El Tari International Airport

El Tari International Airport
Bandar Udara Internasional El Tari
Summary
Airport typePublic / Military
OwnerGovernment of Indonesia
OperatorInJourney Airports
ServesKupang
LocationKupang, Timor, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Operating base forWings Air
Time zoneWITA (UTC+08:00)
Elevation AMSL105 m / 345 ft
Coordinates10°10′17″S 123°40′16″E / 10.17139°S 123.67111°E / -10.17139; 123.67111
Websitewww.kupang-airport.com
Map
KOE
Location in Timor
KOE
Location in Indonesia
KOE
KOE (Southeast Asia)
KOE
KOE (Asia)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
08/26 2,500 8,202 Asphalt
12/30 1,273 4,175 Dirt/Grass
Statistics (2023)
Passengers1,297,850 ( 4.0%)
Cargo (tonnes)11,355 ( 12.9%)
Aircraft movements16,045 ( 2.6%)
Source: DGCA[1][2]
El Tari Air Force Base
Air Force Base Emblem
Country Indonesia
Branch Indonesian Air Force
TypeAir Force Base Tipe A
RoleAir Force Base
Part ofAir Operation Command II
Air Force BaseKupang
PatronIndonesian Air Force
MottoPrayatna Kerta Gegana
Websitewww.tni-au.mil.id

El Tari International Airport (IATA: KOE, ICAO: WATT) — formerly Penfui Airport — is an international airport in Kupang on the island of Timor in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The airport is named after Elias "El" Tari (1926-1978), an Indonesian Army officer from Savu who also served as the governor of East Nusa Tenggara from 1966 to 1978. The airport's ICAO code was changed from WRKK to WATT in 2004.[3] As of December 2018, there were at least 258 outbound flights per week from the airport.[4]

The airport serves as the main gateway to West Timor and East Nusa Tenggara, offering flights to major Indonesian cities such as Jakarta and Surabaya, as well as inter-provincial routes within East Nusa Tenggara. The airport previously also operated international flights to Dili in East Timor and Darwin in Australia. In addition to serving civilian flights, the airport also functions as a Type A military airbase for the Indonesian Air Force and also as a base for the Indonesian Navy's Naval Aviation Center (Puspenerbal).[5] Its strategic location near the Australian and East Timorese borders makes it a crucial military asset. Plans are underway to establish new squadrons of combat aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force, which will be headquartered in Kupang to enhance border security.[6]

History

The airport has been in operation since 1928, during the Dutch colonial period. At that time, an aircraft piloted by American aviator Lamij Johnson became the first to land at the airfield, making a transit stop before continuing on to Australia. The airport was originally named Penfui Airfield.[7] The word Penfui itself means "corn forest," derived from the Timorese words "pena" meaning "corn" and "fui" meaning "forest." The name reflected the area surrounding the airfield at the time, which was largely planted with corn.[8]

Between 1939 and 1941, the airfield was upgraded and developed by Australian forces in anticipation of a potential Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies. Its strategic proximity to Australia made it a valuable asset to the Allied forces during World War II.[9] Following the Round Table Conference in 1949, Penfui Airfield was officially handed over by the Dutch military to the Government of Indonesia on May 6, 1950.

With growing demand for air travel in the 1960s, the airfield began accommodating Garuda Indonesia's DC-3 aircraft. At that time, flight operations and air traffic management were overseen by the Indonesian Air Force, as a dedicated civil aviation authority had not yet been established.[10]

In 1988, the airport was officially renamed to its current name, in honor of Elias Tari, the second governor of East Nusa Tenggara, who served from 1966 to 1978.[7] Management of the airport was later transferred to PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) in 1999.

The airport once served international flights to neighboring countries such as Dili in East Timor and Darwin in Australia. However, the route to Darwin was discontinued in 2008.[11] On April 2, 2024, the Ministry of Transportation revoked the airport's international status due to the absence of active international flights.[12] The East Nusa Tenggara government has made efforts to reactivate the Kupang-Darwin route, though these efforts have yet to come to fruition.[13]

In 2025, Ministry of Transportation of Indonesia officially reinstated the international status of the airport.[14] At the same year, the airport announced Wings Air will serve international service from Kupang to Dili, East Timor and scheduled to operate in March 2026 by using ATR-72-600 aircraft which marks the resumption of international flight from Kupang airport.[15][16]

Facilities and development

A major expansion of the airport was completed in 2020 at a cost of approximately 17 billion Rupiah.[17] The project included the construction of a new terminal, an expanded apron, as well as improvements to the runway and lighting. Following the expansion, the airport now features a terminal spanning 16,424 m², with a capacity to handle up to 2 million passengers annually. The apron, covering 58,469 m², can accommodate up to 17 narrow-bodied aircraft.[7] Previously, the old terminal had an annual capacity of just 1.3 million passengers, while the old apron, covering only 42,525 m², could accommodate just 12 narrow-bodied aircraft.[18] Additionally, the airport is equipped with 2 jet bridges, 4 conveyor belts, 20 check-in counters, and offers parking for up to 508 cars and 236 motorcycles.[17]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Batik Air Denpasar (begins 30 March 2026),[19] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[20]
Citilink Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[21]
Garuda Indonesia Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[22]
Lion Air Denpasar, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[a] Makassar,[23][24] Semarang,[b] Solo,[c] Surabaya
NAM Air Maumere, Tambolaka
Super Air Jet Denpasar,[25] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[26]
Susi Air Rote, Savu
Wings Air Alor, Atambua, Bajawa, Denpasar, Ende, Labuan Bajo, Larantuka, Lewoleba, Maumere, Rote,[27] Ruteng, Tambolaka, Waingapu

Notes:

  1. ^ Jakarta is continuation of Surabaya flight as the same flight number
  2. ^ Semarang is continuation of Denpasar flight as the same flight number
  3. ^ Solo is continuation of Denpasar flight as the same flight number

Traffic and statistics

Traffic

Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
2010 932,825 2,904 14,660
2011 1,213,508 30.1 4,148 42.8 18,800 28.2
2012 1,356,573 11.8 4,716 13.7 19,964 6.2
2013 1,369,432 0.9 5,918 25.5 20,481 2.6
2014 1,310,970 4.3 5,258 11.2 18,555 9.4
2015 1,523,342 16.2 4,885 7.1 20,253 9.2
2016 1,942,065 27.5 5,279 8.1 24,679 21.9
2017 2,099,890 8.1 6,088 15.3 26,638 7.9
2018 2,250,427 7.2 7,422 21.9 30,186 13.3
2019 1,859,268 17.4 8,778 18.3 25,870 14.3
2020 1,032,286 44.5 9,319 6.2 16,630 35.7
2021 1,020,285 1.2 12,352 32.5 15,546 6.5
2022 1,247,927 22.3 13,030 5.5 15,642 0.6
2023 1,297,850 4.0 11,355 12.9 16,045 2.6
Source: DGCA, BPS[2][28]

Statistics

Busiest flights out of El Tari Airport by frequency (2025)[1]
Rank Destinations Frequency (weekly) Airline(s)
1 Surabaya, East Java 21 Lion Air
2 Jakarta, Jakarta Special Capital Region 18 Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia
3 Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara 18 NAM Air, Wings Air
4 Ende, East Nusa Tenggara 14 Wings Air
5 Tambolaka, East Nusa Tenggara 11 NAM Air, Wings Air
6 Larantuka, East Nusa Tenggara 11 Wings Air
7 Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara 7 Wings Air
8 Denpasar, Bali 10 Lion Air
9 Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara 7 Wings Air
10 Alor, East Nusa Tenggara 7 Wings Air
11 Bajawa, East Nusa Tenggara 7 Wings Air
12 Rote, East Nusa Tenggara 6 Susi Air, Wings Air
13 Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara 5 Wings Air
14 Savu, East Nusa Tenggara 5 Susi Air
15 Lewoleba, East Nusa Tenggara 3 Wings Air
16 Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara 3 Wings Air
17 Makassar, South Sulawesi 3 Lion Air
  • Check-in area
  • Boarding gate

Accidents and incidents

  • On 27 November 2009, Batavia Air Flight 711, operated by a Boeing 737-400 made an emergency landing after a problem was discovered with the landing gear. The crew and passengers on board remained unhurt.[29]
  • On 2 December 2009, Merpati Nusantara Airlines Fokker 100 PK-MJD made an emergency landing when the left main gear failed to extend. There were no injuries among the passengers and crew on board.[29]
  • On 10 June 2013, Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 6517, a Xian MA60 operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines suffered a structural failure and crashed on the runway after a hard landing. No one was killed in the crash, but 25 people were injured. 5, including the Captain, was seriously injured. An investigation by the NTSC found that the pilot moved the throttle to the way back, causing the aircraft to lose lift. The crash was the second hull loss of a Xi'an MA60 operated by Merpati.[30]
  • On 21 December 2015[31] a Kalstar Aviation Embraer ERJ-195 PK-KDC operating a flight from Ende to Surabaya via Kupang overshot the runway at El Tari Airport in Kupang.[32]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bandar Udara El Tari" (in Indonesian). Ministry of Transportation. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2023" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  3. ^ Kupang-Eltari Airport profile at Aviation Safety Network
  4. ^ "East Nusa Tenggara optimistic about tourism prospects". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Lanudal Kupang Kembali Panen Jagung di Lahan Ketahanan Pangan". Pelopor Wiratama (in Indonesian). 27 December 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  6. ^ Kaha, Kornelis (4 August 2024). "Lanud El Tari NTT disiapkan jadi "Home Base" pesawat tempur". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "Mengenal El Tari, Bandara Peninggalan Belanda Bekas Ladang Jagung". cnnindonesia.com (in Indonesian). CNN Indonesia. 7 May 2024.
  8. ^ Rizal, Rahmi (24 August 2023). "Profil Bandar Udara Internasional El Tari Kupang, Beroperasi sejak Masa Penjajahan Belanda". iNews.ID (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  9. ^ Natom, Petrus (13 July 2023). "Orang Kupang Banyak yang tidak Tahu, Nama Penfui Ternyata Punya Arti 'Bendera Asing'". Siar Indo (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  10. ^ Tong, Jailani (21 April 2024). "Asal Mula Nama Penfui - DelikNTT.Com" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  11. ^ Bria, Yufengki. "Bandara El Tari Kupang 14 Tahun Tak Layani Rute Internasional". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  12. ^ Expat, Indonesia (29 April 2024). "Indonesia Revokes International Status of 17 Airports". Indonesia Expat. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  13. ^ Saba, Chanda (30 January 2024). "Pemerintah NTT Segera Buka Jalur Penerbangan Kupang-Dawin". rri.com (in Indonesian). Radio Republik Indonesia.
  14. ^ Salukh, Kekson (20 February 2026). "Soal penerbangan Internasional, Progres Serius Hanya Rute Kupang - Dili; Kupang - Darwin dan Kupang - Kuala Lumpur belum Jelas". www.victorynews.id (in Indonesian).
  15. ^ "Langit Timur Terbuka: Wings Air Siap Terbang Kupang–Dili". selatanindonesia.com. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  16. ^ "KADIN NTT Tindak Lanjuti Kerjasama di Dili, Wings Air Siap Layani KUPANG - DILI" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  17. ^ a b Irene (27 January 2020). "Makan Biaya Rp17 Miliar, Pengembangan Bandara El Tari Kupang Dipercepat :". okezone.com (in Indonesian). Okezone. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  18. ^ "Kembangkan Sisi Darat Bandara El Tari Kupang, AP I Siapkan Dana Rp17 Miliar". bisnisnews.id (in Indonesian). Bisnis News. 27 January 2020.
  19. ^ Kuswaraharja, Dadan. "Batik Air Buka Rute Baru Bali-Kupang, Perkuat Konektivitas ke NTT". detikTravel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Batik Air Flight from El Tari International Airport to Soekarno Hatta International Airport". airpaz.com.
  21. ^ "Citilink Flight from El Tari International Airport to Soekarno Hatta International Airport". airpaz.com.
  22. ^ "Garuda Indonesia Flight from El Tari International Airport to Soekarno Hatta International Airport". airpaz.com.
  23. ^ "Lion Air to launch daily Makassar-Kupang service from 21 March 2024". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Google Travel".
  25. ^ "Super Air Jet Flight from El Tari International Airport to Ngurah Rai International Airport". airpaz.com.
  26. ^ "Super Air Jet Buka Rute Jakarta – Kupang". travel.kompas. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  27. ^ "Wings Air Buka Lagi Rute Baru Hubungkan Kupang dan Pulau Rote". travel.detik. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2019" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Merpati Air Plane Passengers Unharmed in Emergency Landing". Bernama. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  30. ^ "Merpati Plane Crash-Lands in Kupang: All Survive". Thejakartaglobe.com. 10 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  31. ^ "The Aviation Herald". Avherald.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  32. ^ "Kalstar E195 incident at Kupang". Avherald.com. 21 December 2013.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Tari Airport.
  • Airport information for WATT / KOE at Great Circle Mapper.
  • Accident history for WATT / KOE at Aviation Safety Network
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