Komodo International Airport

Komodo International Airport
Bandar Udara Internasional Komodo
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Indonesia
OperatorCardig Aero Services
ServesLabuan Bajo
LocationLabuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Time zoneWITA (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL228 ft (69 m)
Coordinates08°29′12″S 119°53′21″E / 8.48667°S 119.88917°E / -8.48667; 119.88917
Map
LBJ/WATO is located in Flores
LBJ/WATO
LBJ/WATO
Location of airport in Flores
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
17/35 2,750 9,022 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers1,017,995 (Increase 8.0%)
Cargo (tonnes)2,136 (Increase 22.5%)
Aircraft movements8,372 (Decrease 7.6%)
Sources: DGCA[1][2]

Komodo International Airport (IATA: LBJ, ICAO: WATO), formerly known as Mutiara II Airport, is an international airport serving the town of Labuan Bajo, the capital of West Manggarai Regency, located on the western tip of Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Named after the Komodo dragon—an iconic species endemic to the nearby Komodo National Park—the airport functions as the primary gateway to the park and other surrounding tourist destinations. In response to growing passenger demand and the region's increasing popularity as a tourist destination, the airport has expanded its route network. It now offers regular flights to major Indonesian cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, and Denpasar (Bali), as well as international connections to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Singapore. The airport also supports regional air travel within Flores, with services to towns including Bajawa, Ende, and Maumere.

History

Early history

Komodo Airport former terminal building, now demolished

The idea of constructing an airport to serve Labuan Bajo in western Flores emerged in 1970.[3] Komodo Airport was constructed in 1975. Initially, its runway was an unpaved grass strip oriented east–west. Following flight trials, obstacles were identified along the east–west approach, prompting the runway to be reoriented on a north–south alignment.[4] At the time, the airport could accommodate only small aircraft, such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter, which was primarily used for pioneer flights serving remote and rural areas.[5] One of the first airlines to establish scheduled services to the airport was Merpati Nusantara Airlines, which primarily operated pioneering air services to remote and rural areas.[3]

The airport was originally known as Wae Kelambu Airport before being renamed Mutiara II Airfield.[3][4] It was officially inaugurated in 1980 by Minister of Transportation Rusmin Nuryadin, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Ben Mboi, and Manggarai Regent Frans Sales Lega. In 1986–1987, the runway was reconstructed with flexible pavement by the state-owned construction company Waskita Karya.[4]

As the Komodo National Park and the Komodo dragons became increasingly prominent as a tourist attraction, the local government proposed renaming Mutiara II Airfield. In 1991, the airport was renamed Komodo Airport, a name it has retained since.[4]

By the 1990s, the airport had a modest passenger terminal measuring 240 m², while its 1,200 m × 30 m runway was capable of accommodating light aircraft such as the Cessna and CASA 212.[4] In 2003, the runway was extended by 450 m to 1,650 m × 30 m to accommodate aircraft such as the Xian MA60 and ATR 42. A further 200 m extension was completed in 2007, allowing the airport to accommodate Boeing 737-500 aircraft.[4]

In 2010, the passenger terminal was expanded into a traditional longhouse-style building with a floor area of approximately 1,500 m² and an annual passenger capacity of 35,000.[4]

Contemporary history

A Riau Airlines Fokker 50 at Komodo Airport, 2008

Major development of the airport began in the early 2010s, including the extension of the runway from 1,850 meters to 2,100 meters, enabling it to accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Additional upgrades included the construction of a new passenger terminal and supporting infrastructure. Prior to these improvements, the airport could only serve smaller aircraft such as the Fokker 50 and ATR 72.[6] The first Boeing 737 landed on 13 September 2013—a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 carrying then-President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who flew from Jakarta to visit Komodo National Park and inaugurate the Sail Komodo 2013 festival.[7]

In 2020, Indonesia's publicly listed air transportation services company PT Cardig Aero Service (CAS Group), in partnership with Changi Airports International (CAI), a subsidiary of Singapore’s Changi Airport Group, won the public-private partnership (PPP) tender for the expansion of Komodo International Airport.[8] The project, valued at approximately Rp 1.2 trillion (US$85.82 million), grants the consortium the right to operate the airport for 25 years, after which control will be transferred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation under the Ministry of Transportation.[9]

Between 9 and 19 November 2024, Komodo International Airport was temporarily closed due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi.[10] The closure caused significant disruptions, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights and leaving many passengers stranded.[11]

On 2 April 2024, the Ministry of Transportation officially granted Komodo International Airport international status.[12] Following the status upgrade, the airport commenced its first international service to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September 2024, operated by AirAsia.[13] In March 2025, it launched a second international route to Singapore, operated by Jetstar Asia.[14] Following the cessation of Jetstar Asia's operations, the route was terminated on 31 July 2025 and subsequently taken over by Scoot.[15] Additional international routes are planned for the future, including potential connections to Australia and South Korea.[16]

Facilities and development

Check-in area

On 27 December 2015, President Joko Widodo inaugurated a new, modern terminal at Komodo Airport. The expanded terminal increased the airport’s capacity to handle up to 1.5 million passengers annually, a substantial rise from the previous capacity of approximately 150,000 passengers per year.[17] This development was expected to significantly boost tourism to Flores Island and its surrounding areas. Additionally, the runway was extended to 2,250 meters in length and 45 meters in width, allowing the airport to accommodate medium-sized jet aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 Next Generation series. Prior to this upgrade, the airport could only service smaller aircraft like the ATR 72 turboprop. The government invested a total of 191.7 billion rupiah in the airport’s development.[18]

Following the 2020 takeover of the airport’s management by PT Cardig Aero Service (CAS), a consortium including Changi Airports International Pte Ltd. (CAI) and Changi Airports MENA Pte Ltd., comprehensive development plans were initiated.[19] The airport is projected to accommodate up to 4 million passengers annually. As part of the expansion, the runway will be extended to 2,750 meters, and the apron area will be enlarged to 20,200 square meters.[19] The domestic terminal is planned to be expanded to 6,500 square meters, while a new international terminal covering 5,538 square meters will be constructed, along with a 2,860-square-meter cargo terminal and various supporting facilities. The entire development project is expected to require an investment of approximately 1.2 trillion rupiah.[19]

In 2022, another major expansion of the airport was completed and inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in preparation for the 2022 G20 Summit and the 2023 ASEAN Summit.[20][21] The expansion included widening the apron to cover an area of 31,000 square meters, providing seven parking stands—four for narrow-body aircraft and three for propeller planes. The runway was extended to 2,650 meters in length and 45 meters in width, while the passenger terminal was expanded to 13,366 square meters.[21] Plans are in place to further extend the runway by an additional 100 meters, reaching 2,750 meters, to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A330.[22]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International[23]
Batik Air Denpasar,[24] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[25]
Garuda Indonesia Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[26][27]
Indonesia AirAsia Denpasar,[28] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[29]
Scoot Singapore[30][31]
Super Air Jet Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[32] Surabaya[33]
Susi Air Waingapu[34]
Wings Air Bajawa,[35] Ende,[36] Kupang,[37] Lombok,[38] Makassar,[39] Maumere,[40] Tambolaka[41]

Statistics

Wings Air ATR 72-600 at Komodo Airport
Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
200648,835Steady62Steady1,390Steady
200748,160Decrease 1.493Increase 50.01,406Increase 1.2
200852,345Increase 8.7109Increase 17.21,722Increase 22.5
200967,631Increase 29.2132Increase 21.11,788Increase 3.8
201036,183Decrease 46.563Decrease 52.3936Decrease 47.7
2011130,113Increase 259.6161Increase 155.63,142Increase 235.7
2012154,423Increase 18.7281Increase 74.53,944Increase 25.5
2013184,380Increase 19.4254Decrease 9.64,558Increase 15.6
2014225,995Increase 22.6326Increase 28.35,890Increase 29.2
2015200,212Decrease 11.4267Decrease 18.14,525Decrease 23.2
2016146,341Decrease 26.9246Decrease 7.92,834Decrease 37.4
2017460,697Increase 214.8883Increase 258.97,798Increase 175.2
2018619,767Increase 34.5802Decrease 9.210,094Increase 29.4
2019711,706Increase 14.8777Decrease 3.110,872Increase 7.7
2020331,275Decrease 53.5259Decrease 66.75,775Decrease 46.9
2021363,865Increase 9.81,982Increase 665.35,692Decrease 1.4
2022596,903Increase 64.0360Decrease 81.87,213Increase 26.7
2023942,194Increase 57.81,744Increase 384.49,062Increase 25.6
20241,017,995Increase 8.02,136Increase 22.58,372Decrease 7.6
Source: DGCA, BPS[2][42]

Accidents and incidents

  • On September 14, 2011, an Aviastar BAe 146-200 aircraft struck a group of cows while landing at Komodo Airport.[43] The front section of the aircraft was damaged, particularly just above the nose landing gear. Prior to the incident, airport personnel on motorcycles had attempted to clear the runway by driving the cows away, but were unsuccessful.[44]
  • On 14 October 2022, the ceiling of one of the boarding gates at Komodo Airport collapsed, reportedly due to heavy rainfall at the time. The incident did not disrupt passenger flow at the airport, and repairs were promptly carried out by airport authorities.[45]
  • On 19 February 2024, Indonesian AirAsia Flight 860, an Airbus A320 operating from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo, skidded off the taxiway while en route from the runway to the apron at Komodo Airport. All 151 passengers on board were unharmed. The aircraft was successfully evacuated approximately 50 minutes after the incident.[46]

References

  1. ↑ "Bandar Udara Komodo" (in Indonesian). Ministry of Transportation. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2023" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Hemo, Doroteus (1988). Sejarah daerah Manggarai, Propinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (in Indonesian). p. 117.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sejarah Singkat Bandara Komodo". hubud.kemenhub.go.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  5. ↑ Udara, Indonesia Angkatan (1974). Angkasa (in Indonesian). p. 45.
  6. ↑ Gatra, Sandro (13 September 2013). "Presiden SBY Kunjungi Pulau Komodo". Kompas (in Indonesian).
  7. ↑ "Presiden SBY Menuju NTT untuk Membuka Sail Komodo 2013". detiknews (in Indonesian). 13 September 2013. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  8. ↑ Rosana, Francisca Christy (7 February 2020). "Sah, Bandara Komodo Mulai Dikelola Changi Airport Mei 2020". Tempo (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  9. ↑ "Changi Airports Resmi Kelola Bandara Komodo". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 7 February 2020.
  10. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius (19 November 2024). "Bandara Komodo Labuan Bajo Beroperasi Kembali". detikTravel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  11. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius (15 November 2024). "Cerita Turis Asal Jakarta Tertahan 5 Hari di Labuan Bajo gegara Bandara Tutup". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  12. ↑ Aprianus, Engelbertus (26 April 2024). "Menhub Resmi Tetapkan Bandara Komodo Labuan Bajo sebagai Bandara Internasional". Pos-kupang.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  13. ↑ Chaniago, Suci Wulandari Putri; Widyanti, Ni Nyoman Wira (8 August 2024). "AirAsia Terbang dari Kuala Lumpur ke Labuan Bajo per 3 September". Kompas (in Indonesian).
  14. ↑ Stoddart, Bella; Pitrelli, Monica (2025-01-15). "Travelers can soon fly from Singapore to the 'gateway' to Komodo National Park". CNBC. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  15. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius (1 August 2025). "Penerbangan Labuan Bajo-Singapura Ditutup, Scoot Tertarik Gantikan Jetstar". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  16. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius; Suadnyana, Sui (19 March 2025). "Bandara Komodo Layani Rute Empat Negara Mulai 2025, Termasuk Korsel". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  17. ↑ Daniel, Wahyu (30 December 2015). "Hebat! Begini Kinclongnya Bandara Komodo di NTT". detikfinance (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  18. ↑ Anwar, Akhirul (2015-12-27). "Pembangunan Terminal Bandara Komodo Habiskan Anggaran Rp191,7 Miliar". Bisnis.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  19. 1 2 3 "Labuan Bajo's Komodo Airport Requires Rp1.2 Trillion Investment". Tempo. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  20. ↑ Nuka, Fransiska Mariana (21 July 2022). "Presiden Jokowi resmikan perluasan Bandara Komodo Labuan Bajo". ANTARA News Jambi. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  21. 1 2 Prabowo, Aditya (7 May 2023). "Fasilitas Bandara Komodo Siap Sambut Delegasi KTT ASEAN". Radio Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian).
  22. ↑ "Jokowi Perluas Bandara Komodo Agar Turis Bisa Langsung ke Labuan Bajo". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 21 July 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  23. ↑ "Bandara Internasional Komodo Akan Layani Rute Kuala Lumpur-Labuan Bajo pada September 2024". Kompas (in Indonesian). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
  24. ↑ "Direct (non-stop) flights from Labuan Bajo to Denpasar". www.airpaz.com.
  25. ↑ "Direct (non-stop) flights from Labuan Bajo to Jakarta". www.airpaz.com.
  26. ↑ "Garuda Indonesia expands domestic network from Sep 2016". Routesonline. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  27. ↑ "Direct (non-stop) flights from Labuan Bajo to Jakarta". www.airpaz.com.
  28. ↑ "Indonesia AirAsia Flight from Komodo Airport to Ngurah Rai International Airport". www.airpaz.com.
  29. ↑ "INDONESIA AIRASIA MAY/JUNE 2023 NETWORK EXPANSION". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  30. ↑ Sheryln, Sim (15 October 2025). "Scoot to fly to Indonesia's Labuan Bajo, Medan, Palembang and Semarang". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  31. ↑ Shahrizal (15 October 2025). "Scoot Expands Southeast Asia Network With Four New Indonesian Routes". businesstoday.com.my.
  32. ↑ @superairjet; (3 March 2026). "New Route Allert" – via Instagram.
  33. ↑ "Flight history for Super Air Jet flight IU725". flightradar24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  34. ↑ @susiairofficial; (18 May 2026). "Nusa Tenggara Timur punya lebih banyak tempat untuk dijelajahi" – via Instagram.
  35. ↑ "Flight history for Wings Air flight IW1926". flightradar24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  36. ↑ "Direct (non-stop) flights from Labuan Bajo to Ende". www.airpaz.com.
  37. ↑ "Flight history for Wings Air flight IW1924". flightradar24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  38. ↑ "Rute Penerbangan Lombok Labuan Bajo Kupang Segera Dibuka". Radio Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  39. ↑ "Wings Air Buka Rute Makassar–Labuan Bajo". netral. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  40. ↑ "Flight history for Wings Air flight IW1961". flightradar24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  41. ↑ Kuswaraharja, Dadan (14 July 2026). "Wings Air Buka 2 Rute Penerbangan Baru". detikTravel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-07-14.
  42. ↑ "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2019" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  43. ↑ Haba, Salomo (15 September 2011). "Pesawat AviaStar Tabrak Gerombolan Sapi di Bandara Komodo". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  44. ↑ "Island in focus: Plane hits cows at Komodo airport". September 16, 2011.
  45. ↑ Fadhillah, Ilyas (14 October 2022). "Plafon Bandara Komodo Jebol, Kemenhub Beri Penjelasan". detikfinance (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  46. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius. "Penjelasan Maskapai soal Pesawat AirAsia Tergelincir di Bandara Komodo". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-18.

See also

  • Komodo Airport - Indonesia Airport Global Website
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Komodo Airport at Wikimedia Commons
  • Accident history for LBJ at Aviation Safety Network
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