Arung Palakka Bone Airport Will Be Functioned Again, Serving ATR Aircraft Flights

Arung Palakka Airport in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi (DOC. Public Relations of the South Sulawesi Provincial Government)

BONE - The development of Arung Palakka Airport in Bone Regency is a concern of the South Sulawesi Provincial Government (Sulsel).

Arung Palakka Airport, which is located in Mappalo Ulaweng Village, Awangpon District, began to be built in stages in 2007. This airport only started operating in 2013.

This airport is expected to be the main gateway for air transportation for the four surrounding districts, namely Bone, Soppeng, Wajo, and Sinjai. This airport was briefly functioned, but its commercial flight service has stopped four years ago.

From a technical point of view, this airport is still ready to operate. South Sulawesi Provincial Government will develop it by improving access roads. Meanwhile, the central government will extend the runway from 1,200 meters to 1,600-1,700 meters.

Previously, the airport only served caravan aircraft, then the airport will serve ATR-72 type aircraft. Even further development can be based on Boeing-type aircraft.

"We are designing a connected South Sulawesi including Bone Airport, this is actually the most potential airport. If we look at the location, among all the airports, we can make Bone a hub," said South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah in Bone, Sunday, 14 February.

Nurdin went to Bone by helicopter from Makassar and landed at the airport that was formerly known as Mappalo Ulaweng Airport. Prof. NA will ask the Ministry of Transportation to extend the run-way to 2,100 meters.

"If it is 2,100 meters, Boeing can enter here," he said.

Later, the terminal will also be rebuilt. Nurdin said that the ticket subsidy program was provided for several flights in South Sulawesi, including later in Arung Palakka.

Governor of South Sulawesi Nurdin Abdullah at Arung Palakka Bone Airport (Doc. Public Relations of South Sulawesi Provincial Government)

The plan is for this airport to be connected with airports in Makassar, Selayar, Bira, Bua, Masamba and Toraja.

"If all of these are connected, we want this Bone to be connected to Palu, to Kalimantan, because Bone is very strategic. Moreover, the extension of the runway is not difficult. So now the airport is 60 hectares if further expansion is needed, God willing, we can help," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Regional Office of the Airport Authority (Kaotban) Region V Makassar, Baitul Ikhwan, said that this airport is operationally ready to operate both from the air and land. Although in four years it did not operate.

"However, based on the regulations regarding the provisions, we are always in a stand-by position, both in the position of personnel, completeness of the equipment, as well as operations which must be ready within 24 hours. Even though there is no flight, our position must be on stand-by," he explained.

The Ministry of Transportation's study from the demand side shows that this airport is quite promising both from the population and from the economy.

This airport will be developed in three stages. The first stage with a runway of 1,200 meters. The second stage is 1,600 meters and further development is in the third stage.

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Bone Regency Transportation Service, Andi Hidayat Pananrangi, said that the provincial government's support was the trigger for activating Arung Pallaka Airport.

This airport can be a supporting airport for Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, given the congestion conditions that can be diverted to Arung Pallaka Airport. Second, Bone's total population is the second-largest in South Sulawesi.

Also for the supporting districts that are closer. Like Sinjai, Soppeng, and Wajo. The people of Bone and the people of the surrounding districts do a lot of economic business outside Sulawesi. Such as Kalimantan, Java, Maluku, and Papua.

"With open access, it will facilitate their access," he hoped.

Meanwhile, from the tourism aspect, several tourist destinations in Bone can also be more easily enjoyed by tourists with the presence of this airport.

"Tourism is covered, both in Bone Regency or in the nearest regency. So that is the basis of his thoughts," he concluded.