This year's upgrading of Lombok International Airport is continuing and, over the past two months, a significant number of improvements have been made to the island's only airport facility. Construction on both the airport drop off and pick up zones is now complete. The drop off area has been extended and widened to accommodate a larger number of vehicles dropping off passengers. The walkway has also been extended and now features covered canopies providing shade and shelter from the rain.  As part of the revamp continuing on the departure area, a nice open garden area and walkway has been created behind the existing Solada Resto.  The new arrivals and pickup area is the largest development and the modem curved design of the arrivals hall has changed the face of the airport Passengers now exit through the arrivals terminal into a spacious covered arrivals hall that leads out to the parking area. Inside the hall are security posts, a new station for the Darmri bus (the public airport transfer service) at the far left hand end and, on the right hand side, counters for the different tax companies operating at the airport — including a Golden Bird stand, which now offers premium taxi services at the almort The hall leads to taxi parking at the far right hand end and Damri bus parking at the end on the left, before opening onto the public parking area.  Inside the airport terminal, additions include a tourist information centre, a money changer, more retail shops and tenants, an upgrade to the smokIng area, and a waiting area on the third floor dedicated to Batik Air passengers. Future plans include upgrades to the check-in area and Screening Check Points 1 and 2. Even more significant are the changes taking place to the airport at airside. The long-awaited expansion to the airport aprons is now underway and eight new arcraft parking areas are bang constructed on the east and west sides of the terminal. This will allow up to 18 aircraft to park at the airport at the same time, with facilities for an additional four wide body planes.  Work is now underway on drainage and construction of the apron foundations, as well as expansion of the existing apron and taxiway In addition, access roads that cross the runway are being constructed to connect the Fire Station wth the perimeter area north of the airport.  Two additional air bridges will also be installed, these are the enclosed, movable connectors which extend from an airport terminal gate to an airplane. Refinement of airside related facilities, mechanical and electrical work is planned to continue in 2019. Additional works include increasing the carrying capacity of the main taxiway, elevation of the "alpha' taxiway, expansion of runways, extension of service roads, lighting on taxiway edges and aprons, signage and other work.  The project is targeted to be completed next year wth a contract value of Rp 238 billion.  Work is also progressing on the construction of the new terminal expansion which, when complete, will measure 20,000m2 and is designed to handle the growing number of passengers using the airport each year. The local government has set a target of 4 millon tourists in 2018.  According to the Department of Tourism, domestic and international passenger traffic at Lombok International Airport reached 3.58 mIllion passengers in 2017 or an increase of 4.92% compared to the previous year, which reached 3.42 million passengers.