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BANDUNG Mayor Muhammad Farhan has made a firm request for the airport to reopen. He believes that closing the airport and diverting flights to Kertajati Airport in Majalengka was an ineffective decision.
According to Farhan, this policy negatively impacts the economy and tourism sectors of Bandung City. Dependence on Kertajati Airport alone is considered detrimental to many, especially Bandung residents and those in surrounding areas.
Farhan emphasized that Kertajati Airport is too far from the center of economic activity, causing most West Java residents to choose Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta instead.
“What needs to be done now is to immediately reopen Husein Airport. Opening Husein Airport will stimulate the tourism sector in Bandung City,” said Farhan at Bandung City Hall on Thursday, (06/12), 2025.
He also stated that the highest demand for flights in West Java is in the Bandung area. In his opinion, stopping commercial flight operations from an airport located in the center of economic activity is a mistake.
“By closing Husein and forcing everyone to fly from Kertajati, it’s clear that the largest market for flights is in Bandung. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense for the Bandung City airport to be closed,” he said.
Farhan also highlighted the losses incurred by the West Java Provincial Government due to operating Kertajati Airport. He said the reported losses were more than IDR 60 billion per year, possibly greater than that figure.
“I heard it was actually more than IDR60 billion a year. I really appreciate the governor. Since February, we have had intensive discussions and made serious efforts to optimize Kertajati. But it seems like now it is starting to be cornered,” he said.
Furthermore, Farhan concluded that this inefficiency creates an imbalance in the distribution of economic benefits among regions. Many passengers who would have used flight services from Bandung now prefer the Jakarta route.
What are the consequences? As a result, people from Bandung and people from outside Bandung who want to go there do not fly there. Who benefits? Jakarta, not West Java. Halim is in East Jakarta,” he concluded.
Since the 2023 decision to move commercial flight services to Kertajati, Husein Sastranegara Airport has only been used for military flights and a few other flights. Meanwhile, Kertajati Airport continues to face challenges such as low passenger volume, limited access, and operational constraints.
Farhan hopes that the central and provincial governments will reconsider this transfer policy’s effectiveness. He believes reactivating Husein Airport for commercial flights would positively impact the economy of the Bandung region and West Java. [sources/photosSpecial]
