Inp.polri.go.id - IKN. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi to change the status of Nusantara Airport in the new capital, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN), from Very Very Important Person (VVIP) to a commercial airport.

“I have directed the Minister to expedite the conversion to a commercial airport,” he said during a press conference at Nusantara Airport in East Kalimantan on Tuesday (24/9/2024).

President Jokowi emphasized that changing the airport's status would benefit the surrounding community, allowing it to facilitate flights for hajj and umrah. 

“It should serve a wider range of passengers, not just VVIPs, but also those traveling for umrah, hajj, and flights to and from IKN,” he said, as quoted by antaranews.com

The initial capacity of Nusantara Airport is projected to reach 200,000 passengers by December 2024, with a long-term target of 7 million annual passengers once fully operational as a commercial airport.

Regarding the timeline for the airport's commercial operation, the President said that he would first sign a presidential regulation. He had previously signed Presidential Regulation No. 31 of 2023, which expedited the development and operation of the VVIP airport to support IKN.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)