The General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation (Ditjen Hubud Kemenhub) supports the optimization of the operations of Dhoho Kediri Airport as an alternative to Umrah flight services, in order to strengthen connectivity and optimize flights in East Java (East Java).
The Director General of Civil Aviation (Dirjen Hubud) of the Ministry of Transportation Lukman F Laisa said that his party had discussed this when receiving an audience with Deputy Governor of East Java Emil Elestianto Dardak.
"Our meeting discussed strengthening flight connectivity in the East Java region, especially the operational optimization plan of Kediri's Dhoho Airport as an alternative to Umrah flight services and other main airport supporters in the province," Lukman said in a statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Saturday, August 2.
As a regulator, the Directorate General of Hubud welcomed the initiative of the East Java Provincial Government to maximize the potential of Dhoho Airport.
According to him, this step is strategic in distributing the operational expenses of flights which are currently still centered at Juanda Airport, Surabaya.
Juanda Airport, said Lukman, currently serves around 14 million passengers per year from a maximum capacity of 21 million passengers. After an evaluation, the increase in Juanda capacity only allows up to 27 million passengers.
"This means that we must be prepared from now on to find and build new flight nodes to anticipate future growth," said Lukman.
The Director General added that Dhoho Airport is designed to serve wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A380, and has modern technical facilities and specifications and meets international standards.
This opens up great opportunities for Dhoho to become an alternative airport for the departure of Umrah pilgrims and domestic connectivity centers in the southern region of East Java.
The Ministry of Transportation assesses that in terms of infrastructure, Dhoho Airport is very adequate. However, before fully operational for Umrah flights, it is necessary to ensure that all aspects of safety (safety), security, services (services), and compliance with regulations are fulfilled.
"It is our responsibility as regulators," said Lukman.
In the near future, said Lukman again, the Directorate General of Hubud together with the East Java Provincial Government and airport operators will conduct gradual testing and evaluation of the operational readiness of Dhoho Airport.
"The future plan for Dhoho Airport will serve Umrah flights which are planned 3-4 times per month, therefore maximum operational readiness and facilities are needed," he said again.
Furthermore, Lukman also emphasized that the development of air connectivity in East Java does not only depend on Juanda and Dhoho airports.
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Other airports such as Abdul Rachman Saleh (Malang), Blimbingsari (Banyuwangi), and Trunojoyo (Sumenep) also need to be optimized as part of an integrated flight system.
"The increase in airport capacity and function in East Java must be seen in the context of the national air transportation system," said Lukman again.
The Ministry of Transportation is committed to supporting every regional effort in expanding flight accessibility, as long as it remains in the corridor of strict regulations.
"This step is part of the national agenda for equitable air transportation development and more inclusive public services," said Lukman.
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