Transportation infrastructure: North Bali Airport remains an option
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Bisnis Indonesia - Infrastruktur transportasi: Opsi terbuka Bandara Bali Utara
22 November 2024
By Harian Noris Saputra
Bisnis, Mangapura – The State-owned Enterprises Ministry forecasts that the capacity of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali will be full between 2029 and 2030. Therefore, a new option on the Island of the Gods must be constructed in the next two or three years before the deadline.
State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir believes that Bali needs a new airport, as the capacity of Ngurah Rai International Airport will be full by 2030.
He revealed that the capacity of Ngurah Rai International Airport, which can accommodate a maximum of 23 million passengers per year, is forecasted to be full by 2029 or 2030.
Currently, passenger movement at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport average 24 million individuals per year, or 70,000 individuals per day.
Erick said that the development of a new airport in Bali has been considered by President Prabowo Subianto.
He added that the State-owned Enterprises Ministry is currently waiting for the decision of the central government and the regional government to determine the location.
However, Erick affirmed that to anticipate the condition, the construction of a new airport must commence in 2027, three years before Ngurah Rai Airport reaches full capacity.
“For 32 million passengers, Ngurah Rai Airport is still fine. However, for more than 32 million, we must think twice. President Prabowo considered alternative developments, but the capacity of 32 million is still sufficient until 2029-2030,” he said when visiting the pedestrian crossing bridge at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport on Thursday (21/11).
However, he is leaving the decision regarding the location of the new airport in Bali to the central government and the regional government.
“The central government and the regional government [will decide]. We will only cooperate, but it must be initiated by 2027,” he stated.
Regarding the plan to construct North Bali Airport, which is said to be initiated by the private sector, Erick claims that he does not know about the initiative, as it is not his jurisdiction to be a policy maker.
“I do not know. I am not a policy maker. However, they are welcome to proceed if the capacity reaches 32 million in 2029 or 2030. This means it must be constructed in 2027,” he explained.
According to him, Angkasa Pura is currently maximising its services to add more facilities to accommodate passenger movement.
Angkasa Pura has constructed a pedestrian crossing bridge at the domestic terminal to facilitate passenger movement to and from Ngurah Rai Airport.
Previously, a Chinese construction company, Chang Ye Construction Group, was said to be the main investor in the construction of North Bali International Airport after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT Bandara Internasional Bali Utara (BIBU) Panji Sakti on Friday (8/11).
BIBU Panji Sakti President Director, Erwanto Sad Adiatmoko Hariwibowo, explained that the Chinese construction company has committed to constructing North Bali Airport through the MoU signed at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing.
“The most important aspect is that the Chinese party agrees with us. So, we have signed an MoU at the embassy in Beijing, witnessed by the Ambassador, which means the State is present,” he explained.
Erwanto also mentioned that Chang Ye Construction Group is ready to invest US$3 billion, which equivalent to Rp50 trillion.
He added that this funding is a loan that will be repaid by PT BIBU.
He revealed that his company is targeting the construction of North Bali Airport to be completed by 2026 and to begin operations in 2027.
Christmas and New Year readiness
In other developments, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali is starting to prepare for a surge in passengers during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Angkasa Pura President Director Faik Fahmi explained that airport operations will be maximised during the Christmas and New Year holidays to operate for a full 24 hours, allowing aircraft to land and depart at any time.
He added that during the Christmas and New Year holidays, there will be many extra flights. In 2023, there were 605 extra flights at Ngurah Rai Airport. There is high demand for extra flights as Bali is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Indonesia.
“So, all our airports will operate for 24 hours. This will provide flexibility to fly at any hour. We will cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure that we can provide the best services during the holidays,” he explained on Thursday (21/11).
Besides that, he added that Angkasa Pura has also added more facilities at Ngurah Rai Airport. For example, entry paths have been increased from four lanes to six, and a new pedestrian crossing bridge has been constructed at the domestic terminal to facilitate passengers arriving and departing the terminal.
With these improvements, Fahmi believes that the Christmas and New Year traffic will be smooth at Ngurah Rai Airport. Therefore, the severe congestion on New Year’s Eve in 2023 will not be repeated.
Anticipation for the passenger surge has also been implemented at the international terminal. Acting Injourney Director Maya Watono explained that, during this Christmas and New Year period, tourists from India, China, and Australia will surge to Bali, similar to previous years.
Therefore, special facilities will also be prepared at the international terminal to facilitate the passenger movement.
“We know that traffic will also peak at the international terminal, especially due to tourists from India, China, and Australia, which are our top three origin countries. So, we have prepared special facilities for Christmas and New Year at both the international and domestic terminals,” Maya stated.
Erick Thohir added that passenger traffic during the Christmas and New Year holidays will be smooth if all parties, including users and policy makers, are aligned under the regulations regarding Christmas and New Year policies that have been issued by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs and the Transportation Minister. “If we each have our own agenda, there will be congestion everywhere. We hope all will be coordinated to avoid undesirables.”
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