The government of President Joko Widodo has managed to construct 25 new airports and revitalize 38 existing ones in a period between 2015 and 2023. Three of the latest airports inaugurated this year were Ewer Airport in Asmat Regency, South Papua Province; Siboru Airport in Fakfak Regency, West Papua Province; and Mentawai Airport in West Sumatra Province.
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has emphasized that the three airports were part of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) designed to free disadvantaged, outermost, remote and border areas from isolation.
Ewer Airport, completed in July 2023 after construction from 2018 to 2022, has spent Rp287 billion (about US$18.6 million) allocated from the state budget (APBN). Siboru Airport, inaugurated in November 2023, boasts a 4,600 square meter terminal capable of accommodating up to 153,945 passengers annually.
The revitalized Mentawai Airport, unveiled in October 2023, features an expanded runway suitable for larger aircraft, such as the ATR 72-600, in contrast to its previous capacity limited to smaller planes like the Cessna Grand Caravan.
Budi Karya expressed optimism about the airports’ positive impact in boosting tourism in the respective regions. “With improved accessibility, the flow of people and logistics is expected to be more efficient, ultimately stimulating the emergence of new economic hubs,” the minister said on Monday, Dec. 26, 2023.
