Expansion, Jember Airport to Become Hajj Embarkation Airport
14 August 2017 11:08 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Development of Notohadinegoro Airport located in Jember District, East Java will soon be a reality. This was confirmed directly by President Joko Widodo during his working visit to Jember Regency on Sunday, August 13, 2017.
"Jember Airport has been prepared, we will start in 2018. There will be an extension of the runway, and the terminal is enlarged," said President Joko Widodo after distributing 1725 Smart Cards Indonesia in SMP Negeri 7 Jember.
The expansion of the airport will be completed by 2019. In addition to the expansion, the airport will also be the airport embarkation of Hajj. "It will be completed in 2019. It will take two years," said the President.
Read: Garuda Prepares 14 Aircraft for Hajj Transport
With regard to costs, the Head of State declares that the central government has prepared the budget, so that the expansion of the airport, also known as Jember airport, will be completed soon.
"Yesterday, we delivered it to Ibu Bupati, the budget is central. There is no problem at all, we have checked everything. The budget is around Rp 300-450 billion," said the President.
Notohadinegoro Airport development is expected to accelerate the flow of human and goods traffic, as well as increase investment flows to Jember District and surrounding areas.
Notohadinegoro Airport first operated on 9 January 2005. However, commercial flights lasted only three months in 2008. Since then, airport operations have ceased. Even had functioned as a flight education school. The Government of Jember Regency in collaboration with Surabaya Juanda Flight (PPJ) operated the school. But the school with 55 students only lasted three months since it was in operation on 17 April 2012.
After no activity, the Notohadinegoro Airport area was left stranded. The runway used for wild motorcycle racing. Even the airport is also used as a place of grain drying by residents. While the grasslands around the runway are used as a place to release cattle to find food.
BISNIS