Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya Asks Airlines To Pay Attention To Remote Areas: Don't Just On Fat Routes

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi asked national airlines that are members of the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA) not only to pay attention to fat routes, but also in remote areas, outermost, underdeveloped and inland (3TP).

"We shouldn't talk about fat routes. Jakarta-Bali, Jakarta-Makassar, but how our brothers in Saumlaki, our brothers in Miangas, can be reached well," he said at the CEO Talks INACA event at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Jakarta, Thursday, November 2.

Budi said that aviation is one of the basic needs for the community.

Especially in 3TP areas that require transportation other than ships.

It's a basic need. Lots of screams, screams, about how certain it is to reach connectivity. Many also feel the price is too expensive," he said.

According to him, people in remote areas, especially in eastern Indonesia, need transportation to support productivity. Meanwhile, in this area, the price of airplane tickets is very expensive.

Budi said, currently the growth of the aviation industry for domestic routes has reached 85 percent.

Meanwhile, international routes have reached 75 percent, although the recovery has not been evenly distributed.

"We see that at main airports, especially those are extraordinary activities. But in contrast to small airports both in Java and outside Java, the density is very lacking," he said.

Lower Upper Limit Tariffs In Regions

Previously, the Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi planned to revise the TBA for aircraft tickets to the regions. But not all regions, but only areas with poor purchasing power.

"We still refer to or pay attention to this TBA, but maybe the TBA for certain areas that we do, not all of them," he said at the CEO Talks INACA event at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Jakarta, Thursday, November 2.

Budi said that the plan to reduce the regional TBA is to consider people's purchasing power to buy aircraft tickets that are still low.

Especially, he said, in eastern Indonesia.

"People are also limited in purchasing power. It is proven that many of the eastern parts of Indonesia are unable to board planes, because the price is not cheap," he said.

However, Budi said that the decrease in TBA for aircraft tickets must be studied comprehensively from various sides.

The reason is, the Indonesian aviation industry is still facing challenges.

Such as weakening the rupiah exchange rate, increasing the price of aviation fuel to scarcity of aircraft parts.

"So we can't see one side, we have to look at it 360 degrees," he said.