Managing Informal Economic Activities at Sentani International Airport: An Organizational Safety Risk Management Perspective

Airport landside areas are open public spaces where passenger access, commercial services, and community activities overlap, yet little is known about how airports manage the operational risks that arise from informal economic activities there. This study examines how Sentani International Airport manages community-related operational risks associated with such activities from an organizational safety risk management perspective. A qualitative case study was conducted between January and March 2026. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five airport personnel representing operations, safety management, aviation security, commercial management, and airport security management, and were analyzed thematically. The findings show that managing informal economic activities involved more than enforcement. Five interconnected organizational processes were identified: organizational risk recognition, risk-informed decision-making, cross-functional organizational capability, continuous operational monitoring, and safety promotion and organizational learning. Communication, local knowledge, coordination with external agencies, and continued supervision after intervention were central to these processes. Community-related operational risks in landside areas can therefore be managed as part of a continuous Airport Safety Risk Management process in which coordination and learning help maintain safety under changing operational and social conditions. The study proposes an organizational mechanism that airport operators can use to understand and manage such risks. Because it covers a single airport and one type of community-related risk, further research in other airport contexts is needed.