InJourney Airports Confirms Smooth Progress on Husein Sastranegara Airport Optimisation

PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (Persero), operating as InJourney Airports, has stated that preparations to optimise Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara Airport are progressing smoothly according to schedule, enabling it to resume serving jet aircraft in the near future. “Coordination is continuously being carried out with all stakeholders,” said InJourney Airports Corporate Secretary Group Head Arie Ahsanurrohim in a confirmed statement in Jakarta on Saturday. He noted that the focus of the preparations is fulfilling all operational readiness aspects as stipulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation. Regarding safety aspects, a standby Foam Tender vehicle for emergency assistance is already available, alongside the fulfilment of supporting facilities for Category 7 Aviation Accident Assistance and Fire Fighting (PKP-PK). On the security front, upgrades have been made to Screening Check Point (SCP) facilities, including x-ray machines, walkthrough metal detectors (WMTD), and handheld metal detectors (HHTD). “Meanwhile, on the airside, work is being carried out to increase the bearing capacity of the runway, taxiway, and apron,” Arie stated. InJourney Airports has communicated the operational and service plans for Husein Sastranegara Airport to the airlines. In line with this, six airlines have formally applied to operate at the airport. The airlines that have expressed interest in operating at Husein Sastranegara Airport, along with their routes to and from Bandung, include Citilink serving Kualanamu, Denpasar, and Surabaya; Super Air Jet serving Kualanamu, Denpasar, Pekanbaru, Makassar, Batam, Padang, Balikpapan, and Pontianak; Garuda Indonesia serving Denpasar; Transnusa serving Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Lampung; Scoot serving Singapore; and Wings Air serving Lampung and Palembang. InJourney Airports will manage and ensure the availability of flight time slots at the airport to accommodate flight requests in accordance with the airport’s capacity. The Ministry of Transportation is preparing Husein Sastranegara Airport to begin serving jet aircraft on 17 August 2026 through a phased scenario before reaching full operations on 17 September 2026. “We have prepared two scenarios. The first scenario targets starting jet aircraft services on 17 August 2026, while the second scenario targets achieving full operations on 17 September 2026,” said Director General of Civil Aviation Lukman F Laisa in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday (12/7). The Ministry has completed an operational study and safety assessment as the basis for implementing the airport’s reactivation. Subsequently, fulfilling operational readiness becomes the responsibility of PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia as the airport operator. “The entire process must continue to prioritise the principles of safety, security, service, and compliance with civil aviation regulations,” Lukman stated. Under the first scenario, Husein Sastranegara Airport is planned to serve jet aircraft with minimal operations, business flights, and charter flights supported by basic infrastructure readiness. The second scenario targets the airport serving Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320 category jet aircraft through the implementation of a slot management system to ensure operational capacity runs safely, orderly, and effectively. From the aviation safety aspect, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is also urging PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia to immediately fulfil the Category 7 PKP-PK requirements. This can be achieved through the mobilisation of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicles from Kertajati Airport after the completion of Hajj pilgrim repatriation operations, accompanied by the reinforcement of PKP-PK personnel. Meanwhile, other supporting equipment needs are expected to be met through the optimisation and mobilisation of existing assets without new procurement, allowing the reactivation process to proceed more efficiently.