Domine Eduard Osok Airport

Background and construction

Before the current airport opened, Jefman Airport served as Sorong’s main airport. It is located on Jefman Island, approximately 16.7 km from the Port of Sorong. Built during the Dutch colonial era in the 1930s, it was originally constructed to transport gold and petroleum extracted from exploration activities in Klamano, under the auspices of the Nederlandsche Nieuw Guinea Petroleum Maatschappij (NNGPM). Over time, the airport suffered from severe overcapacity and could not be expanded due to limited land availability. With only a single 1,650 m runway, it could accommodate only small aircraft such as the Fokker F28. In addition, passengers had to travel by boat to reach Sorong, which takes around 30 to 45 minutes, making access to the airport time-consuming and inconvenient. To make matters worse, the airport’s approach was considered hazardous by pilots, as the airport was surrounded by the ocean on all sides. Even a slight miscalculation during approach could have resulted in an aircraft overshooting the runway and plunging into the sea.

Plans to construct a new airport to replace Jefman Airport had been under consideration since at least the 1990s, with then-Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto emphasizing the difficulties and inconvenience of maintaining Jefman Airport. After years of planning, construction of the new airport began in 2002 and was completed in March 2004. The airport commenced operations on 20 March 2004, replacing Jefman Airport, which was subsequently closed and has since remained abandoned. The construction of the new airport cost approximately US$36 million. The new airport is expected to accommodate the growing number of passengers traveling to and from Sorong.

The airport is named after Domine Eduard Osok, a native of the Moi people who did not receive a formal higher education but was later ordained as a pastor and served in Papua. Known for his humility and simplicity, his name was subsequently given to Sorong Airport in his honor.

Contemporary history

The airport previously faced significant security and safety issues, as the airport premises were not adequately secured, allowing local residents living nearby to freely enter the airport grounds, including the runway. There were several instances in which aircraft were forced to execute go-arounds due to obstacles on the runway, including local residents crossing it on motorcycles. There were also frequent incidents of animals, including pigs and dogs, entering the runway area. The issue was largely mitigated in 2015–2016, when the airport authorities installed new fencing around the airport perimeter and, in cooperation with the Indonesian Army, began conducting regular patrols along the perimeter.

On 29 May 2013, local residents breached the airport compound and blockaded the runway, reportedly in protest over their alleged failure to receive adequate compensation for land used in the construction and development of the airport. This resulted in severe disruption to airport operations, with numerous flights to and from the airport being cancelled.

In August 2019, the airport was damaged by violent protesters following large-scale protests in Papua. Rioters breached the airport compound and proceeded to damage several vehicles in the car park, before entering the passenger terminal and destroying some of its facilities. The rioters were eventually driven out of the airport compound through a joint effort by airport authorities and law enforcement personnel. The incident led to the cancellation of numerous flights, with normal operations only resuming once the situation had become more conducive.

As an airport feeder, Domine Eduard Osok Airport serves domestic scheduled services operated by several airlines including Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air. In addition, the airport also serves pioneer destinations which are operated by Susi Air to some surrounding areas such as Ayawasi, Inawatan, Teminabuan, and Waisai. With a length of 2,500 meters and 45 meters wide, this airport runway can be landed by jet aircraft like the Boeing 737 series and the Airbus A320.

The airport was officially designated as an international airport by the Ministry of Transportation on 17 August 2025. Following this designation, plans are being considered to open international routes from Sorong to Australia and other Asia-Pacific countries.

Future development

Due to the growing number of passengers traveling to and from Sorong, the current terminal—designed to accommodate only 1.2 million passengers annually—is already operating beyond its capacity. Plans are underway to expand the terminal from 13,700 m² to 14,000 m², increasing its capacity to up to 2.8 million passengers per year. The airport’s runway is also planned to be upgraded to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A330. The upgrade would include the construction of open drainage channels, rehabilitation of the runway strip, and installation of 8-inch underground pipes along both sides of the runway at depths determined by the runway’s structural specifications. These improvements are expected to increase the runway’s load-bearing capacity from the current 71 tonnes to approximately 78 tonnes.