After Bali, 2 Airports In Riau Islands To Serve International Flights June 2022

Batam Hang Nadim Airport, Riau Islands (Kepri). (Ogen)

BATAM - Two airports in the Riau Islands (Kepri) will serve international flights in June 2022, namely Hang Nadim Airport in Batam City and Raja Haji Fisabilillah (RHF) Tanjungpinang City.

"Later, we will hand it over to the association that wants to bring in the flight. The association has cooperation with Korea, Taiwan or China, those who cooperate and we only provide backup," said Head of the Riau Islands Province Tourism Office, Buralimar, in Batam, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, April 27; .

According to him, the international flight service will later go directly to Hang Nadim Airport or RHF Airport, the same as in previous years using charter or chartered flights.

"Before the pandemic, there were flights from Japan to Korea to come here because our airport is already international," said Buralimar.

Buralimar is very enthusiastic about the opening of the international flight service, because it will indirectly revive the tourism sector after two years of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The impact is also good for the Riau Islands Province, so we are very supportive," he emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Head of Batam Business Agency (BP) Muhammad Rudi said the opening of international flight services, if the decision for foreigners to enter Indonesia, would not apply the COVID-19 PCR/antigen test.

"If that still applies, I think foreign tourists are still reluctant to come here," said Rudi, who is also the mayor of Batam.

However, said Rudi, BP Batam had previously collaborated in managing Hang Nadim airport with a consortium of PT Angkasa Pura I - PT Wijaya Karya (Wika) and Incheon International Airport, South Korea.

"So even without being asked, they will come alone, because in the agreement he must prepare direct flights from abroad to enter Batam," said Rudi.