Ganjar: Endangering The Airplane's Path, Air Balloon Flights At Syawalan Lebaran Ketupat Banned

Illustration of dozens of hot air balloons being flown by tethering them in the syawalan tradition in Wringinanom Village, Kertek District, Wonosobo Regency, Central Java. ANTARA/Heru Suyitno

SEMARANG - Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo emphasized that flights of various sizes of hot air balloons during the Shawwalan tradition or Lebaran Ketupat are prohibited because they endanger the flight path of aircraft.

"There can be no hot air balloon flights because they are dangerous. If you still want to fly, you have to be tied to a certain height, you can't let go," Ganjar said in Semarang as reported by Antara, Saturday, April 30.

According to Ganjar, the ban on hot air balloon flights applies to all areas of Central Java.

For information, Pekalongan City will conduct a hot air balloon flight which is a traditional syawalan of the local community and the Pekalongan Balloon Sedulur Community as the committee, modifying the activity with the condition that the balloon is tethered or tied.

Related to this, Ganjar claimed to have communicated with the Pekalongan City Government, even this is not the first time so that the local government has also understood the rules.

"Tied up so that the altitude is regular and people can see well, it doesn't jeopardize the flight path," he said.

Airnav Indonesia General Ahmad Yani International Airport Branch Semarang also reminded the public not to fly hot air balloons wildly during the Eid and Shawwal celebration traditions because flying hot air balloons that are not in accordance with regulations could endanger the safety of aircraft flights.

"If people want to fly hot air balloons, they must comply with regulations, namely tethered with ropes, the specifications must be determined and so on in accordance with Minister of Transportation Regulation Number 40 of 2018," said General Manager of Airnav Indonesia International Airport Branch General Ahmad Yani Semarang Mi' wan Muhammad Bunay.

His party has coordinated with the Pekalongan City Government and local stakeholders to support it.

"Furthermore, there will be a campaign to the public not to fly hot air balloons wildly," he said.