"We plan to start the operation of IKN VVIP Airport in early August," the head of OIKN, Bambang Susantono, said during an online dialogue on Friday.
According to him, the airport is expected to support connectivity to IKN.
"We will see from the test, the commissioning, and others, to immediately comply with qualifications from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to support connectivity to IKN," he added.
The airport, which is located in Penajam sub-district, North Penajam Paser district, East Kalimantan, is a special airport used to support government activities at IKN and boost IKN’s connectivity. The VVIP airport is located 23 kilometers from IKN point zero and 120 kilometers from Balikpapan city.
The construction of the IKN Airport officially began after President Joko Widodo, along with the Minister of Transportation and several ministers from the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, carried out a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2023.
The airport can serve wide-bodied civil passenger aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300 ER and Airbus A380.
It is hoped that the construction of the airport will help improve economic and tourism growth in the East Kalimantan region, Susanto said.
The airport's construction is being carried out under a multi-year contract starting from the 2023 to 2024 budget year.
The construction of the land facility is being carried out by the Ministry of Transportation, while the construction of the air facility is being carried out by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing.
The design concept for the IKN Airport Terminal will have elements of local wisdom that highlight Kalimantan culture and still be modern, nature-oriented, and environmentally friendly.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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