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Binaka Airport

Coordinates: 01°09′58″N 97°42′16″E / 1.16611°N 97.70444°E / 1.16611; 97.70444
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Binaka Airport

Bandar Udara Binaka
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Indonesia
OperatorDirectorate General of Civil Aviation
ServesGunungsitoli
LocationGidö, Nias Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Time zoneWIB (UTC+07:00)
Elevation AMSL6 m / 20 ft
Coordinates01°09′58″N 97°42′16″E / 1.16611°N 97.70444°E / 1.16611; 97.70444
Map
GNS/WIMB is located in Sumatra
GNS/WIMB
GNS/WIMB
Location of airport in Sumatra
GNS/WIMB is located in Indonesia
GNS/WIMB
GNS/WIMB
GNS/WIMB (Indonesia)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 2,250 7,381 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passengers217,899 (Increase 1.2%)
Cargo (tonnes)411 (Decrease 10.8%)
Aircraft movements4,089 (Decrease 6.9%)
Source: DGCA[1][2]

Binaka Airport (IATA: GNS, ICAO: WIMB) is a domestic airport serving Gunungsitoli, the largest city and economic center of Nias Island in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Although it primarily serves Gunungsitoli, the airport is located outside the city limits, in Gidö, Nias Regency, approximately 16 km (9.9 miles) from the city center. It is the only airport on the island and serves as the main point of entry to both Gunungsitoli and the wider Nias region. The airport offers regular flights to Medan, the provincial capital of North Sumatra, and also provides rural connections to destinations such as Parapat near Lake Toba and the Batu Islands. In the past, it also had direct flights to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, though these routes have since been discontinued.

History

[edit]

The idea of building an airport in Nias was initiated by Dalihuku Mendröfa, commonly known as Dalimend, who was serving as both the regent of Nias and an active officer in the Indonesian Air Force at the time.[3] He actively lobbied the Ministry of Transportation to support the project, believing that an airport would help break the island’s isolation, promote modernization, and boost tourism development in Nias, which had been declared a national tourism destination by Vice President Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX in 1974.[4] Construction began in 1976 and was completed the following year. The airport was officially inaugurated in a ceremony attended by Dalimend and Emil Salim, the then Minister of Transportation. The inauguration also featured a parachute landing demonstration by personnel from the Indonesian Air Force’s Kopasgat unit, who jumped from a C-130 Hercules aircraft. It was the first such parachute display ever held in Nias.[5]

The airport primarily serves routes between Nias and mainland North Sumatra, such as Medan, with flights operated by Wings Air and, in the past, by Citilink and Garuda Indonesia. Susi Air also operates flights to smaller destinations like Parapat and Sibolga. On 15 November 2018, Garuda Indonesia launched a thrice-weekly direct flight between Jakarta and Gunungsitoli using a Bombardier CRJ-1000, eliminating the need for a transit in Medan.[6] However, the route was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 3 November 2021, Wings Air introduced a new thrice-weekly route connecting Gunungsitoli and Padang using an ATR-72 aircraft.[7] This route was also short-lived. Efforts to reinstate direct flights to Jakarta are ongoing but have yet to materialize.[8]

The local Nias community has proposed renaming the airport Dalimend Airport, in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Dalihuku “Dalimend” Mendröfa, an Indonesian Air Force officer and former regent of Nias who first initiated the idea of its construction. However, any official name change requires approval from the central government.[9]

Due to the growing tourism industry in Nias and the increasing number of foreign visitors, there have been proposals to upgrade the airport to international status and open direct international routes to the island.[10] In 2014, the Ministry of Transportation allocated 100 million rupiah to improve the airport’s infrastructure, including extending the runway from 1,800 meters to 2,250 meters. This upgrade was aimed at accommodating narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, in preparation for potential international flights from destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Singapore.[11]

Facilities and development

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The airport has a single passenger terminal covering an area of 5,571 square meters. In 2018, a minor renovation was undertaken to enhance the terminal's appearance and carry out refurbishments, with an estimated cost of approximately 5 billion rupiah.[12] In addition, the airport has a 200-square-meter cargo terminal and a 400-square-meter administrative building.[1] On the airside, the airport features a 2,250 m × 45 m runway, which was extended from its original size of 1,800 m × 30 m.[13] It is capable of accommodating narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Plans are in place to further extend the runway to 2,600 m × 60 m to accommodate larger aircraft; however, the project is currently facing delays due to land acquisition issues involving local residents. Approximately 3.8 billion rupiah has been allocated for the runway extension.[14] In addition, the airport is equipped with two taxiways, each measuring 70 m × 23 m, and a single apron measuring 180 m × 80 m.[1]

Airlines and destinations

[edit]

The following destinations are served from Binaka Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
Susi Air Batu Islands, Parapat[15]
Wings Air Medan

Traffic and statistics

[edit]
Aerial view of the airport's apron, showing a Wings Air ATR-72 on standby

Traffic

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Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
2009 88,952 Steady 63 Steady 2,850 Steady
2010 108,796 Increase 22.3 42 Decrease 33.3 2,619 Decrease 8.1
2011 190,129 Increase 74.8 78 Increase 85.7 3,845 Increase 46.8
2012 230,522 Increase 21.2 51 Decrease 34.6 3,793 Decrease 1.4
2013 209,773 Decrease 9.0 29 Decrease 43.1 3,894 Increase 2.7
2014 204,216 Decrease 2.6 2 Decrease 93.1 4,134 Increase 6.2
2015 244,949 Increase 19.9 2 Steady 5,288 Increase 27.9
2016 332,509 Increase 35.7 10 Decrease 84.1 6,748 Increase 27.6
2017 327,401 Decrease 1.5 44 Increase 340.0 6,198 Decrease 8.2
2018 303,163 Decrease 7.4 66 Increase 50.0 5,610 Decrease 9.5
2019 301,409 Decrease 0.6 137 Increase 107.6 5,610 Steady
2020 160,820 Decrease 46.6 1,004 Increase 632.8 3,758 Decrease 33.0
2021 182,804 Increase 13.7 717 Decrease 28.6 4,062 Increase 8.1
2022 215,362 Increase 17.8 461 Decrease 35.7 4,391 Increase 8.1
2023 217,899 Increase 1.2 411 Decrease 10.8 4,089 Decrease 6.9
Source: DGCA, BPS[2][16]

Statistics

[edit]
Busiest flights out of Binaka Airport by frequency (2025)[1]
Rank Destinations Frequency (weekly) Airline(s)
1 North Sumatra Medan, North Sumatra 28 Wings Air
2 North Sumatra Parapat, North Sumatra 2 Susi Air
3 North Sumatra Batu Islands, North Sumatra 2 Susi Air
[edit]
  • Check-in area
    Check-in area
  • Boarding gate
    Boarding gate
  • ATC tower
    ATC tower

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
  • On 12 January 2013, a Wings Air ATR 72-500 operating a flight from Medan to Gunungsitoli experienced a tire burst upon landing at Binaka Airport. Although no injuries were reported among the occupants, the incident led to the temporary closure of the runway for several hours.[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Bandar Udara Binaka" (in Indonesian). Ministry of Transportation. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2023" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  3. ^ Khairani (21 November 2023). "46 Tahun Beroperasi! Bandara di Sumatera Utara Ini Dibangun oleh Bupati: Bukan di Medan, tapi..." Jatim Network (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  4. ^ "Dalimend, Sang Pemimpin Visioner". Suara Nusantara | Inspirasi Anak Negeri. 2016-11-17. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  5. ^ "Soal Pergantian Nama Bandara Binaka, Ini Tanggapan Sejumlah Tokoh". Suara Nusantara | Inspirasi Anak Negeri. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  6. ^ Agmasari, Silvita; Asdhiana, I Made A (16 November 2018). "Kini Lebih Mudah ke Nias, Garuda Indonesia Buka Rute Jakarta-Nias". Kompas (in Indonesian).
  7. ^ Effendi, Reza (2021-02-03). "Wings Air Buka Rute Penerbangan Baru Padang-Nias Sumut, Cek Jadwalnya". liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  8. ^ Buulolo, Indah Febriyanti (27 December 2023). "Hingga Kini Penerbangan Gunungsitoli-Jakarta PP Belum Dibuka". Radio Republik Indonesia (in Indonesian).
  9. ^ "Bupati Nias Barat Apresiasi Pergantian Nama Bandara menjadi Nama Tokoh". Suara Nusantara | Inspirasi Anak Negeri. 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  10. ^ Fernandez, MG Noviarizal (2014-10-10). "Bandara Binaka, Nias Berpotensi Jadi Bandara Internasional". Bisnis.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  11. ^ "Pengembangan Bandara Nias Habiskan Rp 100 M". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 24 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Bandara Binaka Tidak Kalah Saing". Sumut Pos (in Indonesian). 22 February 2018. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  13. ^ Siswoyo, Harry (2016-08-08). "2018, Bandara Binaka Nias Siap Didarati Pesawat Besar". viva.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  14. ^ "Pembangunan Panjang Landasan Bandara Binaka Terkendala Masalah Lahan". Warta Nias. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  15. ^ "Jangkau Pulau Nias Lebih Cepat Lewat Penerbangan Sibisa-Gunung Sitoli". infopublik.id (in Indonesian). 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  16. ^ "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2019" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Pesawat Wings Air yang Pecah Ban Sudah Dievakuasi, Kini di Apron". detiknews (in Indonesian). 12 January 2013. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
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