Kualanamu Airport Has Opened All Domestic Route Flights

Kualanamu Airport. (Photo: Angkasa Pura II)

JAKARTA - The Kualanamu International Airport Authority (KNIA) in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra claims to have served all direct flights on domestic routes with an average daily passenger of up to 10,000 people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For domestic airlines, all are operating for now. Only international flights, we have not served," said Acting (Plt) KNIA Communication and Legal Manager, Fajri Ramdhani in Medan, quoted from Antara, Sunday, November 15.

He explained that at least 25 domestic routes were served, namely Soekarno Hatta in Jakarta, Sultan Iskandar Muda in Banda Aceh, Sultan Thaha in Jambi, Ngurah Rai in Bali, Hang Nadim in Batam, and Juanda in Surabaya.

Then Adi Sutjipto in Yogyakarta, Halim Perdana Kusuma in Jakarta, Kertajati in West Java, Kulon Progo in Jogjakarta, Minangkabau in Padang, Sultan Syarif Kasim II in Pekanbaru, Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II in Palembang, and Pinang Kampai in Dumai.

Aek Godang in Padang Sidempuan, Silangit in North Tapanuli, Ferdinand Lumbang Tobing in Central Tapanuli, Binaka in Gunung Sitoli, Lasondre in South Nias, Blang Kejeren in Gayo Lues, Kuala Batee in Blang Pidie, Malikus Shaleh in North Aceh, Cut Nyak Dhien in Nagan Raya, Rambele in Bener Meriah, and Lasikin in Simeulue.

The 25 domestic routes, he continued, are served by several airlines at Kualanamu Airport, such as Lion Air, Batik Air, Wings Air, Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Sriwijaya Air, AirAsia, Susi Air, and charter or rental flights.

As is known, the COVID-19 pandemic that has occurred in the country since the last eight months has had a negative impact on the air transportation sector in North Sumatra in particular, and Indonesia in general.

"Domestic routes are still dominated by passengers on the Jakarta route going home every day," said Fajri.

Chairman of the KNIA Aviation Operator Commodity (AOC), Rahmat Iskandar, estimates that the number of airline passengers per flight on average reaches 50 percent of all domestic destinations.

"In Kualanamu the average is still below 50 percent, especially for domestic flights. All airlines are already operating, such as the Lion Group, Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air, and others," he said.

"The 50 percent are operational and not passengers. Previously, the operation averaged 200 a day entering and departing at Kualanamu," said Rahmat.