Minister Of Transportation Strives For Umrah Flights Next Year At Dhoho Airport, Kediri

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi revealed that he would seek Umrah flights starting next year at Dhoho Kediri Airport, in Kediri Regency, East Java.

This was conveyed by Budi when visiting the national strategic project (PSN) with the Regent of Kediri Hanindhito Himawan Pramana.

"We will start coordinating with the GACA (General Authority of Civil Aviation) or the Director General of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia. If this is approved by GACA, then at least we will open Umrah flights," he said in an official statement, Friday, July 14.

Not only that, Budi said, it will also open up opportunities to open Hajj flights next year at Dhoho Kediri Airport, in Kediri Regency, East Java.

For this reason, Budi also suggested adding facilities around airports such as hotels and other supporting facilities.

"We want to provide a qualification at this airport with complete facilities. We also ask for the support of the Kediri Regent to start socializing this airport and the plan to open Umrah flights," he said.

Furthermore, Budi explained, his party continues to discuss and coordinate intensively with PT Gudang Garam as the party that funds and builds Kediri Airport, so that the completion of the construction can be carried out in accordance with the target and the benefits can be immediately felt for the people in Kediri and its surroundings.

"Today I was traveling to see Kediri Airport from the air and I saw that the work was done very seriously, starting from water management, facilities, and so on. For that I express my appreciation to Gudang Garam, WIKA, and the Regent of Kediri and other parties who also support the construction of this airport," he said.

According to Budi, this anti-airport will provide competitiveness for the East Java region because it is located strategically and there are 7 surrounding districts.

"Especially with the construction of toll roads which are also national strategic projects in Kediri, this will become a center for new economic and tourism growth," said the Minister of Transportation.

Meanwhile, Kediri Regent Hanindhito Himawan Pramana said that his party is targeting that this airport can be used as an Umrah flight in the early stages.

"Because for Hajj flights, it is necessary to have the closest Hajj and Hospital dormitories required by GACA Saudi Arabia. But slowly and gradually we will do that," he said.

He hopes that by early 2024 this airport will be operational. He also highlighted several things that became a record, namely related to inter-regional connectivity.

"One of them is the Kertosono-Kediri and Tulungagung-Kediri toll roads which are still in the construction process," he said.

For your information, the presence of Kediri Airport will increase connectivity to and from Kediri and shorten the travel time. If you pass the land route, the travel time from Surabaya or Malang to Kediri takes about 3 hours.

However, if you use a plane for only about an hour and from Jakarta-Kediri it can take about 1.5 hours. With a runway or runway of 3,300 meters long, this airport can later be accommodated by any type of aircraft.

Kediri Airport is the first airport project with pure private financing The cooperation between the Government and Business Entities/PPPs with the private sector as the initiator).

The airport, which is targeted to start operating in 2024, is fully financed using private funds, namely PT Gudang Garam Tbk. through its subsidiary PT Surya Dhoho Investama.

Overall, the progress of the construction of Dhoho Airport has reached 94.31 percent, consisting of landside work of 75.78 percent, and cumulative land and air side airside work reaching 97.85 percent, with details of 100 percent landwork, and 74.60 percent airside work.