Jokowi: There Are 8 Airports With The Potential To Become International Hubs

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said there are eight airports (airports) that have the potential to become hubs and super hubs of the 30 existing airports.

"I noted that there are eight airports that have the potential to become hubs and super hubs," Jokowi said in a limited meeting related to the merger of BUMN Aviation and Tourism at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, August 6.

According to Jokowi, the eight airports are Ngurah Rai in Bali, Soekarno Hatta in Banten, Kualanamu in North Sumatra, Jogjakarta, Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, Hassanudin in South Sulawesi, Sam Ratulangi in North Sulawesi, and Juanda in East Java.

However, before determining which airports should become an international hub, he asked his staff to conduct a study first. Especially studies related to geographic location and regional characteristics.

"We must have the courage to determine airports that have the potential to become international hubs," he said.

The determination of this hub and super hub, continued Jokowi, needs to be done. Because he saw that the airline hubs in Indonesia were uneven and too many.

In addition, he assessed that out of the 30 airports, only four airports were considered to be aviation centers, namely Soekarno Hatta in Banten, Ngurah Rai in Bali, Juanda in East Java, and Kualanamu in North Sumatra.

"Currently there are 30 international airports. Is this needed as many? I don't think other countries are doing this, let's see," he said.

Previously, President Jokowi said that he would take advantage of the decline in economic growth in the second quarter of this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic to transform tourism and aviation in various ways.

In addition to regulating hub and super hub matters, the former governor of DKI Jakarta plans to merge state-owned enterprises (BUMN) engaged in tourism and aviation.

The joining of BUMN in the tourism and aviation sector is expected to strengthen the tourism sector after the pandemic ends.