October 20, 2020
In the Republic of Indonesia, a recently completed international airport was formally opened in the village of Tanak Awu on the island of Lombok (part of the province of West Nusa Tenngara). This facility replaced Selaparang Airport, which is located in the town of Ampenan and had been closed three weeks earlier, as Lombok’s only fully operational airport.
Originally called Lombok International Airport, the new facility was renamed Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport in 2018 in memory of a longtime scholar and religious leader who lived on Lombok until his death in 1997 at the age of 99.
This airport was inaugurated by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who served as president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2015. Those accompanying him to this Thursday event included E.E. Mangindaan, Indonesia’s minister of transportation; and Muhammad Zainul Majdi, governor of West Nusa Tenggara. As part of the ceremony, Yudhoyono gave a brief speech and then struck a drum. Another highlight of the ceremony involved having several Lombok residents stage a local dance and music performance known as gendang beleg.
By the time this dedication took place, the airport had already started handling flights. The first plane to use the airport was a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800NG that landed there on October 1.
For more information on Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport (originally called Lombok International Airport), please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zainuddin_Abdul_Madjid_International_Airport
Transportation History 
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