VVIP Airport Construction in IKN Delayed, Indonesian Independence Day Guests to Land in Balikpapan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Transportation plans to increase the flight schedule to Balikpapan to accommodate guests of the upcoming Indonesian Independence Day celebration in the new capital city of Nusantara, or IKN. This plan was conveyed following the delay of IKN’s VVIP Airport operation which was initially expected to commence in early August. 

"We plan to add extra flights approaching August 17, most likely on August 14. We have coordinated with the airlines,” said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya when met after the "Reflection & Notes: 10 Years of Jokowi's Government in the Fields of Construction, Infrastructure, and Investment" event on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at the Bank Mega Tower in South Jakarta.

The government has crafted two flight scenarios for the Independence Day celebration on August 17. VVIP guests will land at Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, while APT Pranoto Airport in Samarinda will be used as a backup.

Previously, Minister Budi Karya had confirmed that the new capital’s VVIP Airport would fail to operate on time by August 17. The airport construction has been delayed by continuous rainy weather in East Kalimantan. 

"There are less than 15 days so there’s no way we could finish the construction on schedule,” he said.

Although the weather is starting to improve, the construction of the VVIP airport is still unfinished. The operational target of this airport has also been postponed to the end of August. 

"We hope to finish the airport construction by the end of August," he said.

ERVANA TRIKARINAPUTRI

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