Indonesia has many international airports including I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali Airport), Juanda International Airport, Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), and Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (Makassar Airport). Each airport has its own uniqueness. Well, here we will discuss unique and interesting facts about Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport.
1.The Best Improved Airport in Asia Pacific
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport Makassar (UPG) received 1st place in the 2016 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award by Airport Council International (ACI) for the category of Most Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific region. ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) is a world-renowned and globally established global benchmarking program that measures passenger satisfaction as they travel through airports. The ASQ program provides research tools and management information to better understand the views of passengers and what they want from airport products and services.
2. Changed name 4 times
Before becoming Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, this airport has changed its name 4 times. This airport was built during the Dutch East Indies government in 1935 under the name “Lapangan Terbang Kadieng” (Kadieng Airfield).
The first name change occurred when the Japanese came to power in Indonesia, namely in 1942. They changed the name of “Lapangan Terbang Kadieng” (Kadieng Airfield) to “Lapangan Terbang Mandai” (Mandai Airfield). Kadieng and Mandai are the names of areas in Maros, the location of this airport.
The second name change occurred during the transfer of airport management to the Indonesian government in 1950. The Indonesian government changed the name of “Lapangan Terbang Mandai” (Mandai Airfield) to “Pelabuhan Udara Mandai” (Mandai Airport). This name change was accompanied by an extension of the runway.
The third name change occurred in 1980. The name of “Pelabuhan Udara Mandai” (Mandai Airport) was changed to “Pelabuhan Udara Hasanuddin” (Hasanuddin Airport). This name change was also accompanied by the extension of runway 13-31 to 2500×500 meters.
The last name change was in 2004. At that time an expansion and development project was carried out which was completed in 2008. Hasanuddin Airport changed its name to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. The addition of the word “Sultan” so that the word “Hasanuddin” clearly refers to the figure of the national hero Sultan Hasanuddin.
3. The biggest airport in eastern Indonesia
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport Makassar is the largest airport in eastern Indonesia with an area of 381 hectares. Almost all flight routes to eastern Indonesia pass through Makassar so that this airport is a link to the eastern part of Indonesia.
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport is also a link to various tourist attractions, especially in the Maros area. Tourist locations not far from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport include Rammang-Rammang, Bantimurung National Park, and Leang-Leang prehistoric tours. It only takes about 40 minutes from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport to get to this tourist location.
4. Unique building design
The Sultan Hassanuddin International Airport building has a design resembling a phinisi ship shape, a traditional ship from South Sulawesi. In addition, at the front of the airport, there is also a miniature phinisi ship. Then, you will also find other unique things when entering the interior of the airport. There is a small instagramable garden in the waiting room and in the toilet has a 3D painting design that can make visitors comfortable when in the toilet and can even take pictures there.
5. Expanded up to 3x
Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport has been expanded 3 times from around 5,000 m² to around 15,000 m² so that its capacity can reach 15 million passengers per year. The expansion includes: parking lots, from 40 m² to 72 m², and increasing the apron capacity from 34 parking stands to 37 parking stands. The airport development project is targeted for completion in 2021.
Those are unique and interesting facts about Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport Makassar. For those of you who have been to South Sulawesi by air, you must be familiar with Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. Did you notice some of this uniqueness when you were there?
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