Komodo International Airport
{{Short description|Airport in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Komodo International Airport
| nativename = {{lang|id|Bandar Udara Internasional Komodo}}
| nativename-r =
| image = Komodoairportlogo.png
| image-width = 200px
| image2 = Komodoairport1.jpg
| image2-width = 270px
| caption =
| IATA = LBJ
| ICAO = WATO
| type = Public
| owner = Government of Indonesia
| operator = {{ubl|class=nowrap
| PT Cardig Aero Services
| Changi Airport International Pte Ltd
| city-served = Labuan Bajo, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
| location =
| elevation-f = 228
| elevation-m =
| timezone = WITA
| utc = UTC+08:00
| coordinates = {{coord|08|29|12|S|119|53|21|E|region:ID-NT|display=it}}
| pushpin_map = Indonesia Flores
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Flores
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_label = LBJ/WATO
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_mark =
| pushpin_marksize =
| r1-number = 17/35
| r1-length-f =
| r1-length-m = 2,650
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| metric-rwy = yes
| footnotes = Sources: Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation,{{cite web | url = http://hubud.dephub.go.id/?en+info_bandara+detail+112 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721121821/http://hubud.dephub.go.id/?en+info_bandara+detail+112 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 21 July 2011 | title = Komodo | publisher = Directorate General of Civil Aviation | access-date = 17 March 2010 }} DAFIF{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130217014655/http://www.worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=WATO Airport information for WATO]}} from DAFIF (effective October 2006){{GCM|LBJ|source=DAFIF}}
}}
Komodo International Airport {{airport codes|LBJ|WATO}} is an airport near the town of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. The airport's name comes from Labuan Bajo's status as a departure point for tours to the nearby Komodo National Park, home of the Komodo dragon.
It was formerly known as Mutiara II Airport, not to be confused with Mutiara Airport located near the city of Palu in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province. In September 2013, the first Boeing 737-800 landed and took off successfully.
On 2 April 2024, the Ministry of Transportation granted international airport status to Komodo International Airport.
Facilities
File:Komodo Airport Interior.jpg
File:Komodo Airport Baggage Claim.jpg
On 27 December 2015, President Joko Widodo inaugurated a new modern terminal at the airport. The larger terminal could provide passenger services for up to 1.5 million passengers per year, compared with the capacity of the old terminal of around 150,000 passengers per annum. The new infrastructure was thus expected to encourage a marked increase in the number of tourists coming to the island of Flores and its surroundings.
The airport is at an elevation of {{convert|67|ft|0}} above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring {{convert|1650|x|30|m|0}}.
In addition, the foundation also extended runway with a length of 2,250 meters and a width of 45 meters which can accommodate aircraft jet medium class such as the Airbus A320, Boeing 737-800, and Boeing 737-900ER. Previously the airport was only able to accommodate smaller aircraft such as the ATR 72 propeller aircraft.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eturbonews.com/36070/new-expanded-labuan-bajo-komodo-airport-ready-sail-komodo|title = Global News}}
It is estimated that 16 aircraft can land and take off each day with the expansion of the runway. In the future this service will also be sought to operate 24 hours.
Expansion
Indonesia's publicly listed PT Cardig Aero Service (CAS Group) air transportation service company and Changi Airports International (CAI), a subsidiary of Singapore's Changi Airport Group – had won the public-private partnership (PPP) tender for the Komodo Airport expansion project, which has an estimated investment value of Rp 1.2 trillion (US$85.82 million). The airport will be operated by the consortium for 25 years and then handed it to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Transportation Ministry.
File:Komodo garuda.jpg CRJ 1000 Bombardier at Komodo International Airport]]
The airport is expected to accommodate up to 4 million passengers per year. The runway will also be extended from 2,250 meters to 2,750 meters, while the apron area is expanded to 20,200 square meters. The domestic terminal will be expanded to 6,500 square meters, and an international terminal will be built with an area of 5,538 square meters with several other supporting facilities.{{cite news|url=https://en.tempo.co/read/1297228/labuan-bajos-komodo-airport-requires-rp1-2-trillion-investment|title=Labuan Bajo's Komodo Airport Requires Rp1.2 Trillion Investment|newspaper=Tempo|access-date=20 January 2020}}
Airlines and destinations
= Passenger =
{{Airport-dest-list
| AirAsia | Kuala Lumpur–International{{Cite web|title=Bandara Internasional Komodo Akan Layani Rute Kuala Lumpur-Labuan Bajo pada September 2024|url=https://travel.kompas.com/read/2024/06/12/160400127/bandara-internasional-komodo-akan-layani-rute-kuala-lumpur-labuan-bajo-pada|access-date=2024-06-26|website=Kompas|lang=Indonesian}}
| Batik Air| Denpasar, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta
| Citilink | Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta
| Garuda Indonesia| Denpasar, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta{{Cite web|title=Garuda Indonesia expands domestic network from Sep 2016|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/268720/garuda-indonesia-expands-domestic-network-from-sep-2016/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Routesonline|language=en-GB}}
| Indonesia AirAsia | Denpasar, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta{{cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230503-qzcgkmay23|title=INDONESIA AIRASIA MAY/JUNE 2023 NETWORK EXPANSION|work=Aeroroutes|access-date=3 May 2023}}
| Jetstar Asia | Singapore{{cite web |title=Jetstar launching non-stop Singapore – Komodo flights|url=https://mainlymiles.com/2025/01/09/jetstar-launching-non-stop-singapore-komodo-flights/|website=mainlymiles|date=9 January 2025}}
| Lion Air | Makassar (begins 28 April 2025)
| Wings Air | Bajawa, Ende, Kupang,{{efn|Kupang is continuation of Bajawa and Ende flights as the same flight number}} Maumere
}}
{{notelist}}
Incidents
On September 14, 2011, an Aviastar aircraft hit a group of cows upon landing at Komodo Airport slightly damaging the forward part of the aircraft. Airport officers on motorcycles had attempted to drive the cows away before the aircraft landed.{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/09/16/island-focus-plane-hits-cows-komodo-airport.html |title=Island in focus: Plane hits cows at Komodo airport |date=September 16, 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://indonesiaairport.com/provinces/lesser_sunda_islands/komodo_airport.htm Komodo Airport - Indonesia Airport Global Website]
- {{Commons category-inline|Komodo Airport}}
- {{ASN|LBJ}}
{{Airports in Indonesia}}
{{authority control}}