Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport

Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport
Bandar Udara Internasional Sultan Iskandar Muda
Bandar Udara Antar Nanggroë Sultan Iskandar Muda
IATA: BTJICAO: WITT
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Government of Aceh Province
Operator PT Angkasa Pura II
Serves Banda Aceh
Location Blang Bintang, Aceh Besar
Opened 1943
Elevation AMSL 65 ft / 20 m
Coordinates 05°31′24″N 095°25′13″E / 5.52333°N 95.42028°E / 5.52333; 95.42028Coordinates: 05°31′24″N 095°25′13″E / 5.52333°N 95.42028°E / 5.52333; 95.42028
Website http://www.sultaniskandarmuda-airport.co.id/
Map


Sumatra region in Indonesia

BTJ
Location of airport in Sumatra
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17/35 9,843 3,000 Asphalt
Statistics (2011)
Passenger movements 705,719

Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport (Indonesian: Bandar Udara Internasional Sultan Iskandar Muda, Acehnese: Bandar Udara Antar Nanggroë Sultan Iskandar Muda), also called Banda Aceh International Airport (Indonesian: Bandar Udara Internasional Banda Aceh) (IATA: BTJ, ICAO: WITT) is the airport located 13,5 kilometres southeast of the capital of Aceh province, Banda Aceh. It is named after the twelfth sultan of Aceh, Iskandar Muda. This airport was formerly called Blangbintang Airport (Indonesian: Bandara Blangbintang), referred to its location in a subdistrict with same name. This airport is listed as the 23rd busiest airport in Indonesia.

After being hit by a devastating tsunami on 26 December 2004, the airport underwent renovation and a 3000-metre runway for wide-body jet liners was built. On 9 October 2011 the first Boeing 747-400 landed and took off successfully at the airport.[1] This airport can act as a place of refuge in case of natural disasters, such as tsunami. The airport was also used as a staging ground for international emergency aid in response to the tsunami in Aceh.

History

Garuda Indonesia Airbus A330–300 PK-GPG being pushback before take off to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport was built by the Japanese Government in 1943. At that time, the airport has a runway 1400 metres long and 30 metres wide in the form of the letter T from the South end lengthwise from east to west.

In 1953 the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport (at that time called Blang Bintang Airport) was reopened by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for the purpose of landing the plane. Runway used only runway stretching from South to North 1400 metres in length. The first plane to land after reopening was a DC-3 Dakota, and a few years later, the Convair 240.

In 1968, the airport has developed a runway extension to 1850 meters with a width of 45 metres, and an apron of 90 x 120 metres, so it could accommodate larger aircraft such as the Fokker F28.

In 1993 and 1994 the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport re-experience the developments related to the National MTQ be held in Banda Aceh, with a 2250 runway extension x 45 metres, which can accommodate aircraft DC-9 and B-737 and supported with the installation of a Radar which is located at Mount Linteung within approximately 14 km from the airport.

On 9 April 1994 the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport join the PT (Persero) Angkasa Pura II, based on the letter of the Minister of Finance No. 533/MK.016/1994 and the Minister of Transportation letter A. 278/AU.002/SKJ/1994.

The proposed change of name of the Blang Bintang Airport to Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport is:

  1. Letter legislatures Aceh Special Region No. 553.2/661 dated April 4, 1995
  2. Letter of Governor of Aceh Special Region No. 553.2/8424 dated 11 April 1995
  3. Decree of the Minister of Transportation No. 20 of 1995 dated May 11, 1995 about the name change of Blang Bintang Airport to be Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport.

In 1999, Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport resume development by adding a 2500 metre long runway to be able to accommodate the A330 aircraft, in order to serve the pilgrims departure in connection with the election of Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport as one of the embarkation/disembarkation pilgrimage.

On 19 May 2003, 458 Indonesian paratroopers landed near the airport as part of an offensive against Acehnese rebels.[2][3]

Recent development of this airport was in 2009 where the length of the runway again increased to 3000 metres with a width of 45 meters, the new terminal building replaces the old terminal building. This airport was inaugurated officially by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on August 20, 2009, when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono came to Aceh officially to open the fifth annual Aceh Cultural Week (Pekan Kebudayaan Aceh).

Airlines and destinations

A Garuda Indonesia aircraft being towed at Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport
Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 PK-GMK, ready for push and start on BTJ

The following destinations are served from the airport:

AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International
Batik Air Jakarta–Halim Perdanakusuma, Medan (Resumes 8 May 2016)
Citilink Medan[4]
Firefly Penang
Garuda Indonesia Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Jeddah,[5] Medan
Lion Air Batam, Jakarta–Soekarno–Hatta, Medan
Mid East Jet Hajj Charter: Jeddah
Susi Air Blang Pidie, Kutacane, Meulaboh, Simeulue
Wings Air Medan

Parking facilities

Traffic and statistics

Overall Operational Statistics
Year Passengers movements Aircraft movements Freight movements
2009
570,386
5,894
3,316,574
2010
876,202
9,008
4,478,524
2011
1,580,639
14,971
9,599,598
2012
1,831,821
17,557
10,684,310

Busiest International Flights Out of Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport by Frequency
RankDestinationsNumber of Flight Frequency per Week Airline(s)
1 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) 10 AirAsia
2 Malaysia Penang 7 Firefly

Busiest Domestic Flights Out of Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport by Frequency
RankDestinationsNumber of Flight Frequency per Week Airline(s)
1 Indonesia Medan 85 Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Wings Air
2 Indonesia Jakarta 51 Batik Air(Halim Perdana Kusama), Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air

Accidents and incidents

References

  1. "Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport worthy to serve wide-body aircraft". 9 October 2011.
  2. CBS article about Acehnese rebellion, dated 19 May 2003
  3. New York Times article about Acehnese rebellion, dated 20 May 2003
  4. "Asik, Mulai 3 Maret Citilink Terbang ke Banda Aceh". Harian Merdeka. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  5. "3 Mei, Garuda Akan Terbangi Banda Aceh-Jeddah". Indo-Aviation.com. Retrieved 21 April 2016.

External links


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