Ministry Of Transportation Set 17 International Airports, Here's The List

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) has cut the number of airports to international status, from 34 to 17 airports.

The purpose of this determination is to be able to encourage the national aviation sector, which had slumped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This stipulation is contained in the Decree of the Minister Number 31 of 2024 (KM 31:2004) concerning the Determination of International Airport on April 2, 2024.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation Adita Irawati said this decision had also been discussed with the relevant Ministries and Institutions under the coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

In the practice of organizing international airports in the world, said Adita, several countries have also adjusted the number of their international airports.

For example, India with a population of 1.42 billion only has 18 international airports. Meanwhile, the United States with a population of 399.9 million manages 18 international airports.

"KM 31/2004 was issued with the aim of protecting international flights after the pandemic by making the airport an international hub (coverage) in its own country," he said in an official statement, Friday, April 26.

Adita said that so far most international airports only serve international flights to certain countries and are not long-distance flights.

"So that international hubs are enjoyed by other countries," he said.

Based on data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation, of 34 international airports opened from 2015 to 2021, airports serving commercial flights scheduled overseas from / to various countries are Soekarno-Hatta-Jakarta, I Gusti Ngurah Rai-Bali, Juanda-Surabaya, Sultan Hasanuddin-Makassar, and Kualanamu-Medan.

Adita said several international airports only serve close-range flights from / to one or two countries.

Other international airports have only made international flights several times, some even do not have international flight services at all. The last two airport criteria have caused operations to be ineffective and efficient in their utilization," he explained.

The 17 airports designated as International Airports are as follows:

1. Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Aceh Besar, Aceh

2. Kualanamu Airport, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra

3. Minangkabau Airport, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra

4. Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport, Pekanbaru, Riau

5. Hang Nadim Airport, Banten, Riau Islands

6. Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten

7. Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, East Jakarta, DKI Jakarta

8. Kertajati Airport, Majalengka, West Java

9. Kulonprogo Airport, Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta Special Region

10. Juanda Airport, Sidoarjo, East Java

11. I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Badung, Bali

12. Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Airport, Central Lombok, NTB

13. Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan

14. Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Maros, South Sulawesi

15. Sam Ratulangi Airport, Manado, North Sulawesi

16. Sentani Airport, Jayapura, Papua

17. Komodo Airport, Labuan Bajo, NTT

Serve International Routes

Adita said, although 17 International Airports have been designated, airports whose use status as domestic airports can in principle still serve foreign flights for certain purposes temporarily.

This can be carried out after obtaining a stipulation by the Minister of Transportation in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number PM 40 of 2023 concerning Amendments to the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number PM 39 of 2019 concerning the National Airport Order, namely for certain activities including:

a. Statement;

b. International activities or events;

c. Hajj embarkation and debarkation, including Umrah;

d. Support national economic growth, such as the tourism and trade industry; or

e. Disaster management.

It should be noted that the general arrangement of airports, including international airports, will continue to be evaluated in a sustainable manner. So that the arrangement and operations of the airport will also be adjusted to the evolving situation and conditions," he explained.