Depati Amir Airport(IATA: PGK, ICAO: WIPK), also known as Pangkalpinang Airport, is a domestic airport serving Pangkalpinang, the capital and largest city of Bangka-Belitung Islands province, Indonesia. It is the only airport on Bangka Island and one of two airports in the Bangka-Belitung province, the other being H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport in Belitung. While the airport serves Pangkalpinang, it is not located within the city limits but rather in Central Bangka Regency, approximately 5 km (3.1 miles) from the city center. The airport is named after Depati Amir, a Bangka aristocrat and national hero of Indonesia. Serving as the primary gateway to Pangkalpinang and the island of Bangka, the airport offers connections to several major cities across Indonesia, including Jakarta, Batam, Palembang, and Yogyakarta.
In 1942, following their victory over the Dutch, the Japanese occupied Bangka as part of the Pacific Theater of World War II. To support their military operations against the Allied forces and strengthen the island's defenses, they constructed an airstrip to serve as a base for their aircraft. Initially, the airstrip was not intended for commercial or civilian flights; rather, it functioned as a strategic military installation designed to protect against potential Allied attacks.[3] During the war, the Japanese constructed bunkers and other fortifications around the airport for defense and to stockpile weapons. Some of these structures can still be seen today.[4]
After Indonesia gained independence, the airport began operating commercial flights and was subsequently renamed Pangkalpinang Airfield (Indonesian: Pelabuhan Udara Pangkalpinang). In 1985, the status of Pangkalpinang Airfield was upgraded to an airport (Indonesian: Bandara). In 1999, the airport was renamed to its current name in honor of Depati Amir, a Bangka aristocrat and national hero of Indonesia who resisted Dutch colonialism and the exploitation of resources in Bangka during the 19th century.[5][3]
A new terminal, located to the northeast of the old terminal across the runway, was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on March 14, 2019.[7] After its opening, all airport operations were relocated to the new terminal, and the old terminal was abandoned, gradually falling into disrepair. Although there have been proposals to repurpose the old terminal as a bus terminal, these plans have yet to be realized.[8]
To attract international tourists to Bangka, plans are underway to designate the airport as an international airport, enabling the launch of international flights. Relevant infrastructure is currently being developed to accommodate these flights, with the goal of achieving international status by 2026.[9]
Facilities and development
Due to overcapacity, a larger terminal was needed to accommodate the growing number of passengers. Construction of the new terminal began in 2012.[10] After several delays, the new airport terminal officially opened on 11 January 2017. The construction of the terminal cost approximately 300 billion rupiah. With a capacity to accommodate 1.5 million passengers annually, the new terminal significantly surpasses the old one, which could only handle 350,000 passengers per year.[11] In 2018, the number of passengers passing through the airport reached 2.17 million, exceeding the terminal's capacity at the time.[10] As a result, an expansion was carried out to double the capacity to around 3 million passengers, which was completed in 2020. A total of 648 billion rupiah was invested in the construction and expansion of the new terminal.[10]
The terminal building covers 12,000 square meters of the total 152-hectare land area and can accommodate up to 3.2 million passengers annually.[11][12] The terminal features a modern design and is equipped with enhanced amenities such as food courts, an executive break room, internet access, disabled-friendly toilets, and a dedicated mother and child room. Other facilities include 12 check-in counters, three departure gates, and three jetbridges.[11] The expanded parking area can accommodates 300 cars and 120 motorcycles.
This airport has an apron area of 51,660 square meters with a capacity of 9 parking spots for aircraft such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.[13] The current runway length is 2,650 meters, an extension from the previous 2,250 meters.[14]
The Bangka-Belitung government plans to develop maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities at the airport, similar to those at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam. To support this initiative, the government has invited several airlines, including Sriwijaya Air, to invest in the construction of these facilities.[15]
On April 18, 2008, Sriwijaya Air Flight 076, a Boeing 737-300 operating a flight from Jakarta to Pangkalpinang, overshot the runway by approximately 50 meters during landing at Depati Amir Airport. None of the 144 passengers on board were injured.[21]
Names in bold are international airports; names of international airports marked with ‡ have Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility Names of airports marked with ⬠ are exclusively or also served as military airbases
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