Indonesia Expects Over 5 Million Air Passengers During Year-End Holidays
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Air travel in Indonesia is projected to reach 5,050,194 passengers on domestic and international routes during the year-end Christmas and New Year holidays, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced.
Secretary of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Achmad Setiyo Prabowo, stated on Sunday that domestic passengers are expected to number 3,899,176, while international travelers are projected at 1,151,018.
The busiest domestic routes are anticipated to include Jakarta–Denpasar, Jakarta–Surabaya, Jakarta–Medan, and Balikpapan–Jakarta. For international travel, popular routes remain Jakarta–Singapore, Denpasar–Singapore, Jakarta–Kuala Lumpur, and Denpasar–Kuala Lumpur.
Regarding fleet readiness, Achmad noted that Indonesia has 568 registered aircraft, of which approximately 368 are currently operational. The remaining planes are undergoing maintenance, which could lead to tighter aircraft rotations, particularly in cases of technical issues or adverse weather conditions.
To maintain affordable airfares during the peak holiday season, the government has introduced multiple incentives, including a 6 percent VAT subsidy, discounted fuel surcharges for jet and propeller aircraft, up to 50 percent reductions in airport service charges, lower aviation fuel prices at 37 airports, and extended airport operating hours. Achmad said these measures could reduce ticket prices by approximately 12–13 percent.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also confirmed that 257 airports have been declared ready to support holiday travel following comprehensive inspections of operational facilities and service standards. Director General Lukman F. Laisa noted that inspections covered both airside infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, aprons, visual aids, electrical systems, emergency services, and drainage, as well as landside facilities such as passenger terminals.
