The Ministry Of PUPR Calls Large Aircraft Can't Land At IKN VVIP Airport

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Endra S Atmawidjaja. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - VVIP Airport in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN) will certainly be functional on August 17, 2024 or during the 17th Ceremony.

Given, currently the airport is still in the construction stage.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Endra S Atmawidjaja said the airport may not be ready to be based on Boeing aircraft or large-bodied aircraft.

Thus, it is possible that if there is a Boeing plane, it will be diverted to the nearest airport of IKN, namely in Balikpapan.

"It can (functional airport), depending on the size (of the plane). Some are big or small. If you want to use a Boeing or large one, yes, you can't (landed)," said Endra when met at his office, Friday, July 12.

Currently, IKN Airport is being built with an area of 347 hectares and is equipped with a VVIP room and VIP covering an area of 7,352 square meters and the target is to accommodate three aircraft.

The design of IKN Airport has a runway length of 3,000 x 45 meters which was built by the Center for National Road Implementation (BBPJN) of East Kalimantan, Directorate General of Highways, Ministry of PUPR.

However, at the time of the new runway function it can be used along 2,200 meters (m).

Other infrastructure supports are the construction of the 470 meter Apron out of a total area of 102,150 square meters and a 290 meter long taxiway with a budget of IDR 4.3 trillion.

"The current plane (Airbus) he (President Jokowi) can use. For big ones, for example from the UAE (Saudi Arabia) the planes are big, yes, then the United States cannot," he concluded.

Previously, the Head of the IKN Infrastructure Development Task Force at the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Danis Sumadilaga said that currently the construction of the VVIP Airport runway at IKN continues to progress.

However, there is one obstacle in the construction of the project.

Danis said the weather problem had hampered because the IKN area was being hit by heavy rains recently.

"We are holding a modification of the weather from yesterday. The time of the airport was before paving or during the asphalting process it should not be disturbed by rain. (That's why) we continue to try to modify the weather so that it is not disturbed," he said.

He said that his party had two targets for the completion of the VVIP airport at IKN. First, the completion of the runway is complete until the end of 2024 which has reached 40 percent.

Then, the second target is functional 2,200 m in order to welcome the Indonesian Independence Day at IKN, which is around 60 percent progress.