Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir, has suggested that there could be a new airport in Bali by 2027.
This development would be necessary if the annual passenger count at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport surpasses 32 million.
According to Bali News, Erick explained that current capacity is able to accommodate up to 32 million passengers until 2029 or 2030. However if the number of passengers has exceeded this capacity, then the construction of a new airport must begin immediately in 2027.
“The capacity of 32 million passengers is sufficient until 2029-2030. Therefore, if a new airport is needed, its construction must begin by 2027,” said Erick at Ngurah Rai Airport on Thursday, November 21, 2024). “We must not delay our decision. If we wait until 2029 when the passengers have already reached maximum capacity, it will be difficult to meet the demand,” Erick added.
One of the locations that is being considered for the construction of a new airport is North Bali. However, this option has received mixed reactions in the community, both pro and con.
Erick emphasized that the decision regarding the location of the new airport is entirely in the hands of the government.
Challenges to Build Bali New Airport
This new airport is planned to support transportation access to various tourist destinations in Bali, considering that the number of passengers entering Bali can reach 70 thousand people every day.
Erick also suggested that a decision regarding the construction of this airport be taken immediately, because if it is postponed until 2029 and the number of passengers has reached its maximum capacity, it will be very difficult to meet these needs.
The plan to build North Bali Airport has actually appeared since 2015, during the leadership of Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika. However, this plan has not been realized due to land disputes with local residents.
In fact, in July 2022, President Jokowi removed North Bali Airport plan from the list of National Strategic Projects, which added to the challenges in the realization of the construction of this new airport.
CNN Indonesia reports that the construction of the domestic terminal area at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has been completed.
The construction includes a pedestrian crossing bridge from the domestic terminal aisle to the car parking area, which is expected to improve the comfort of passengers.
Erick added that larger development is not always the best solution. According to him, often the main key is to optimize existing facilities, not just build larger ones.
In this case, the concept is to further maximize the existing potential, without having to build new, larger facilities.
Erick also expressed his hope to evaluate all airport development projects in Indonesia to be more efficient. He emphasized the importance of reviewing ongoing projects, including those in Bali.
One concrete example discussed is how Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, which currently has a capacity of 24 million passengers per year, can be increased to a capacity of 32 million without having to build a new, larger facility.
In this case, the initial solution is not to build, but rather to streamline the use of existing facilities, such as rearranging and recomposing spaces, and ensuring that the existing capacity can be maximized to achieve this figure.
With this approach, Erick hopes to create more efficient solutions, reduce costs, and still improve service for passengers.
The planned construction of a new airport and the optimization of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Airport are part of an effort to address the challenges of rapid passenger growth in Bali, while still considering sustainability and efficiency aspects.
Sources: BaliNews.id, CNN Indonesia
Image : via Shutterstock
