Lombok International Airport to open in 2010

By Barrie | September 9th, 2007 | No Comments

PT Angkasa Pura I is targeting to commence operations of a new international airport in Lombok, Bali’s near neighbor to the east, by 2010. To be built at an estimated cost of Rp. 665 billion (approximately US$72.3 million), the new airport for Lombok will be located in the central province of that island as Bali Discovery explains.

Construction on the new Lombok air gateway commenced in 2006 and is expected to be completed by 2009, with formal operations to commence the following year.

Funding for the new airport is coming from PT Angkasa Pura (77%), the Provincial Government of West Nusa Tenggara and (17%) and the Regional Government of Central Lombok (6%). The majority investor in the airport, PT Angkasa Pura, has funded their participation in the project through Rp. 115 billion (approximately US$12.5 million) in internal funding with the remaining Rp. 400 billion (approximately US$43.5 million) through borrowing.

The new airport will be located approximately 30 kilometers from the present Selaparang Airport. When completed, the new air gateway will have a main runway length of 2,750 meters, 650 meters longer than the present runway at Selaparang.

The new airport in Lombok is designed to handle 2.4 million visitors, an increase of 300% over the current facility which can only accommodate 800,000 passengers each year.