Margate City-Lhangi International Airport

Margate City International Airport, also known as Margate City-Lhangi International Airport and locally known as Lhangi International Airport (ACAO code: MCA) is the main international airport serving Margate City. The airport is the main international gateway of the islands, and has three terminals,and three runways, Runway 10R/28L (4km) Runway 10L/28R (4km), and Runway 12/30 (2.5km.). The airport is a main hub for Margate Airlines as well, and is located 12 miles east of the city center.

History
Margate City, a state of the MAI, on an island of only 700km2, was developing in the 1970s. As the industralization rate increased, so did the population. The city's original airport, Kachang Airport, only 5 km from the city, was heavily damaged during the war, and closed in 1955. A second airport, Laya Pebar International, opened the same year, but as air traffic swelled, the airport with only one terminal and one runway was handling traffic 4 times its capacity

The government had two options: expand the existing airport at Laya Pebar or build a new airport at another location. After extensive study, a decision was made in 1972 to keep the airport at Laya Pebar, as recommended by a Puffish aviation consultant. Plans were made for the building of a second runway and an extensive redevelopment and expansion to the passenger terminal building. A year later, however, the plans were reviewed again.

Concerned that the existing airport was located in an area with potential for urban growth, which would physically hem it in on all sides, the government subsequently decided in 1975 to build a new airport at the eastern tip of the island at Lhangi, at the existing site of Lhangi Air Base, where the new airport would be easily expandable through land reclamation

Phase One of the Masterplan was for a single 12-million capacity passenger terminal, cargo shipment terminal, a world-class maintenance depot as well as a four-kilometer long runway, all of it which were completed by 1984. Phase Two involved the building of a second passenger terminal, a VIP terminal, a second runway and a second cargo terminal by 2005, but it was finished several years beforehand in 1994.

By then, international and domestic traffic had increased, and although the two passenger terminals could handle 44 million a year, it was predicted air traffic numbers would hit that number by 2005, and a third terminal and a budget air terminal was proposed, along with a convention center, business park, and metro station. Plans stalled in 2000 as predicated passenger numbers fell due to a global economic crisis caused by the Antarctican Revolution, as well as a pandemic in 2003. The budget terminal plan was cut and Terminal One was upgraded to one which could better handle smaller aircraft. Terminal Three was completed in 2008 alongside the other facilities in the third phase

Facilities
The airport has three main teminals. Terminal 1 ,Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.

Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is the smallest terminal with 1 concouse of 20 gates. It used to be the terminal Margate Airlines operated out from, but now only domestic airlines operate from there. It has a few restaurants and shops.

Terminal 2
Termianl 2 is the International Terminal with 50 gates spread over 2 concourses. With many shops as well as many lounges, it is the biggest terminal.

Termianl 3
Terminal 3 is the hub terminal built specially for Margate Airlines. It has a MargateClub, a transit hotel, entertainment deck, mini mall and more. It has 40 gates.

Trivia

 * This airport is loosely based off of Changi Airport.