airlines 1326 di apron.
Koridor menuju arrival hall.

Kuning….menjadi warna keagungan Melayu yang konsisten dipamerkan. Papan kayu setinggi pinggang yang melapisi dinding membuatku serasa tak jauh dari rumah. Sementara permainan pola ubin tiga warna membuat suasana sepanjang lorong kedatangan lebih hidup.

Melangkah menuju Dewan Ketibaan Domestik, nuansa pariwisata Malaysia tampak nyata dalam iklan-iklan dinding di seantero ruangan. Gambar-gambar yang sudah familiar dibenakku, diperlihatkan dengan indahnya, Bot Penambang legendaris yang telah berlayar selama 90 tahun, Batu Burok Beach dengan keindahan pasir putihnya serta Traditional Trishaw yang menawarkan kindahan tur kota semakin membuatku tak sabaran saja berada untuk merapat ke tengah kota.

Jargon-jargon pariwisata Malaysia pun menimbulkan euforia yang selalu menumbuhkan rinduku pada Malaysia. “Cuti-Cuti Malaysia” menjadi jargon wisata domestik, “Malaysia Truly Asia” yang menjadi marketing campaign Kementrian Pariwisata dan “Beautiful Terengganu” yang menjadi slogan pariwisata terakhir milik Negara Bagian Terengganu, tampak ramai memenuhi lorong-lorong kedatangan.

Aku tiba di Dewan Ketibaan Domestik usai menuruni escalator, di lantai bawah aku menemukan konter pariwisata tak berpenjaga yang membuatku leluasa mengambil brosur-brosur pariwisata Kuala Terengganu.

Seperti bandara pada umumnya, tentu Balai Ketibaan ini di dominasi oleh konter-konter persewaan mobil, konter tiket taksi, toko souvenir dan restoran. Di lantai ini juga disediakan Area ATM dan Ticketing Counter. Tampak konter tiket milik Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia dan Firefly berada di sana.

Sementara area tempat duduk umum memanfaatkan ruang kosong di sekeliling tiang-tiang bandara dengan keberadaan tempat duduk tanpa sandaran.

Arrival Hall.
Jalur kendaraan di depan arrival hall.
Sultan Mahmud Airport yang begitu indah.

Naitku untuk mengeksplorasi bandara yang namanya diambil dari nama Sultan Terengganu ke-16 ini membuatku tak terburu-buru untuk meninggalkannya. Kini aku telah melangkah keluar dari bangunan bandara untuk melihat keindahan muka bandara yang dibangun untuk menggantikan bangunan bandara lama tiga belas tahun silam.

Menyeberangi  jalur yang dipenuhi taksi bandara, aku mulai menelusuri koridor dengan atap khas Terengganu membelah lahan parkir yang luas. Akhirnya di ujung koridor aku bisa leluasa menikmati keindahan bandara ini.

Departure Hall

Untuk menyempurnakan kunjungan, aku melangkah menuju Departure Hall di lantai atas. Toh, esok lusa aku tak akan mengunjungi bandara ini lagi demi menuju kembali ke Kuala Lumpur. Aku lebih memilih menaiki Bus Antar Negara Bagian yang tentu menawarkan tiket lebih murah. Aku akan langsung membelinya setiba di pusat kota nanti.

Menggunakan escalator, aku tiba di lantai atas. Tentu aku hanya menemukan sederetan konter check-in dan screening-gate yang tak mungkin ditembus. Aku lebih memilih berjalan keluar dari Departure Hall dan menikmati suasana bandara dari Drop-off Zone lantai atas. Setiba di luar, aku menemukan meriam-meriam kuno yang ditata apik menjadi penghias muka Departure Hall.

Drop-off zone lantai atas inilah yang nantinya menjadi tempatku menunggu selama hampir 45 menit untuk sekedar bisa menikmati jasa bus bandara menuju pusat kota.

Lapangan parkir dilihat dari Departure Hall.
Jalur kendaraan di depan Departure Hall.

Petualangan di Bandar Udara Sultan Mahmud pun rampung.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->