Local Government Explores Opening Citilink Flights To Aceh's Cut Nyak Dhien Nagan Airport

Citilink aircraft. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Nagan Raya Regency Government, Aceh Province is exploring the opening of scheduled flights by the government-owned airline, Citilink, to Cut Nyak Dhien Nagan Raya Airport, as an effort to increase investment in the region.

"We are doing this assessment so that it is easier for people and business actors in Aceh to get scheduled air transportation services every day," said Head of the Nagan Raya Regency Transportation Service, Aceh, Mahdali, quoted from Antara, Monday, August 22.

In order to realize this desire, the local government has also prepared a recommendation that has been signed by the Regent of Nagan Raya HM Jamin Idham, Chairman of the DPRK Nagan Raya Jonniadi, as well as recommendations from the Aceh Government through the Head of the Aceh Provincial Transportation Service.

Mahdali explained that so far most of the people in Nagan Raya Regency, West Aceh and a number of people living in the south west coast of Aceh have had difficulty getting access to air transportation services.

According to him, flights that have been served through Cut Nyak Dhien Airport located in Kubang Gajah, Kuala Pesisir District, Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh are only served by one private airline with flights twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Whereas on normal days, thousands of residents in the west coast of Aceh who need air transportation services are forced to leave for Banda Aceh, the capital city of Aceh Province, in order to get air transportation services with a distance of between five and nine hours by land.

In addition, the factor of the high cost of air tickets at Cut Nyak Dhien Nagan Raya Airport, Aceh, which reached more than Rp. 1.4 million per passenger, was also greatly complained by the public because they were sold very expensive than usual at Rp. 500 thousand per passenger.

Mahdali said that the Nagan Raya Regency Government hopes that Citilink, as the state-owned airline, can immediately serve flights to the south west coast of Aceh.

In addition to making it easier for the public and business actors to get air transportation services, people in the south west coast of Aceh can also move freely because of the availability of adequate air transportation every day.

"The local government wants flights in Aceh, especially Nagan Raya, to have choices, and there are no expensive ticket prices as has happened so far because there is no competition," said Mahdali.