Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport

Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport
Bandar Udara Umbu Mehang Kunda
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Indonesia
OperatorDirectorate General of Civil Aviation
ServesWaingapu
LocationWaingapu, East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Time zoneWITA (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL33 ft (10 m)
Coordinates09°40′09″S 120°18′07″E / 9.66917°S 120.30194°E / -9.66917; 120.30194
Map
Mau is located in Sumba
Mau
Mau
Location of airport in Sumba
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 1,950 6,398 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers58,819 (Decrease 29.27%)
Cargo (tonnes)351.40 (Decrease 17.33%)
Aircraft movements1,271 (Decrease 32.72%)
Source: DGCA[1][2]

Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (IATA: WGP, ICAO: WATU), formerly known as Mau Hau Airport, is a domestic airport serving Waingapu, the largest town and administrative seat of East Sumba Regency on the island of Sumba, in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The airport is named after Umbu Mehang Kunda (1951–2008), a former regent of East Sumba who was known for representing the Sumbanese at the national political level. It is one of only two airports on Sumba, the other being the larger and busier Lede Kalumbang Airport in Tambolaka, Southwest Sumba. Located approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) from Waingapu town center, the airport serves as the main gateway to eastern Sumba. At present, it handles a limited number of domestic flights to nearby destinations within the Lesser Sunda Islands, such as Lombok, Kupang, Labuan Bajo and Savu, as well as to Denpasar, Bali.

History

Former terminal of Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport, used until 2016 and since demolished.

The site of present-day Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport was originally a village inhabited by migrants from Savu known as Mau Hawu, from which the airport derived its former name.[3] In 1935, the Dutch East Indies authorities constructed a military airfield at the site for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force.[4] The facility was further upgraded in 1941 for administrative purposes.[4] Following the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies as part of the broader Pacific Theatre of World War II, the airfield was seized in 1942 and repurposed for defense.[4] During the war, it was subsequently used by Japanese forces to support their military operations. The Japanese also established several other airfields across Sumba, including sites at Tulikadu, near Kererebo, and near Weetabula.[5] At the time, a significant Japanese military presence was stationed on Sumba as part of preparations for a planned invasion of mainland Australia.[5] Owing to its relative proximity, the island was considered a strategic staging point. However, these plans were never realized, as Japan capitulated to the Allied forces in August 1945, bringing the war to an end.[5]

Following the war, the airfield was taken over by the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA) and was subsequently transferred to the Indonesian government in 1949 after the Dutch recognition of Indonesia’s sovereignty. In 1978, the airport began accommodating scheduled pioneer flights following infrastructure upgrades carried out by the Ministry of Transportation.[6] Until the early 2000s, the airport was served by airlines such as Bouraq Indonesia Airlines and Merpati Nusantara Airlines, both of which specialized in pioneer routes, operating flights to and from Kupang and Denpasar using aircraft such as the Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and the Fokker F27, respectively.[7] In 2010, Batavia Air launched flights from Jakarta to Waingapu using a Boeing 737, with stopovers in Surabaya, Denpasar, and Kupang.[8] However, the service was short-lived, as the airline ceased operations in 2013.

Between 2002 and 2005, Mau Hau Airport was placed under the administration of the local government, resulting in the suspension of central government support for air transport development programs. This situation slowed the airport’s overall development.[4] In 2006, responsibility for the development of air transportation was transferred back to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, allowing infrastructure development and rehabilitation at the airport to gradually resume and continue to the present day.[4]

In 2009, the airport was renamed to its current name in honor of Umbu Mehang Kunda, the former Regent of East Sumba who had passed away the previous year, in recognition of his contributions to the development of Sumba.[9]

Facilities and development

Former terminal of Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport, in operation from 2016 to 2020
Aerial view of the airport
ATC tower

The airport is situated at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m) above mean sea level. It features a single asphalt runway, designated 15/33, measuring 1,950 by 30 metres (6,398 ft × 98 ft). The facility also includes one taxiway, measuring 105 by 30 metres, and a single apron with dimensions of 166 by 88 metres.[1] Due to runway limitations, the airport can only accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737-500, and even then, such aircraft cannot operate at full payload capacity.[10]

In 2016, Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport opened a new terminal to enhance passenger services.[11] This terminal was later demolished in 2020 to make way for the construction of a larger, more modern facility.[12] The new terminal was completed and inaugurated in 2023.[13] The project, undertaken by PT Ardi Tekindo Perkasa and funded by the 2022 state budget with IDR 68.3 billion, is poised to serve as the main gateway to East Sumba—and the island of Sumba as a whole—via air travel. The terminal covers an area of 5,600 m² and can accommodate up to 509,600 passengers annually.[1][14] Combining modern and artistic design with traditional Sumbanese architectural elements, the terminal features a distinctive tower, while the airport entrance is adorned with a ceremonial gate showcasing mamuli, a traditional Sumbanese artifact.[13]

In addition, the airport is equipped with aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) facilities, a VIP terminal covering 202 m², and an administrative building measuring 450 m².[1]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Susi Air Labuan Bajo,[15] Ruteng,[16] Savu[17]
TransNusa Denpasar[18]
Wings Air Kupang,[19] Lombok[20]

Statistics

Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
2006 47,309 Steady 304.35 Steady 1,498 Steady
2007 64,607 Increase 36.56 202.38 Decrease 33.50 1,460 Decrease 2.54
2008 46,074 Decrease 28.69 209.67 Increase 3.60 1,250 Decrease 4.38
2009 65,441 Increase 42.03 300.02 Increase 43.09 1,110 Decrease 11.20
2010 142,338 Increase 117.51 975.14 Increase 225.02 1,318 Increase 18.74
2011 79,823 Decrease 43.92 269.59 Decrease 72.35 1,415 Increase 7.36
2012 65,272 Decrease 18.23 204.20 Decrease 24.26 1,152 Decrease 18.59
2013 86,683 Increase 32.80 353.40 Increase 73.07 1,940 Increase 68.40
2014 98,097 Increase 13.17 467.18 Increase 32.20 2,236 Increase 15.26
2015 119,310 Increase 21.62 454.57 Decrease 2.70 2,334 Increase 4.38
2016 153,110 Increase 28.33 451.10 Decrease 0.76 2,956 Increase 26.65
2017 156,853 Increase 2.44 537.04 Increase 19.05 2,952 Decrease 0.14
2018 176,167 Increase 12.31 496.04 Decrease 7.63 3,378 Increase 14.43
2019 155,291 Decrease 11.85 469.79 Decrease 5.29 2,912 Decrease 13.80
2020 99,213 Decrease 36.11 339.98 Decrease 27.63 2,383 Decrease 18.17
2021 107,868 Increase 8.72 374.20 Increase 10.07 2,740 Increase 14.98
2022 96,787 Decrease 10.27 375.72 Increase 0.41 2,175 Decrease 20.62
2023 83,157 Decrease 14.08 425.07 Increase 13.13 1,889 Decrease 13.15
2024 58,819 Decrease 29.27 351.40 Decrease 17.33 1,271 Decrease 32.72
Source: DGCA, BPS[2][21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bandar Udara Umbu Mehang Kunda" (in Indonesian). Ministry of Transportation. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Statistik Transportasi Udara 2024". Statistics Indonesia. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  3. ↑ Donan, Mulia (19 June 2023). "Cerita rakyat dari NTT: Asal Mula Suku Sabu". Victory News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Zellino, Fendy Yoenas (2023). "Pemeliharaan runway strip dan pagar perimeter di Bandar Udara Umbu Mehang Kunda Waingapu, Nusa Tenggara Timur" (PDF). Laporan On-the-Job Training (OJT) (in Indonesian). Surabaya.
  5. 1 2 3 Wellem, Frederiek Djara (2004). Injil dan marapu: suatu studi historis-teologis tentang perjumpaan Injil dengan masyarakat Sumba pada periode 1876-1990 (in Indonesian). BPK Gunung Mulia. p. 29. ISBN 978-979-687-171-1.
  6. ↑ Indonesia membangun (in Indonesian). Dumas Sari Warna. 1988. p. 267.
  7. ↑ Indonesia in Thousand Faces (in Indonesian). International Union of Local Authorities, Asian & Pacific Section. 1995. pp. 366–369.
  8. ↑ Ulung, Gagas (2013-04-18). Exotic NTT - Seri Backpacking & Travelling (in Indonesian). Gramedia Pustaka Utama. p. 284. ISBN 978-602-03-5073-8.
  9. ↑ "Umbu Mehang Kunda Gantikan Mauhau". KOMPAS (in Indonesian). 29 May 2009.
  10. ↑ "Wings Air Tak Lagi Terbang ke Waingapu, Bandara Lede Kalumbang Satu-satunya Pintu Udara Menuju Bali". Menara Sumba (in Indonesian). 2026-01-05. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  11. ↑ "Wajah Baru Bandara Umbu Mehang Kunda Siap Beroperasi". NTTONLINE (in Indonesian). 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  12. ↑ "Belum Lama Dibangun, Gedung Terminal Bandara UMK Dibongkar". Waingapu (in Indonesian). 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  13. 1 2 "Terminal Bandara UMK akan Jadi Pintu Masuk Sumba Timur yang Artistik dan Modern". Waingapu (in Indonesian). 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  14. ↑ Pambudhy, Agung (1 December 2023). "Wajah Baru Bandara Umbu Mehang Kunda". detikfinance (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  15. ↑ Ardin, Ambrosius (2 August 2025). "Gunung Lewotobi Laki-laki Erupsi, 6 Penerbangan di Bandara Komodo Terdampak". detikTravel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  16. ↑ Boling, Yunia H. (7 January 2026). "Penerbangan Perdana Susi Air Waingapu–Ruteng Angkut Enam Penumpang". rri.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  17. ↑ "Gunakan Susi Air, Penerbangan Perintis di Waingapu Mulai Dibuka untuk Mendukung Konektivitas". Harian Jogja (in Indonesian). 29 January 2024. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  18. ↑ "Saatnya #UNLOCKPOSSIBILITIES di Indonesia Timur". Instagram (in Indonesian). 30 June 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
  19. ↑ Kaha, Kornelis (31 January 2025). "Dua pesawat batal mendarat di Bandara Kupang karena cuaca buruk - ANTARA News Bali". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-04.
  20. ↑ "Wings Air Buka Rute Baru Lombok ke Waingapu 19 Oktober 2025". agent.lionairid. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2019" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
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