Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Kertajati Airport in Majalengka District, West Java, is set to become operational in 2017, according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"I have given a target for the Kertajati Airport to become operational next year," the president stated while inspecting the construction site of the airport in Majalengka on Thursday.

President Jokowi expressed hope that the Kertajati airports physical construction, which had lasted for six years, would be completed as soon as possible, so that it becomes operational next year in order to improve the economy of the surrounding community.

Built on a 1.8 thousand-hectare plot of land, the airport will have a three thousand-meter-long runway after completion.

In the meantime, Transportation Minister Ignatius Jonan remarked that the airport will be able to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft such as Airbus A380 as it will have a runway measuring three thousand meters in length and 60 meters in width.

The minister has set a target that by no later than the start of 2018, the airport should become operational, with a passenger capacity of some 8-10 million per year in the first phase.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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