Kualanamu Airport Trial Starts Today
6 July 2013 14:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The state airport management PT Angkasa Pura II said that the newly built Kualanamu airport will be tested today. "(The trial will be done) by involving 1,700 people," said Kristanto, Head of PT Angkasa Pura II Public Relations Division at Grand Elite Hotel, Medan, on Saturday, July 6, 2013.
Kristanto explained that the trial will be commenced by a simulation that simulates eight planes ready to take off. He added that the airport's soft operation will be launched on July 25, 2013. On that same day, Polonia Airport will also be shut down.
"Polonia Airport will be handed over to the Air Force," said Kristanto. The airport covers an area of 144 hectares while the new Kualanamu Airport is built on an area of 1,365 hectares. Every year, Polonia Airport accommodates 900 thousand passengers.
Meanwhile, Kualanamu airport is expected to accommodate 8.1 million passengers per year at the first stage and 15 million passengers per year at the second stage and 22.18 million passengers per year at the 'ultimate' development stage of the airport.
Polonia Airport currently accommodates 21 airplanes, consisting of eleven Boeing 747-400 planes, seven 737 Boeing planes and three A300 Airbus planes.
MARIA YUNIAR
