Mopah Airport[1] (IATA: MKQ, ICAO: WAKK) is located in Merauke, South Papua, Indonesia. The airport is Indonesia's second easternmost airport after Sentani International Airport in Sentani. The airport serves as the main gateway to several tourist destinations around Merauke, most notably Wasur National Park.
Mopah Airport Bandar Udara Mopah | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public-use / Private-owned | ||||||||||
| Owner | Government of Indonesia | ||||||||||
| Operator | Ministry of Transportation | ||||||||||
| Serves | Merauke | ||||||||||
| Location | Merauke, South Papua, Indonesia | ||||||||||
| Opened | 28 June 1943 | ||||||||||
| Time zone | WIT (UTC+09:00) | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 10 ft / 3 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 08°31′13″S 140°25′06″E / 8.52028°S 140.41833°E | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  MKQ/WAKK Location in South Papua  MKQ/WAKK Location in Indonesia | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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History
editThe original air strip measured 150 by 6,000 feet (46 m × 1,829 m) and was completed on 28 June 1943 by the Seabees of the 55th Naval Construction Battalion during World War II as part of Naval Base Merauke.[2] The airfield had a No. 86 Squadron RAAF and a few bombers assigned to do daily reconnaissance and bombing missions.[2] After the Surrender of Japan in 1945, allied forces departed the airfield, and military control of the airport was handed over to the government of Dutch East Indies. The airport was then managed by the Dutch organization Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA). The Dutch handed the control of the airport to the Indonesian government in 1962, when they signed the New York Agreement and left New Guinea.[3]
International flight
editThis airport has international status around June 1990, when Air Niugini operated a weekly direct international flight to Daru Island and it was closed seven years later due to the economic crisis in Southeast Asia.
Current phase
editWith the continued increase in tourist visits, the activity of airlines using the airport also increased. The terminal building was extensively renovated in 2015 to increase its capacity. The airport terminal was expanded from just 1,972 square metres (21,230 sq ft) to 4,634 square metres (49,880 sq ft). It can now carry around 200,000 passengers annually.[4] The new check-in counter and baggage claim area has a more minimalist interior than the old one. The airport's parking lot was also expanded to cater more vehicles.[5] The airport's toilet was also renovated extensively. The boarding lounge was also expanded and now contains 381 seats for passengers.[6] Outside the terminal building, a canopy has now been installed at the drop off location so that passengers avoid the heat and rain when they arrive. In one corner of the terminal, an ATM and a food court were built. To add to the beauty and comfort for the passengers, the area around the terminal has been planted with trees and green grass. In total, the rehabilitation and expansion of the terminal building cost around Rp 16 billion (US $1,200,000).[7]
Airlines and destinations
editPassenger
edit| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Garuda Indonesia | Jayapura |
| Lion Air | Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[a] Jayapura, Makassar |
| Susi Air | Agats, Bomakia, Kepi, Kimam, Mindiptanah, Okaba, Senggo, Wanam |
| Trigana Air | Agats, Tanah Merah |
- ^ Jakarta is continuation of Jayapura flight as same flight number
Accidents and incidents
editReferences
edit- ^ https://hubud.dephub.go.id/hubud/website/bandara/126 [bare URL]
- ^ a b Merauke airfield, Merauke, Dutch New Guinea, Building the Navy's Bases in World War II, Volume II (Part III, Chapter 26), Chapter XXVI, Bases in the Southwest Pacific, Naval History and Heritage Command web-site, Published: Wed 14 Feb 2018 [1]
- ^ SEJARAH SINGKAT BANDAR UDARA MOPAH MERAUKE
- ^ Cantik dan Indahnya Bandara Mopah di Kabupaten Merauke Archived 24 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Bandara Merauke Dipercantik, Ini Penampakannya
- ^ Selesai Renovasi, Bandara Mopah Merauke Siap Layani Investor dan Wisatawan
- ^ Kementerian Perhubungan Republik Indonesia - Bandara Mopah, Pelayanan Jasa Transportasi Udara di Ujung Timur Indonesia
- ^ detikSulsel, Tim. "Detik-detik Lion Air Tabrak Garbarata Bandara Merauke-Batal Lepas Landas". detiksulsel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 7 February 2023.