Lutong Airport

Redundancy and consolidation of air services. The airport was a private airstrip operated by Shell. With the significant expansion and modernization of the nearby public Miri Airport (IATA: MYY, ICAO: WBGR), which opened a new terminal in 2005, the private Lutong airstrip became obsolete. Operations were consolidated at the larger, more capable Miri Airport, which could handle both commercial traffic and Shell's specific operational needs more efficiently.

The airport is permanently closed and the site has been completely repurposed. In 2014, the land, which was handed over by Shell to the Sarawak State Government, was officially gazetted as the Piasau Nature Reserve. The former runway's asphalt has been partially removed, but its distinct long, straight outline is still perfectly visible and now serves as a central feature of the park, used as a popular walking, jogging, and cycling path for the public. The area is a successful urban conservation project, particularly famous for being a protected habitat for the Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Lutong Airport was the original airstrip for the Miri region, built and operated by Sarawak Shell Berhad (SSB). Its primary and crucial role was to support the oil and gas industry, which is the foundation of Miri's economy. The airport handled the transport of personnel, executives, and essential equipment to and from offshore oil platforms, remote inland exploration sites, and other company facilities. It was a vital logistical hub for Shell's operations for decades, primarily handling helicopters and STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft like the de Havilland Twin Otter, which were suitable for the short runway and missions to remote locations.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land is now a legally protected nature reserve and a valued public recreational area. Its function as an airport has been entirely and permanently superseded by the modern Miri Airport, which is located just a few kilometers to the south and serves the region's aviation needs.