While still undergoing expansion, Ngurah Rai International Airport showed a significant increase in the number of incoming and outgoing flights and passengers throughout 2012. State-owned airport management company Angkasa Pura I Ngurah Rai recorded 113,562 incoming and outgoing flights, both domestic and international, in 2012. The figures showed a significant increase of over 9,000 additional flights compared to the 103,771 flights in 2011. Last year also saw 14.17 million passengers onboard those flights, 1.4 million more people than the 12.77 million passengers recorded in 2011.
“Both domestic and international flights recorded high surges,” Ngurah Rai airport public relations officer Sherly Yunita said on Monday. Last year, as many as 40,804 international flights (arrivals and departures) carrying 6.47 million passengers used the airport, while domestic travel accounted for a total of 72,758 flights with 7.7 million passengers onboard. Meanwhile, a total 147.47 million kilograms of international and domestic baggage passed through the airport in 2012, which was 9.94 million kilograms more than in 2011. Total cargo amounted to 70.32 million kilograms, or 235,789 kilograms more than in 2011.
The Rp 2 trillion (US$207 million) airport expansion megaproject, which is the central government’s main program, is expected to be complete by June, long before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in October. At present, the project has reached 60 percent completion. Ngurah Rai airport general manager Purwanto predicted that 2013 would see some 10 percent growth in airport services. “We will see at least 10 percent growth, maybe higher, with the numerous international events to be hosted here in 2013,” said Purwanto.
The Transportation Ministry’s air transportation director general, Herry Bakti, said that Ngurah Rai airport after the overhaul would be able to accommodate 20 million people. Estimating an even higher annual growth of 12 to 15 percent, Herry predicted that Bali would welcome that many flight passengers by 2017. “The current expansion could only accommodate up to 20 million people. With higher growth, within four or five years from now the airport will be reaching saturation point once again.
Nevertheless, due to land limitation, the airport will not be able to be expanded any further or an additional runway built,” said Herry. The cost of acquiring land around the airport compound would be prohibitive, while land reclamation of the nearby beach would be controversial and damaging to the environment. Badung Regent AA Gde Agung acknowledged that the airport expansion only covered terminals and supporting facilities.
“For large events, we really need to be prepared and perform good coordination with related agencies,” said Gde Agung, who is also the head of the infrastructure committee for the 2013 APEC Summit. Previously, during very large events, flights have been temporary diverted to nearby airports, like Juanda airport in Surabaya, East Java and at Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
source : bali daily
source : bali daily
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