TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - East Java's Kediri Airport will commence its construction in April this year through government-to-business cooperation (KPBU) scheme between Angkasa Pura I (AP I) and Gudang Garam.

"It's already 98 percent," said Director General of Air Transportation, Polana Banguningsih Pramesti, after a meeting of Kediri Airport at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Central Jakarta, Thursday, January 16.

She said that the airport can accommodate around 1.5 million passengers in the first stage and the capacity will be increased in the next two stages. However, Polana ensured that no decision about whether or not it will be set as an international airport was made. "Well, because we have (Surabaya's) Juanda Airport."

AP I director, Faik Fahmi, said the discussion was still focused on determining the location that is currently hampered. There has yet to be the exact calculation for the investment needed to build the new airport. "We have yet to enter business or partnership aspect," he said.

Angkasa Pura I and Gudang Garam will continue the discussion after today's meeting. But Faik assured that the airport will be potential as an alternative for flights to East Java if the access to the new airport is built properly.

Meanwhile, CEO of Gudang Garam subsidiary Surya Dhoho Investama (SDI), Susanto Widyatmoko, said that his office earmarks Rp3 trillion fund for the airport. "But the discussion (of the investment) is still ongoing," he said.

Susanto said that his side has requested 50 years' concession and it is possible for an extension. He also predicted that the airport will be operational 2.5 years after the groundbreaking on April 16, 2020, or around October 2022.

Fajar Pebrianto