Commercial air transport in Brunei began in 1953, with the establishment of air service links connecting Bandar Seri Begawan with Anduki in the Belait District. Initial flights to Malaysia were made to accommodate travellers from Labuan, and Lutong in Sarawak. Airport services were operated from the Berakas area at an old runway site built by the Japanese during World War II. It was known then as the Brunei Airport. The growth in popularity of air travel in the 1970s resulted in a significant increase in civil aviation. Suddenly, the old airport was swamped with activity, operating beyond its capacity. This situation prompted the government to scout for a new site to build a modern airport. A new airport was constructed in Mukim Berakasin the Brunei-Muara District, because this location was easily accessible from all areas of the country. The airport became operational in 1974 and its runway was one of the longest runways in the far east. In 2008, it was announced that a study to review necessary expansions and modifications was completed, and a masterplan was written up soon after. The master plan consists of different phases, and Phase 1, which includes upgrading the existing passenger terminal building and the cargo terminal, is targeted to be completed by end of 2014. Phase 1A was already completed on 1 Oct 2013 with the opening of the new arrival hall. The capacity of the airport was to be increased to 3 million by end of 2014. After Phase 1 is completed, Phase 2 could be initiated in 2020, which includes the construction of a new terminal, which will be able to accommodate up to 8 million passengers. Currently, the runway is being upgraded to allow bigger aircraft such as Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 to land easily.
Facilities
The airport consists of an international terminal which can handle up to two million passengers, a cargo terminal with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of cargo, and a royal terminal where the sultan's flights are based. In 2005, Brunei International Airport handled 1.3 million passengers.
Airlines and destinations
Statistics
Access
The airport is located approximately 10 minutes from the centre of the capital. There are regular taxi services to and from the airport. There are also regular public bus services which go around the capital.
