Bali — Years after it was first proposed as a solution to ease pressure on Bali’s only international airport and boost development in the island’s north, the North Bali Airport project still has no officially confirmed location.

The prolonged uncertainty has prompted the Indonesian Transport Society (MTI) Bali to call on the central government to settle the project’s direction, warning that the lack of clarity is holding back transport planning and creating uncertainty for investors.

The proposed airport has long been viewed as a strategic project to reduce reliance on I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport while encouraging more balanced economic growth between southern and northern Bali. Despite repeated commitments from successive governments, however, the project has yet to move beyond the planning stage.

MTI Bali chairman I Made Rai Ridartha said recent discussions among senior government officials indicate there is still no unified position on where the airport should be developed.

One option reportedly under consideration is expanding Letkol Wisnu Airport in Gerokgak, western Buleleng, instead of constructing a completely new airport in eastern Buleleng.

That proposal differs from President Prabowo Subianto’s campaign pledge to build a new international airport in eastern Buleleng, which he described as a catalyst for accelerating economic growth in northern Bali.

According to Rai, deciding the airport’s location is essential because it will determine the transport infrastructure needed to support it.

Bali currently has no dedicated transport corridor linking the island’s southern tourism centres with the north, and existing roads are unlikely to provide reliable travel times between two airports if the project proceeds.

He also noted that Indonesia’s National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) was drafted on the assumption that the airport would be built in Kubutambahan, eastern Buleleng. If the government ultimately chooses a different site, the supporting road network and transport strategy may also need to be revised.

MTI Bali is urging the government to make a final decision not only on the airport’s location but also on who will develop the project and how it will be connected to the rest of the island.

The organisation said certainty is crucial for communities, planners and investors, particularly as the airport is expected to rely on private investment rather than funding from the state or regional budgets.

Until those questions are answered, the North Bali Airport project remains one of Bali’s most ambitious infrastructure proposals—but one that is still waiting for a definitive green light.