KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) II is looking to go global this year by managing airports outside of Indonesia.

AP II vice president of corporate communications Yado Yarismano said the company, under its “Go Global” initiative, was eyeing opportunities abroad this year, especially in the ASEAN region. The company was targeting countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia for its regional expansion, he said.

“We are still studying all the possibilities,” Yado told The Jakarta Post recently without going into further detail.

Previously, AP II, which leads the X-Droid Consortium, participated in a bidding for the operation and maintenance of the planned Clark International Airport in Mabalacat, the Philippines.

X-Droid is composed of APII and several Filipino companies, namely port operator Globalport 900, investment management firm Mazy’s Capital Inc. and energy service company Desco Inc.

The contract, however, was eventually awarded to the North Luzon Airport Consortium (NLAC), which consists of Singapore’s Changi Airport Group and Filipino companies in holding company Filinvest Development Corp, diversified conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc.

AP II is now eyeing other airports in the Philippines and looking for expansion opportunities in Thailand. 

“Basically, Go Global reflects Angkasa Pura II’s positive engagement in managing airports, not only domestically but also utilizing business opportunities to manage airports in other countries,” said Yado. 

Aside from going global, 2019 will be another busy year for AP II domestically with its ongoing airport development projects.

AP II is currently managing several large-scale projects, such as the revitalization of terminals 1 and 2 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia’s main gateway. It is also developing a third runway at the airport and a cargo center. The company aims to finish the basic design of a fourth terminal at the airport.

Furthermore, AP II is expanding Jenderal Besar Soedirman Airport in Purbalingga, Central Java.

AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said the development would take place in several stages throughout 18 to 20 months of construction. The first phase of development alone would start this month.    

The construction and development include the construction of a runway, passenger terminals and passenger parking areas, as well as the development of cargo terminals.  

"Right now, only the C-212 aircraft can land there. In the future, Airbus 320 Neo and Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft can land there too. Hopefully the number of commercial flights that will fly [to and from] the airport will continue to grow," Awaluddin said in an official statement recently.

AP II is also set to develop Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, through strategic partnerships with investors. The airport will be a hub for passengers and cargo in western Indonesia.

Awaluddin said the company had established a subsidiary, PT Angkasa Pura Aviasi, to focus on managing the strategic partnerships at the Kualanamu airport. 

Throughout 2018, Angkasa Pura II served 115 million passengers, up by 9.5 percent from 105 million passengers in 2017. AP II also started managing a number of new airports across Indonesia, such as Kertajati International Airport in West Java, Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, and Banyuwangi Airport in East Java. With the three additional airports, Angkasa Pura II now manages a total of 16 airports.

In 2019 alone, the company is expected to serve 126 million passengers. AP II is also expected to manage three new airports, namely Raden Inten Airport in Lampung, Fatmawati Airport in Bengkulu and Tanjung Pandan Airport in Bangka Belitung Islands.

Editor: Herlina Kartika Dewi