Minister Of Transportation Regarding Airline Ticket Price Reduction: We Strive Before Christmas And New Year

JAKARTA - Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi said the government is currently trying to get domestic plane ticket prices down before the 2025 Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Currently, continued Dudy, the task force or task force for decreasing aircraft ticket prices is still in the stage of discussing the problem.

"It is being discussed by the task force. Before Nataru, we hope that there will be a recommendation (from the task force)," he said when met at the Head Office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Rawamangun, East Jakarta, Thursday, November 14.

Regarding the percentage of the range of decreasing aircraft ticket prices to be implemented, Dudy admitted that he did not know about it.

"I haven't monitored the task force yet. We'll tell you later if there are (results from the task force)," he said.

For your information, the Airline Ticket Price Reduction Task Force (Satgas) was formed in July 2024. The formation of this task force is based on the government's efforts to create more efficient aircraft ticket prices in the country.

The Airline Ticket Price Reduction Task Force consists of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves), and other relevant ministries/agencies.

Previously, it was reported that the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan ensured that the process of decreasing aircraft ticket prices would be completed in August 2024.

"It's in the process. It's still working and I don't think so this month. This month the process should be (completed)," said Luhut in Jakarta, quoted on Tuesday, August 20.

Luhut explained that the task force had considered a number of factors to lower the price of aircraft tickets. One solution is to implement a multi-provider system to supply avtur fuel.

So far, the supply of avtur has been carried out by PT Pertamina (Persero) so that the price of avtur has become uncompetitive. Therefore, to prevent monopolistic practices, the government opens opportunities for other parties willing to supply avtur.

"Pertamina's Avtur, right now the price is starting to fall because we are open, not just monopolized by Pertamina anymore," he explained.

Even so, Luhut said that aviation fuel is not the only factor that causes the high price of airplane tickets. However, there are other factors.

"Yes, that's it, there are many factors. We're talking about which costs we can lower, such as spare parts and fuel prices," said Luhut.