Malaysia's government is to shut Kuala Lumpur's domestic airport at Subang to scheduled traffic next year in a bid to aid struggling Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Sepang. Northwest Airlines, meanwhile, is to become the sixth major carrier to cease operations to KLIA since the airport's 1998 opening.
National airports operator Malaysia Airports Holdings says Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport will close to scheduled traffic in April when a rail link opens between KLIA and the city centre.
KLIA opened in June 1998 as the country's main international gateway but has struggled as Aeroflot, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa and Qantas pulled out.
Northwest, the only US carrier operating to Kuala Lumpur, is to join the list in September at the end of the summer operating season.
The airline, which operates to Kuala Lumpur three times per week from Osaka, aims to codeshare on Malaysia Airlines flights later this year.
Subang airport was originally due to have closed after KLIA opened. The government agreed to keep it open for domestic flights after local airlines and passengers complained about travelling times and transport links to Sepang.
Source: Flight International
