Government Plans To Revoke VVIP IKN Airport Status

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi revealed that the government plans to revoke the status of Nusantara Capital Airport (IKN), East Kalimantan as VVIP airport. That way the airport can be used by the general public.

However, Budi said the plan to revoke the airport status was still being negotiated with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"So, indeed in discussions with the President there is a discourse that we think that this is not only used for VIPs and VVIPs," he said when met in the Senayan area, Jakarta, Thursday, August 1.

In addition, he said, the government also needs to revise Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 31 of 2023 concerning the Acceleration of Construction and Operation of Very Very Important Airport Persons to change the status of the airport.

"Well, for that, we will certainly review the existing Presidential Decree. Now the current Presidential Decree is for VIPs," he explained.

Budi said the step to remove VVIP status was also intended so that the general public could use airport facilities. In this way, it is hoped that the economic value of the IKN airport can increase.

"(Revocation of VVIP status) so that what? So that one, the distribution of movement is more equitable. The second is also economically, utilization than the airport is maximized," said Budi.

According to Budi, this is also a good decision for all parties. In particular, he continued, the public uses flight services in the East Kalimantan area.

"One thing that is good in my opinion is that the airport has a maximum number of movements, and to increase the number of movements it is not limited to the interests of its activities," he said.