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Mathilda Batlayeri Airport

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Mathilda Batlayeri Airport
Bandar Udara Mathilda Batlayeri
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Indonesia
OperatorDirectorate General of Civil Aviation
ServesSaumlaki
LocationTumbur, Wer Tamrian, Tanimbar Islands Regency, Maluku, Indonesia.
Time zoneWIT (UTC+09:00)
Elevation AMSL410 ft / 125 m
Coordinates7°50′58″S 131°20′02″E / 7.849529°S 131.333998°E / -7.849529; 131.333998
Map
SXK is located in Maluku
SXK
SXK
Location of airport in Maluku Islands
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11/29 2,300 7,546 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Passengers38,103 (Increase 8.04%)
Cargo (tonnes)169.11 (Decrease 17.33%)
Aircraft movements1,010 (Increase 9.78%)
Source: DGCA[1][2]

Mathilda Batlayeri Airport (IATA: SXK, ICAO: WAPS) is a domestic airport serving Saumlaki, the capital and largest town of Tanimbar Islands Regency in the Tanimbar Islands, Maluku, Indonesia. It is named after Mathilda Batlayeri, a heroine from the Tanimbar Islands who was killed in South Kalimantan in 1953 while fighting the Darul Islam rebel movement. The airport commenced operations in May 2014, replacing the former Olilit Airport, which was located near Saumlaki town center but could not be expanded further due to land constraints. Situated in Tumbur Village, Wer Tamrian District, approximately 14 km (8.7 miles) from the Saumlaki town center, the airport serves as the primary gateway to Saumlaki and the Tanimbar Islands. The airport offers scheduled flights to Ambon, the provincial capital and largest city of Maluku, operated by Wings Air, as well as pioneer routes to Larat and Tiakur, operated by Smart Aviation.

History

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Apron view
Check-in area
Boarding gate
Baggage claim area

Olilit Airport, the former principal airport serving Saumlaki, was deemed no longer viable for continued use. The airport had a runway measuring 900 m × 23 m and a single apron of 60 m × 60 m, both of which could not be expanded due to its location in the middle of Saumlaki, close to residential areas.[3] The runway could not be extended further as it was obstructed by a major road, preventing the airport from accommodating larger aircraft.[3] As a result, the airport could only handle smaller aircraft such as the ATR 42 and the Dornier 228.[4] Consequently, proposals were put forward to construct a new, larger airport to serve Saumlaki and accommodate increasing passenger and air traffic demand.

Construction of the airport began in 2011, funded by the state budget with an allocation of Rp 30 billion,[5] and was completed in 2013. However, due to operational delays, the airport only commenced operations on 9 May 2014.[6] At the time of its inauguration, the airport featured a runway measuring 1,640 m × 30 m, capable of accommodating aircraft such as the ATR 72.[7] Following approval by the Ministry of Transportation, the airport was named after Mathilda Batlayeri, a heroine from the Tanimbar Islands who resisted the Darul Islam rebel movement and was killed during an attack in Kurau, South Kalimantan on 28 September 1953.[8] Her name had been proposed by the Tanimbar Islands Regency Government for official approval.[8] With the commencement of operations at the new airport, all air traffic was transferred from the former Olilit Airport to the new facility. The now-closed Olilit Airport is planned to be redeveloped into a private airfield for Inpex, which is currently developing the Masela LNG block in the Arafura Sea.[9]

The airport is considered strategically important due to its proximity to the borders with Timor-Leste and Australia. Proposals have been made to designate it as an international airport and to open international routes, including services to Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia.[10] However, these plans have been hindered by limited infrastructure, particularly the runway length.[11]

Tensions have periodically arisen between local residents in the surrounding areas and the airport authority due to disputes over land compensation. On 27 August 2025, residents blocked access to the airport, alleging that the government had failed to fulfill its agreement regarding payment of compensation for their land.[12]

Facilities and development

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The airport’s runway was extended from its original dimensions of 1,640 m × 30 m to 1,850 m × 30 m in 2017,[13] and further extended and widened to 2,000 m × 45 m in 2018 to accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.[14] It was further extended to 2,300 m × 45 m in 2022 to accommodate future operations of wide-body aircraft.[15] To accommodate future international flights as part of plans to designate the airport as an international airport and to serve new routes to destinations such as Australia, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines, the runway is planned to be further extended to 2,500 m × 45 m.[16] The airport is equipped with a single apron measuring 200 m × 75 m and two taxiways, each measuring 110 m × 23 m.[1]

On the landside, the airport has a single passenger terminal measuring 1,440 m².[17] Under the master plan, the terminal will be expanded in phases to 4,000 m²,[18] and ultimately to a maximum area of 7,000 m².[19] The government plans to invest up to Rp 100 billion in the development of the airport, covering both airside and landside facilities.[20].

Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
Smart Aviation Larat,[21] Tiakur[21]
Wings Air Ambon[22]

Statistics

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Annual passenger numbers and aircraft statistics
Year
Passengers
handled
Passenger
% change
Cargo
(tonnes)
Cargo
% change
Aircraft
movements
Aircraft
% change
2006 4,000 Steady N/A Steady N/A Steady
2007 13,306 Increase 232.65 5.18 Steady 674 Steady
2008 12,370 Decrease 7.03 14.40 Increase 177.99 530 Decrease 21.36
2009 19,692 Increase 59.19 4.01 Decrease 72.15 879 Increase 65.85
2010 29,116 Increase 47.86 9.91 Increase 147.13 1,162 Increase 32.20
2011 27,980 Decrease 3.90 17.44 Increase 75.98 1,255 Increase 8.00
2012 32,752 Increase 17.06 46.71 Increase 167.83 1,307 Increase 4.14
2013 27,578 Decrease 15.80 12.71 Decrease 72.79 1,555 Increase 18.97
2014 43,833 Increase 58.94 34.16 Increase 168.76 1,623 Increase 4.37
2015 51,339 Increase 17.12 58.47 Increase 71.17 1,244 Decrease 23.35
2016 81,144 Increase 58.06 30.58 Decrease 47.70 1,944 Increase 56.27
2017 76,218 Decrease 6.07 40.34 Increase 31.92 1,960 Increase 0.82
2018 91,170 Increase 19.62 204.10 Increase 405.95 1,992 Increase 1.63
2019 67,757 Decrease 25.68 142.62 Decrease 30.12 1,516 Decrease 23.90
2020 26,502 Decrease 60.89 64.04 Decrease 55.10 698 Decrease 53.96
2021 35,244 Increase 32.99 207.75 224.41 876 Increase 25.50
2022 38,369 Increase 8.87 245.78 Increase 18.31 944 Increase 7.76
2023 35,268 Decrease 8.08 204.56 Decrease 16.77 920 Decrease 2.54
2024 38,103 Increase 8.04 169.11 Decrease 17.33 1,010 Increase 9.78
Source: DGCA, BPS[2][23]

Notes: Data prior to 2014 are derived from records of Olilit Airport.

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 30 November 2017, Wings Air Flight 1517, an ATR 72-500 en route from Saumlaki to Ambon, returned to the airport shortly after takeoff due to a failure of its second engine. None of the 70 passengers were injured, and the aircraft landed safely.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bandar Udara Mathilda Batlayeri" (in Indonesian). Ministry of Transportation. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Statistik Transportasi Udara 2024". Statistics Indonesia. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b Lolonlun, Simon (27 August 2020). "Kemenhub serahkan fasilitas Bandara Olilit kepada Pemkab Kepulauan Tanimbar". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  4. ^ "Bandara Baru Saumlaki Mulai Dioperasikan Akhir Desember". www.tribun-maluku.com (in Indonesian). 2013-12-05. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  5. ^ Ayal, James F. (30 January 2014). "Bandara Baru di MTB Segera Beroperasi". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  6. ^ "Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri di Saumlaki Telah Dioperasikan". www.tribun-maluku.com (in Indonesian). 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  7. ^ Sulistiyono, Seno Tri (30 August 2015). "Jonan Blusukan ke Bandara dan Pelabuhan Saumlaki". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  8. ^ a b Leonard, Daniel (18 May 2014). "Penamaan Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri Atas Persetujuan Kemenhu". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  9. ^ Lolonlun, Simon (27 August 2020). "Kemenhub serahkan fasilitas Bandara Olilit kepada Pemkab Kepulauan Tanimbar". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  10. ^ "Penerbangan Darwin - Saumlaki Permudah Wisatawan ke Indonesia Timur". Lelemuku (in Indonesian). 2018-07-08. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  11. ^ Ayal, Jimmy (2017-05-16). "Penerbangan Saumlaki-Darwin terkendala Bandara Mathilda". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  12. ^ "Lahan tak Dibayar, Warga Palang Bandara Saumlaki". siwalima.id (in Indonesian). 27 August 2025. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  13. ^ "DPR Dorong Perpanjangan Run Way Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri". www.jpnn.com (in Indonesian). 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  14. ^ "Tahun Ini, Runway Bandara Mathilda capai 2.000 meter - Dhara Pos". dharapos.com (in Indonesian). 2018-07-09. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  15. ^ "Keren, Tak Lama Lagi Pesawat Wide Body Bisa Mendarat di Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri". KOMPASIANA (in Indonesian). 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  16. ^ Leonard, Daniel (17 September 2016). "Maluku Bakal Miliki Dua Bandara Internasional - ANTARA News Ambon, Maluku". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  17. ^ Pambudhy, Agung (3 October 2022). "Geliat Bandar Udara Mathilda Batlayeri". detikfinance (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  18. ^ Leonard, Daniel (16 September 2016). "Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri akan Didarati Boeing 737 - ANTARA News Ambon, Maluku". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  19. ^ "Bandara Mathilda Batlayeri Saumlaki Dikembangkan Bertahap, Bisa Didarati Boeing 737". beritamalukuonline.com (in Indonesian). 16 September 2016. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  20. ^ Lolonlun, Simon (2 October 2020). "Pemerintah kucurkan Rp100 miliar pengembangan Bandara Mathilda - ANTARA News Ambon, Maluku". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  21. ^ a b Syam (14 August 2025). "Hasil Evaluasi Penerbangan Perintis Korwil Langgur Ambon Positif". bisnisnews.id (in Indonesian).
  22. ^ Lolonlun, Simon (16 August 2022). "Wings Air evaluasi rute Ambon - Saumlaki dengan kurangi penerbangan". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  23. ^ "Statistik Angkatan Udara 2019" (PDF). DGCA. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  24. ^ Lolonlun, Simon (30 November 2017). "Wings Air Mendarat Darurat di Saumlaki". Antara News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-14.
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