Keluang Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic and logistical obsolescence. The airfield was operated by oil and gas companies to serve their remote operations. As the road infrastructure in South Sumatra improved significantly, ground transportation became a more cost-effective and practical solution for moving personnel and light cargo. The high operational cost of maintaining an airfield for decreasing flight traffic led the operating company (Medco E&P at the time) to cease its use.

The airport is completely defunct and abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (-2.640962, 103.914557) clearly shows the remnants of a single asphalt runway. The runway is in a severe state of disrepair, overgrown with vegetation, and cracked. The surrounding land has been fully converted into palm oil plantations, which encroach directly on the former airfield's boundaries. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and is effectively being reclaimed by the surrounding agricultural landscape. The runway strip may be used as an informal access road by plantation workers.

Keluang Airport was a private, corporate airfield (airstrip) and not a public commercial airport. Its historical significance is tied directly to the oil and gas industry in the Musi Banyuasin Regency of South Sumatra. It was originally developed and used by energy companies, including Pertamina and later Medco E&P Indonesia, to support their exploration and production activities. The airfield was critical for transporting personnel, urgent supplies, and specialized equipment to and from the remote oil fields. It primarily handled small propeller-driven aircraft, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter or Cessna-class planes, which are capable of using short, unimproved runways. It was a vital logistical link before the region became more accessible by road.

There have been occasional discussions by the local government of Musi Banyuasin Regency about the possibility of reactivating the airport to support regional economic growth, attract investment, and potentially boost tourism. These proposals have surfaced periodically in local news over the years. However, as of early 2024, there are no concrete, funded, or official plans to rehabilitate and reopen Keluang Airport. The significant cost of rebuilding the runway and facilities, coupled with questions about its economic viability given the proximity to the much larger Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (PLM) in Palembang, makes near-term reopening highly unlikely.