Frans Kaisiepo Airport in Biak, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua, is among the airports in Indonesia with a long history. The international airport managed by PT Angkasa Pura I was given the name Frans Kaisiepo in 1984, after a national hero from Papua. Frans Kaisiepo was born in Wardo, West Biak. In 1964-1973, he served as Governor of Papua. During the struggle for independence, Frans Kaisiepo played a role in the unification of Papua (formerly West Irian) with the Republic of Indonesia
Previously, Frans Kaisiepo Airport was named Mokmer Airport. The airport was built by the Japanese in 1943 to support army mobility, logistics, and other uses. It is known, at that time Japan was involved in the war in the Pacific in World War II. Japan made Biak Island one of its military bases due to Biak’s location close to the Pacific Ocean. After the war ended with Japan’s defeat, the airfield was controlled by the Allies and subsequently used for commercial flights by the Dutch. From the airfield known as Mokmer Airport, the Biak-Tokyo-Amsterdam route was opened in 1959.
Along with the return of West Irian to the Republic of Indonesia, Mokmer Airport was placed under government control. Continuing international flights by the Netherlands, Garuda Indonesia opened international flights to Hawaii from Frans Kaisiepo Airport in 1996. The route is Jakarta-Denpasar-Biak-Honolulu-Los Angeles. In addition, there is also the Jakarta-Denpasar-Biak-Seattle route.
Unfortunately, when the monetary crisis hit Indonesia and greatly impacted the country’s economy, international flights from Frans Kaisiepo International Airport were stopped. Until now, international flights from the airport have not been reopened. The Frans Kaisiepo Airport area has an area of about 206 hectares, with a runway measuring 3,750 meters long and 45 meters wide. A number of awards have been won by Frans Kaisiepo Airport.
Among them, awards in the 2021-2022 Transportation Sector Public Service Unit Excellent Service Assessment Award in the Prima Pratama Category from the Ministry of Transportation. In addition, in 2022, Frans Kaisiepo Airport also received the Golden Flag of the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SMK3) Certificate in the 2022 Occupational Safety and Health (K3) Award from the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia.
West Papua Now 