Angkasa Pura

President Jokowi inaugurated Depati Amir Airport, the Pride Icon of Pangkal Pinang City

Jakarta - Depati Amir Airport Terminal in Pangkalpinang managed by PT Angkasa Pura II was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo today, Thursday, March 14, 2019.

The Presidential plane landed at Depati Amir Airport at around 09.30 WIB after taking off from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.

The Head of State arrived at Depati Amir Airport using the Presidential plane, and went straight to the location of the signing of the inauguration inscription at the check-in area.

President Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, Coordinating Minister for Economy Darmin Nasution, Social Minister Agus Gimiwang, President Director of PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) Muhammad Awaluddin, and Governor of Bangka Belitung Islands Erzaldi Rosman Djohan. Conducted a visit and the Signing of the Inauguration of the Dipati Amir Airport in the Bangka Belitung Islands.

Depati Amir Airport, which is located in the Bangka Belitung Islands, currently has a capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year, this is very representative, but the passengers who come have reached 2 million passengers.

Due to the rapid and excellent passenger growth, the new passenger terminal will be built again on the south side by making airport capacity reach 3 million passengers per year. "Construction of the southern side is expected to be completed in 2020, with the addition of capacity to 3 million passengers. But I have also ordered to build the north side terminal, so that the total capacity will be 5 million passengers per year," said President Joko Widodo. The President said that the rate of growth of passengers and tourists must be anticipated by developing terminal facilities. so that the airport facilities properly trigger an increase in the number of tourists to the province. "Plus now here is the KEK (Special Economic Zone) of Tanjung Gunung, Tanjung Kelayang SEZ, and the others will be opened again, so there will be growth in passengers and tourists," he said. In addition to passengers whose economic growth is also growing rapidly which is a damoak from tourism, which currently has increased PAD to reach 300%, "added the Head of State.

Meanwhile, transportation minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that as stated by the President that this was a good plan in the next 5 years in anticipating an increase in passenger rates which continued to increase. AP II Managing Director Muhammad Awaluddin said the new Depati Amir Airport terminal had been operated since 2017 and had served the Bangka Belitung Islands community with high service standards. "We thank President Joko Widodo for inaugurating Depati Amir Airport. Of course this inauguration is an encouragement for AP II so that services can be maintained and even improved, "said Muhammad Awaluddin. The high service standards applied at Depati Amir Airport also received recognition from the global aviation industry, where the airport received 4 2018 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award held by Airport Council International (ACI) for categories of passenger traffic below 2 million passenger movements per year, namely "Best Airport by Size and Region", "Best Environment and Ambience by Size", "Best Customer Service by Size" and "Best Infrastructure and Facilitation by Size. Depati Amir Airport Terminal commenced operations on 11 January 2017 and became a new icon of Pangkalpinang city with a modern and magnificent design and promoting local wisdom. 

This two-floor terminal with a capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year was built with an investment of Rp. 649.7 billion in 2012-2018.

Not to stop there, AP II is now also starting a phase I terminal expansion project with an investment of Rp313.07 billion, which is targeted to be completed by 2020.

After the terminal is expanded, the capacity increases to 3 million passengers per year, then the garbarata becomes 3 garbarata.

The airport has 12 check-in counters, 3 departure gates and other supporting facilities such as executive lounges, disabled toilets, 2 self-check-in machines and prayer rooms.

In 2018, the number of passengers at Depati Amir Airport reached 2.17 million passengers, up by around 6% compared to 2017 with only 2.05 million passengers.

"After the inauguration this does not mean the development stopped. We are expanding the Depati Amir Airport terminal to be able to accommodate 3 million passengers, because currently traffic has reached around 2 million passengers. In the future, we are optimistic that there will be more flight routes in Pangkalpinang, "said Muhammad Awaluddin.

The domestic routes that are served by airlines at Depati Amir Airport are, among others, from and to Palembang, Jakarta, Batam, Bandung, and the closest is Tanjung Pandan in Belitung.

In the near future HAS Hanandjoeddin Airport in Tanjung Pandan, Belitung, the operation will be delivered from the Ministry of Transportation to the AP II with the Utilization Cooperation (KSP) Assets of State Property for 30 years.

"The amount of investment that has been prepared for the development of HAS Hanandjoeddin Airport for the next 30 years is estimated at Rp. 550 billion, including the expansion of the aircraft passenger terminal."

Especially for passenger terminals, the development will be carried out in 2019 to 2020 with an investment of around Rp 150 billion. The passenger terminal HAS Hanandjoeddin itself currently has an area of ​​3,552 square meters.

Muhammad Awaluddin said that with KSP, the government could save more on the APBN because investment funding for the development and operation of airports would come from AP II internal cash.