Planning and opening Construction of an airport in Batam was first initiated in the early 1970s as part of Phase I of Batam’s development by
Pertamina. Initially, the airport was planned to be constructed near Tanjung Uncang, on the western side of Batam. This location was selected not only for its favorable topography but also due to the presence of nearby waters that were already busy with local ports, making it suitable for the unloading of construction materials. However, the project was ultimately halted. Upon learning about the proposed construction of a new airport in Batam, the
Singaporean authorities raised strong objections. They argued that the operation of the new airport could result in airspace conflicts with their own airport operations in the
Paya Lebar area—particularly during takeoff and landing procedures. If the project were to proceed, they warned, they would be unable to grant permission for the use of surrounding airspace. At the time, airspace over the entire Riau Archipelago was still managed by Singapore, in accordance with a decision by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The
Flight Information Region (FIR) covering the Riau Islands was administered by Singapore based on an ICAO convention held in
Dublin,
Ireland, in March 1946. The process of surveying and determining the site for an airport in Batam was later resumed with the involvement of a Singaporean consultant, Robin Ednasa, during the period when Batam was administered by the Batam Authority, around 1976. This led to the selection of a location in the Batu Besar area. The same corporate group, Robin Shipyard, had previously been involved in the construction of the Batu Ampar seaport in the early 1970s, during the time Batam was managed by Pertamina. The decision to name the airport in Batam after Hang Nadim was made under the directive of
B.J. Habibie, who was then the head of the Batam Authority. He emphasized that the name should reflect the local wisdom of the
Malay community in the Riau Islands, yet it should not be drawn from figures or names that were already widely used. The selection of Hang Nadim sparked some questions at the time. According to local folklore familiar to Batam residents, Hang Nadim was a young boy who famously assisted the
Kingdom of Singapura in the legend "Singapore Attacked by Swordfish," which is part of the
Malay Annals. The airport officially began operations two years later, around 1978, initially serving special and chartered flights to and from Batam Island. At the outset, the airport featured a runway that was just 850 meters long, limiting it to aircraft such as
Twin Otters,
Skyvans, and helicopters. The terminal building of the early Hang Nadim Airport was constructed in a simple, semi-permanent manner, with the upper walls made of plywood. Similarly, the airport's control tower was built with basic materials, reflecting the modest infrastructure of the time.
Expansion and contemporary history In Phase II of its development, the runway at Hang Nadim Airport was extended to 2,500 x 45 meters. At the same time, the terminal building was relocated approximately 500 meters from its original site and expanded to accommodate growing traffic. Following the runway extension, B.J. Habibie, then Chairman of the Batam Authority, held discussions with
Wiweko Soepono, the President Director of
Garuda Indonesia, to facilitate regular flights to and from Batam. Initially, Garuda Indonesia operated just one flight per week, but by 1984, the airline had increased its frequency to daily flights. While continuing to operate Terminal B, the Batam Authority began work on Phase II of Hang Nadim Airport's development. The runway was further extended to 3,600 x 45 meters, a move made in anticipation of Hang Nadim becoming an international hub. By 1988, the extended runway had enabled Hang Nadim Airport to serve commercial flights to several major domestic cities, including
Jakarta,
Pekanbaru,
Medan, and
Palembang. Domestic airlines such as Garuda Indonesia,
Sempati Air, and
Merpati Nusantara Airlines operated at the airport, alongside an international cargo charter flight by
Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter (SMAC), which connected to Paya Lebar Airport in Singapore. Phase III of the airport development began in 1989 and was completed in 1995. During this phase, the construction of the new terminal commenced, alongside finishing work such as detailed design and supervision, civil works, and the installation of aeronautical equipment, including ground support systems. Additionally, the full distribution system was completed, along with a 400-meter extension to the runway. Other ongoing tasks included finalizing the airport's electrical and mechanical systems, security infrastructure, landscaping, and furniture. Upon the completion of the development, the airport was upgraded to international status in 1995. During the inauguration on December 11, 1995, Habibie highlighted that supporting facilities, including an aircraft maintenance center, would be developed in the coming years. This expansion is part of the broader vision to transform Hang Nadim Airport into an 'aerocity.' Following its upgrade to international status, Hang Nadim International Airport was intended to compete with
Singapore Changi Airport as a regional aviation hub, supported by significantly lower landing and parking charges. However, efforts to strengthen its competitiveness were constrained by issues such as an unreliable aviation fuel (avtur) supply, despite attempts by BP Batam to secure lower fuel prices through negotiations with Pertamina. In practice, the airport’s international operations remained limited in the years following its designation, largely confined to annual Hajj flights. During this period, Garuda Indonesia announced plans to route flights from Jakarta to
Jeddah via Batam beginning in late 1996, with increased frequencies scheduled from 1997 and similar adjustments proposed for other international routes. These initiatives were regarded as early steps toward developing Hang Nadim as a transit hub, although broader ambitions to establish it as a major regional hub faced ongoing challenges. ==Facilities and development==