Head of Authority Reveals Lion Air Group Interested in Building 30-hectare MRO at IKN

Head of the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) Basuki Hadimuljono/PHOTO: Theresia Agatha-VOI 

NUSANTARA - PT Lion Mentari Airlines (Lion Air Group) will build a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Capital Nusantara (IKN) VVIP Airport, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, with a land area of 30 hectares (ha).

Head of the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) Basuki Hadimuljono revealed that the plan was contained in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which had been signed by the authority, the Land Bank and the Lion Air Group.

"Earlier, a MoU was signed between me, Bank Tanah and Lion. Lion wants to build an MRO here 30 hectares so that it can make training (flight) here," said Basuki in a media briefing at the IKN Authority office, East Kalimantan, Friday, August 14.

Basuki added that the Lion Air Group previously planned to build a training center in the IKN area. However, the plan was later developed into an MRO facility for aircraft maintenance.

"Lion Group wants to build a 30-hectare training center here. But, after they thought about the training center, they wanted to build the training equipment. So, MRO for maintenance like in Batam," he said.

His party then connected Lion Group with the Land Bank because the land around the VVIP IKN airport is an asset owned by the Land Bank Agency.

The location of the IKN VVIP airport is considered prospective because it has a runway of 3,000 meters long and 85 meters wide and can be used for wide-body jet aircraft.

"Yes, they see this airport as very promising because it is three kilometers (long runway), 85 meters wide, so it is for all wide-body jets," he said.

Apart from the construction of MRO, Basuki said, the IKN Authority has also communicated about the potential of the IKN VVIP Airport to be used as a Hajj and Umrah embarkation.

"I have also communicated with the Minister of Hajj that it can be used for umrah and hajj embarkation," said Basuki.

Basuki explained that the development of the IKN VVIP Airport into a commercial airport is still awaiting the issuance of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) to change the status of the airport from a special airport to a commercial airport.

"Insyaallah we just have to wait for the Presidential Decree to change VVIP, Special Airport, into a commercial airport," he concluded.