Jakarta forum revives push for Mbay Airport as Flores backup hub
A discussion in Jakarta on 10 September 2026 put the proposed Mbay Airport back in focus as a backup hub for Flores, with DPD member Angelo Wake Kako urging an island-wide aviation strategy after repeated flight disruptions from Lewotobi’s…
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 4 min read
Labuan Bajo — A public discussion in Jakarta on 10 September 2026 has renewed pressure to prioritise the proposed Mbay Airport in Nagekeo as a backup aviation hub for Flores, after repeated disruptions to flights caused by earthquakes and the ongoing eruptions of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki. According to coverage by FloresPos.net and national outlet Viva, Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) member Angelo Wake Kako framed the airport as part of an island-wide connectivity and disaster-resilience strategy, rather than a purely local facility for Nagekeo.
In the Jakarta event, Angelo argued that Flores should be treated as a single transport system, with aviation infrastructure designed to support the entire island when one airport is forced to close. He said the vision was for “an airport for Flores, not only for the interests of each regency,” adding that a larger airport was needed to secure that role.
The proposal is being advanced against the backdrop of volcanic activity at Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Flores and related seismic events, which have repeatedly disrupted flights to and from Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere. Media reports by Detik and other outlets show that since mid-2025, ash from Lewotobi eruptions has several times forced temporary closure of Frans Seda, with multiple cancellations on routes linking Maumere to Kupang, Labuan Bajo and other centres.
Lewotobi impacts on Maumere flights
Detik and other Indonesian media report that the June and July 2025 eruptions of Lewotobi Laki-laki led to short-term suspensions of operations at Frans Seda Airport, with several days of closures and dozens of flights cancelled as volcanic ash contaminated airspace and airport approaches.
Further eruptions and an increase in alert status to Level IV (Awas) have kept aviation authorities cautious. Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and AirNav Indonesia issued volcanic ash advisories warning of ash spread around Frans Seda and other nearby airports, noting that several routes had to be cancelled for safety reasons.
The Jakarta discussion reported by FloresPos.net and Viva linked these disruptions and broader earthquake risks to a renewed push for Mbay Airport, positioning it as an alternative entry and exit point for Flores when Maumere or other airports are affected.
What is known about the Mbay plan
Local officials in Nagekeo have for several years promoted the construction of a new airport in Mbay, sometimes described as “Surabaya 2”, with aspirations to handle larger aircraft such as Airbus and Boeing models on a runway of more than 2,000 metres.
According to an April 2024 statement reported by Warisan Budaya Nusantara, the acting regent of Nagekeo, Raimundus Nggajo, said the planned airport would be built on land owned by the Indonesian Army (TNI), about 200 hectares in size, and positioned to support national tourism priorities by complementing Labuan Bajo as a “super-premium” destination.
The September 2026 Jakarta event adds a disaster-resilience dimension to this economic and tourism narrative. Angelo Wake Kako argued that viewing Mbay only through a Nagekeo lens is too narrow, and that Flores requires an airport capable of serving as a regional hub when other facilities are disrupted.
Proposal status and open questions
Neither FloresPos.net nor Viva report that the national government has formally approved construction of Mbay Airport, nor do they cite a definitive project owner, implementing ministry, airport operator or financing structure.
Available reporting from Nagekeo authorities describes the airport as a regional priority and notes discussions with military and central government figures about land and concept, but does not provide a confirmed construction timeline, groundbreaking date or targeted opening.
Key operational details also remain unclear in public sources, including runway specifications beyond general length targets, terminal design, environmental permitting and the current stage of planning or procurement.
For travellers and investors, this means Mbay should currently be understood as a proposed resilience and development project whose strategic case is actively being argued by regional representatives, rather than an airport with scheduled commercial services or a confirmed opening date.
Future government announcements will be needed to clarify which routes could be served, how airlines might be incentivised to operate from Mbay, and how the airport would integrate with existing gateways at Labuan Bajo, Maumere and other parts of Flores.
Sources
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