Semporna Airport is ready to receive scheduled commercial flights for any airline company. Tawau Airport manager Hasbi Mohd Said said, a closer inspection revealed that Semporna Airport could accommodate aviation operations according to its category.

Hasbi said while attending a flight trial with Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd from Tawau Airport, yesterday "Through a test flight conducted with Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd using the Nomad 9M-AUA type aircraft, it has been proven that the airport can start commercial operations at any time,".

He said Malaysia Airport Sdn Bhd (MASB) is a government-linked company (GLC) licensed for airport operations throughout Malaysia including this airport.

He added "MASB will try to meet the needs of airlines that want to operate at Semporna Airport including upgrading airport facilities and the runway,". Furthermore, MASB has just completed repairs to the airport which cost more than RM 100,000

He said "MASB will also undertake further refurbishment work from time to time before Sabah Air and other airlines make scheduled flights so that the safety and aviation aspects of the service are maintained,".

According to Utusan Borneo, Semporna Airport had not been in commercial aviation operations for the last 20 years since its last flight in 1999 by Malaysia Airlines.Also attending the test flight were MASB Engineering Unit Engineers Tawau Safari Saman, MASB Fire and Rescue Department Officer Mohd Farid Maulihasan and MASSE AVSEC Officer Tawau Rosienah Shik.