Ambassador Okto Dorinus Hopes That Flights From Kupang To Dili Will Reopen

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Ambassador to Timor Leste Okto Dorinus Manik hopes that the Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)-Dili Timor Leste international flight route will be reopened.

"We hope that flights from Kupang to Dili return and return to return so that economic activity on the island of Timor can develop," he said from Dili, Timor Leste, quoted from Antara, Friday July 1.

He said that the flight route from Kupang to Dili and vice versa was before the COVID-19 pandemic had time to operate. At that time, it was the Trans Nusa airline that served the flight route, and it ran smoothly.

However, due to the pandemic, the airline then stopped the flight route due to the absence of passengers from the two countries willing to travel.

"We hope that Citilink can open the flight route, because currently Citilink has opened a flight route from Denpasar to Dili," he added.

Timor Leste's airport authority, Jose de Oliveira Leong, also said that there were more talks about opening the Kupang - Dili flight route.

"But it's still under investigation. We'll see again in the future," he added.

But he also hopes that the route can be reopened, because many businessmen in Timor Leste often travel to Kupang, and vice versa.