With it’s rich history and culture,West Kalimantan is an attractive place for [tourists](http://www.pontianakpost.co.id/jumlah-wisman-ke-kalbar-meningkat) to Indonesia. It is also an increasingly difficult one to get to.
Rapidly growing tourist numbers are putting a strain on Supadio International Airport in Pontianak, which serves the province. In January alone, overseas arrivals soared 86 percent to 3,380, according to local government data. A quarter of those arrived through Supadio Airport.
With arrival numbers taking flight, PT Angkasa Pura II is getting ready to build a new runway capable of accommodating larger jetliners and more passengers. With a price tag of Rp. 2 trillion (US$150 million), the expansion will support economic growth and tourism to West Kalimantan, says President Director of PT Angkasa Pura II, Muhammad Awaluddin.
“West Kalimantan, especially Pontianak, has a lot of growth potential when it comes to its economy and tourism,” said Awaluddin, as quoted by Liputan 6
“That is why Supadio International Airport will also have the responsibility to support both government and local people to seize upon this potential.”
Construction is slated to begin in 2020. The new 3000-meter runway will accommodate wide-bodied planes such as a Boeing 777. The existing runway will be converted into a taxiway.
The airport, which serves carriers including AirAsia, Garuda Indonesia, and Lion Air, is already approaching full capacity. Some 3.42 million passengers are expected to use the hub compared with its design maximum of 3.8 million. Even so, expansion work on the terminal, which will wrap up in June will expand capacity to 5.5 million.
After work on the new runway wraps up, Supadio Airport capacity will double to almost 52,000 flights a year, including military flights. That’s compared with fewer than 25,000 now.
See: Australia To Help Manage Lombok International Airport
Image credits: TribunNews, SkyScraperCity
