International flights to be prioritized at Kulon Progo Airport

Yogyakarta (Antaranews Jogja) - The new Kulon Progo International Airport in Yogyakarta is set to be opened in April 2019.

Following the opening, PT Angkasa Pura-I will prioritize international flight services to and from the airport with wide-bodied aircraft.

"We are planning to prioritize international flights to and from the Kulon Progo International Airport, starting next year," Angkasa Pura-I President Director Faik Fahmi remarked at the Adi Sucipto Airport here on Wednesday.

Fahmi noted that international flights of wide-bodied aircraft from overseas to Yogyakarta are possible, as the runway built at the Kulon Progo Airport has a length of 3,250 meters and a width of 60 meters.

He stated that direct international flights to Yogyakarta will have a significant impact on the growth of tourist arrivals in Yogyakarta. In addition, it will have a positive impact on the shipment of cargo products from Yogyakarta and Central Java.

"So far, cargo always passes through the Soekarno-Hatta Airport or Denpasar, Bali. Later, delivery from Yogyakarta and Semarang can be directly made through the Kulon Progo International Airport, so that it will contribute to boosting the competitiveness of our exports," he pointed out.

Although it was estimated that work on the Kulon Progo airport would not be fully completed in April 2019, it targets to develop a runway measuring 3,250 meters in length, with the progress in apron development reaching 50 percent, and terminals, 35 to 40 percent.

He emphasized that Angkasa Pura-I has, until now, made an offer to several domestic and international airlines to operate flights at the Kulon Progo International Airport, and the outcome is quite interesting.