Indonesia advances Kertajati Airport transformation into aircraft maintenance hub
The Indonesian government is pushing forward with plans to convert Kertajati International Airport in West Java into a maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, with operations expected to launch this year as part of efforts to optimize national aviation infrastructure.
Indonesia advances Kertajati Airport transformation into aircraft maintenance hub
The Indonesian government is advancing plans to transform Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java, into a major aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul hub, with operations targeted to begin in 2026, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi announced Wednesday.
The development comes as the government works to complete the transfer of airport assets and management from the West Java provincial government, which currently holds approximately 70 percent of the airport's shares, to central government control. The remaining shares are owned by PT Angkasa Pura II and the West Java civil servant cooperative.
Speaking at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta, Prasetyo said the asset transfer process is progressing but requires time to complete all necessary procedures. The government aims to optimize the facility, located approximately 68 kilometers east of Bandung in Majalengka Regency, to generate greater economic returns from Indonesia's aviation infrastructure investments.
Strategic infrastructure advantages
Kertajati Airport, inaugurated in May 2018, is Indonesia's second-largest airport by land area, covering 1,800 hectares. The facility features a 3,000-meter runway extended in 2019 that can accommodate wide-body aircraft including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. Originally designed as a reliever airport for Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport with capacity for 29 million passengers annually upon completion, the site has remained underutilized for commercial passenger traffic.
The government has prepared multiple operational scenarios for the airport, including using it as a hajj embarkation point and aircraft maintenance center. Prasetyo emphasized that the MRO facility will serve both defense and civil aviation sectors, leveraging the airport's strategic location and extensive area to support multiple functions as a national aviation hub.
Growing market opportunity
The transformation addresses a significant gap in Indonesia's aviation services sector. Currently, more than half of all aircraft repairs for Indonesian carriers are performed abroad, representing substantial lost revenue and expertise development opportunities. Indonesia's aerospace and defense MRO market is projected to reach approximately USD 2 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 4.6 to 4.9 percent from 2025.
GMF AeroAsia, Indonesia's largest MRO provider, is already developing sustainable aerospace initiatives at Kertajati, indicating private sector interest in the location. The broader Kertajati Aerospace Park concept is among six strategic projects West Java promoted to ASEAN investors at the Selangor International Business Summit in July 2026.
The West Java government allocated Rp 100 billion for airport operations in 2026, with plans to complete the share transfer to the central government beginning in 2027.
Prasetyo expressed confidence that full operationalization of Kertajati Airport would create multiplier effects for surrounding communities. The government seeks to ensure that infrastructure investments deliver maximum benefits by optimizing existing assets rather than allowing them to remain underutilized, he said, adding that expanded economic activity would naturally follow once the facility reaches full operational capacity.