Minangkabau International Airport

Minangkabau International Airport (IATA: PDG, ICAO: WIEE) is an airport serving the province of West Sumatra on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman Regency which is about 23 km (14 mi) northwest of Padang city center. The airport commenced operations in July 2005 and took over the role previously held by Tabing Airport in Padang, which now serves exclusively as a military airbase for the Indonesian Air Force. The former airport could not be expanded due to limited land availability and had become increasingly congested as passenger numbers grew, leading to the decision to construct a new facility. The airport is named after the Minangkabau ethnic group, the indigenous population of the region. It functions as the main gateway to Padang and West Sumatra, with domestic connections to major cities in western Indonesia such as Jakarta, Pekanbaru, and Medan, as well as international flights to Malaysia and Singapore. History Construction of the airport began in 2001 to replace Tabing Airport, which had been in operation for 34 years but could no longer meet modern flight safety standards due to limited space for expansion and its close proximity to the city center. The project was funded through a soft loan of approximately 9.4 billion yen from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), supplemented by around Rp 97.6 billion from the Indonesian state budget, accounting for 10% of the total cost. The construction was undertaken by a Japanese joint venture between Shimizu and Marubeni, in collaboration with Indonesia's Adhi Karya. The airport was completed and officially inaugurated in 2005. The airport is capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A330, Boeing 747-400, and Boeing 777. After the opening of Minangkabau International Airport, Tabing Airport was permanently closed to commercial passenger services. It was subsequently taken over by the Indonesian Air Force and is now known as Sutan Sjahrir Air Force Base, classified as a Type B airbase. A major expansion of the airport was completed in 2017, carried out in two phases. The project included enlarging the terminal to 49,124 square meters, enabling the airport to accommodate up to 5.9 million passengers annually. The number of check-in counters was increased to 32, and the baggage handling system was upgraded with five conveyor belts. Additionally, the runway was extended from 2,750 meters to 3,000 meters, with a width of 45 meters, to support operations of larger aircraft. The number of taxiways was also increased to eight, with the goal of improving airside traffic flow, enhancing on-time performance, and accommodating a higher volume of flight operations. The airport sustained damage during the 2009 Sumatra earthquakes, including the destruction of a section of its roof (approximately 100 meters long), with parts of the ceiling in the boarding area also collapsing. Additionally, a portion of the airport's electrical network was severed. The airport was temporarily closed for safety reasons but reopened on October 1. Terminal and facilities There is one terminal building for both international flights and domestic flights. The airport has 32 check-in counters, five baggage conveyors, and nine ticket sales counters. The architecture of airport terminal adopting bagonjong (spired roof), Minangkabau vernacular architecture commonly found in rumah gadang traditional house. The runway is compatible with Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 planes. There is an ample parking space and a range of retail stores selling various goods (especially local products). The airport is designed to serve only 2.87 million passengers per year, but it served 4.13 million passengers in 2018. A major expansion was completed in 2017, allowing the terminal to accommodate up to 5.9 million passengers annually. Airlines and destinations Passenger Traffic Ground transportation The airport can be reached by bus service, taxi, and airport train service. Taxi Passengers are encouraged to use metered taxi to avoid scams. Taxis are available anytime at the taxi parking area. They are usually available from 07:00 AM to 22:30 PM. Train A 3.9 km railway connecting the nearby Duku Station to the newly built Minangkabau International Airport Station was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on 21 May 2018. From Duku Station, the railway continues to Padang Station. It is the third airport rail link in Indonesia after Kualanamu Airport Rail Link and Soekarno–Hatta Airport Commuter Line. Accidents and incidents This airport suffered minor damage in the late September 2009 earthquake. On 2 August 2015 a Citilink Airbus A320-200 overran the runway on landing at Minangkabau Airport. No casualty occurred. References External links Angkasapura2.co.id http://www.minangkabau-airport.co.id Archived 30 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine