Reviews

Leave a Review Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Profile

This post is also available in: Indonesia (Indonesian)

Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport: A Gateway to Lake Toba

History and Development:

Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport (Silangit Airport) has been around since the Japanese occupation era. However, the development of this airport began in 1995 by extending the runway from its original 900 meters to 1,400 meters.

In March 2005, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inaugurated the operation of Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport. Since then, the airport has developed rapidly.

In 2011, the airport finally had a 2,400-meter runway, and it was extended again in 2015 to 2,650 meters, allowing it to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft regularly. The airport became an international airport on October 28, 2017, with the first charter flight to Singapore operated by Garuda Indonesia.

Airport Development:

Due to the increasing tourism growth, the government has upgraded the airport’s facilities, such as building a new terminal, extending the runway, and expanding the apron.

With the inauguration of a complete and modern terminal on September 15, 2017, the airport can now provide a better and more comfortable environment for its passengers.

The airport development also involved expanding the terminal capacity from 36,500 passengers per year to 1 million passengers per year. The airport’s passenger terminal covers an area of 500 square meters and will be expanded to 1,700 m2.

The new terminal also includes several new installations that were not available in the old terminal, such as Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine. This was done so that the airport could serve international flights in the coming years.

The development of the Medan-Tebing Tinggi-Parapat toll road is also underway, making it easier to access the airport. Furthermore, the development of the Siantar-Lake Toba railway is expected to be fully operational in 2019. This will cut the travel time from Medan to Parapat to just 3.5 hours.

Facilities:

The airport has full digital-based services, including a digital airport bus schedule, electronic payment system, wifi.id corner, and smart baggage claim – a facility to monitor the position of passenger baggage. The airport is also equipped with a tourism information kiosk that provides various information about activities in the surrounding area.

Runway:

The airport has a runway of 2,650 m x 45 m (8,694 ft × 148 ft), which was extended from its original 2,400 meters in 2016 to accommodate larger aircraft and ultimately to boost tourism growth in the region. The distance from Prapat city is about 47 mi (76 km).

Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport plays a crucial role in promoting tourism in the Lake Toba area. With its improved facilities and connectivity, the airport is expected to attract more visitors and contribute to the economic development of the region.

Additional Information: