Jokowi officiates revitalized airport to improve Madura transportation

Screenshot of President Joko Widodo while officiating the Trunojoyo Airport in Sumenep District, Madura Island, East Java Province, as monitored from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on April 20, 2022. (ANTARA/Mentari Dwi Gayati/uyu)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officiated the Trunojoyo Airport in Sumenep District, East Java Province, that was revitalized to offer better transportation facilities to people in Madura Island and the adjoining areas.

“All praises be to God, (the revitalization of) Trunojoyo Airport in Sumenep District, Madura Island, East Java Province, has been completed and is ready to serve the people on Madura Island and other surrounding isles," the president stated at the inauguration event monitored virtually here on Wednesday.

Jokowi expressed optimism that the airport's revitalization would boost the people’s connectivity, facilitate travel to small islands around Madura Island, as well as open the transportation route to remote isles around Madura Island.

It will only take an hour to travel from Madura Island to Surabaya City, East Java Province, by plane through the airport.

Earlier, people around the island had to travel for days by ship to the city, the president noted.

Hence, Jokowi believed that the operation of the airport will make public mobility easier and smoother as well as encourage the development of new economic centers.

"Thus, new businesses and job opportunities will rise, while the existing businesses will improve," he stated.

On the same occasion, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi remarked that Trunojoyo Airport, which was first established in 1979, had an area of 34 hectares, with a 1,600-meter runway and a 3,600-square meter terminal building.

Earlier, Trunojoyo Airport had only served some areas in East Java Province. The routes served by the airport include Sumenep-Madura, Sumenep-Bawean, Sumenep-Pagerungan, and Sumenep-Banyuwangi.

"In future, the airport has the potential to also serve other regions throughout Indonesia, including Banjarmasin City (South Kalimantan Province), Jakarta, and Bali since many local people are working in Kalimantan Island, Jakarta, and Bali," the minister added.