Kota Kinabalu, MalaysiaSmoking policy at Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking and vaping outside designated zones is a violation of Malaysia's Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852). Fines can reach RM250 or more for smoking in non-designated areas. Health department officers conduct spot checks at Malaysian airports. Vaping is subject to the same restrictions as smoking.
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) operates under Malaysia's Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which came into force on October 1, 2024. Smoking is only permitted in a small number of officially gazetted designated zones, and is strictly prohibited everywhere else in the terminal, including at gates, in restaurants, retail outlets, and toilets.
Before Security
The sources do not specifically describe a landside (before security) smoking area at BKI. Under Malaysia's Act 852, the entire airport building and its surrounding area within the land boundary is a non-smoking zone by default, with only the gazetted exceptions permitted. If you need to smoke before checking in, your safest option is to ask airport staff on arrival, as an outdoor curbside area at least 3 metres from any building line may be usable, but this is not confirmed in the available sources.
After Security
The officially gazetted smoking locations at BKI, as listed in Malaysia's government gazette under Act 852, are:
Smoking Zone No. 1 and 2, Level 3, Domestic Departure - two designated zones on the domestic departure floor
Smoking Zone No. 3, 4 and 5, Level 1, Arrival - three designated zones on the arrivals level
Smoking Room, Level 3, International Arrival - an enclosed smoking room on the international arrivals floor at Level 3
These are the only locations where smoking is legally permitted inside the airport. No lounge-based smoking rooms are mentioned for BKI in the available sources.
Vaping Rules
Vaping is covered by the same Act 852 restrictions as smoking. Do not vape anywhere outside the gazetted smoking zones. The penalty for smoking or vaping in a non-designated area can reach RM250 or more under Malaysian law, and health department officers do conduct spot checks at Malaysian airports.
Transit and Layovers
If you are transiting through BKI, the smoking zones on Level 3 (Domestic Departure and International Arrival) are your most likely options depending on your routing. Allow extra time to locate these areas, as signage quality at Malaysian regional airports can vary.
Bottom Line
BKI has a small number of officially gazetted smoking zones spread across the domestic departure and arrivals levels. Stick to the designated areas only, as fines are enforced under Malaysian law.
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