Construction of new airports in 21 frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped regions evaluated
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Pembangunan bandara baru di 21 daerah 3T dievaluasi
19 January 2023
By: Amrozi Amenan
Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry will evaluate the plan to construct airports in 21 frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped (3T) regions as there are still many airports that are not yet active. Next, the utilisation of completed airports will be optimised.
“Regarding the new airports that are set [to be constructed] at 21 locations, I think that they must be evaluated as there are still several airports that have been built that are not operational. They are not even effective,” Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said at a work meeting with House of Representatives (DPR) Commission V on Wednesday (18/1/2023).
Besides that, Budi also said that the Transportation Ministry also lacked the budget to construct and finance various other activities. Hence, the construction of new airports must be reconsidered.
“Sometimes, on one hand, there are spendings that we can reconsider. There are several airports that we cancelled due to the limited budget, and we are concentrating on the first airports. We are being selective,” the Transportation Minister said.
“We are dropping [the construction of new airports] even though they have been planned. In the next two years, we cannot spend Rp600 billion at one location,” he added.
The Transportation Minister said that the optimisation of existing airports would continuously be carried out by cooperating with regional governments. That effort has been carried out, and it has produced results.
“We have implemented [that method] with Sudirman Airport by gathering local regents,” he said.
Meanwhile, DPR Commission V Member Suryadi Jaya Purnama also revealed that the construction of airports in 21 3T regions initiated by the Transportation Ministry must be evaluated. He revealed that there were still constructed airports that are not yet active, so the constructions are deemed ineffective.
However, he does not deny that the Transportation Ministry is lacking the budget required to construct and finance various programs. However, on the other hand, he also revealed that there was wasted budget, so an evaluation must be carried out.
DPR Commission V Chairperson Lasarus said that his agency agreed with the proposal to evaluate the plan to construct new airports.
“DPR agrees if the Transportation Ministry wants to evaluate and maximise the utilisation of existing airports,” he stated.
Recovery of airports serving pioneer flights
Previously, Air Transportation Directorate General of the Transportation Ministry was starting to focus on recovering airports that serve pioneer flights, following the recovery of the aviation sector through pioneer flights in fiscal year 2023 in 21 coordinator regions. The flights include 220 passenger routes and 41 cargo routes. Airlines that operate pioneer flights are PT Asi Pudjiastuti Aviation, PT Nasional Global Aviation, PT Asian One Air, PT Smart cakrawala Aviation, and PT Semuwa Aviasi Mandiri.
“This is real proof of the government’s contribution and commitment to air transportation to boost economic growth and regional development to realise state security and support price disparity reduction. The purpose of the pioneer flight program is to provide services to the people in 3TP (remote, outermost, undeveloped, and border) regions,” Air Transportation Director General Maria Kristi Endah Murni said some time ago.
Furthermore, Kristi said that her agency had signed pioneer flight contracts for 2023 with air transportation business entities to provide flight networks and routes as well as connect 3TP regions or regions that have yet to be served by other modes of transportation.
“We must be thankful that the program that benefits the people will continue in 2023,” she said.
The signing of the pioneer flight contracts shows that pioneer flights in 2023 can be carried out at the start of this year so that the benefits can be enjoyed by the people.
“I hope that flight operators that operate pioneer flights can carry out their obligations in line with the agreed conditions by always prioritising safety and security during flights,” she affirmed.
According to Kristi, pioneer flights in 2023 will start in Dabo Singkep Coordinator Region by operating subsidised pioneer passenger flights. The routes are Dabo-Batam (Round Trip) and Dabo-Jambi (Round Trip).
“During the signing, we have committed to operating pioneer flights at the start of 2023. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), Dabo Singkep Coordinator Area has started. Other coordinator regions will operate pioneer flights soon to benefit the people,” she said. There are 9 other routes operating in Dabo Singkep Coordinator Region, namely Dabo-Batam Round Trip 2x/week (Monday and Friday), Dabo Jambi Round Trip 1x/week (Monday), Dabo-Tanjung Pinang Round Trip 2x/week (Tuesday and Thursday), Tanjungpinang -Tambelan Round Trip 2x/week (Tuesday and Thursday), Dabo-Pekanbaru Round Trip 2x/week (Wednesday and Saturday), Dabo-TB Karimum Round Trip 1x/week (Wednesday), Tanjung Balai Karimun-Pekanbaru Round Trip 1x/week (Wednesday), Tanjung Pinang-Letung Round Trip 1x/week (Sunday), and Batam-Pasir Pangarain Round Trip 1x/week (Sunday).
Kristi affirmed that subsidised pioneer flights were a part of the government’s focus to improve connectivity and handle logistical issues in 3TP regions. So, the people will feel the government’s presence in fulfilling their needs and supporting logistical continuity.
Next, Juwata Tarakan Airport in North Kalimantan has 16 routes that serve regions in North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. The routes are part of the pioneer transportation cost subsidy program funded by the 2023 state budget (APBN).
“Pioneer air transportation is a focus and a role of the government to improve connectivity and handle logistical issues in 3TP areas,” Juwata Tarakan Airport Operator Unit Public Service Agency Acting Chairperson Ceppy Triono said on Tuesday (10/1/2023).
Pioneer flights in Juwata Airport have been served since 2014 with nine passenger flight routes. This year, the number of routes increased to 16 passenger pioneer routes and five cargo pioneer routes.
Moreover, the pioneer routes connect remote areas such as Long Bawan, Long Layu, Binuang, Long Sule, Long Ampung, Long Alango, and Long Pujungan to Malinau, Nunukan, Tarakan, and Tanjung Selor, which is the capital of North Kalimantan. Road access around North Kalimantan is still difficult as it is surrounded by forests.
Air transportation is the fast and safe choice of transportation. Besides that, cargo pioneer transportation can suppress the price disparity of basic needs between cities and remote areas by making distribution costs more affordable.
