Entering the Post-Recovery Phase, Ministry of Transportation: Aviation Industry Starts to Rise

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, assesses that the aviation industry is starting to bounce back after being significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This can be seen in the increasing domestic and international flight traffic.

Based on data from the global aviation industry by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the momentum for global flight traffic recovery is starting to strengthen.

By June 2022, domestic and international flight traffic had reached an average of 70 percent compared to the pre-pandemic period (in 2019).

With details, domestic flight traffic reached 81 percent and international flight traffic reached 65 percent.

Director General of Civil Aviation Nur Isnin Istiartono said the decrease in flight traffic was in line with tightening the mobility of people's movements, to maintain health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We know that the pandemic has caused aircraft movements, the number of passengers and cargo at all airports to experience a significant decline. Now the aviation industry is booming again", he said Tuesday, September 20.

Nur Isnin explained that the situation and conditions of this pandemic have also caused several airlines to reduce their fleets and close routes that are not crowded, to reduce operational costs.

For example, said Nur Isnin, Kertajati Airport. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport was already serving flights. However, since the pandemic, passenger commercial flights at this airport have gradually decreased. Now, the airport serves flights for cargo.

However, Nur Isnin continued, in line with the aviation industry starting to bounce back after being significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kertajati Airport will return to serving commercial flights in November.

"Starting from November, Kertajati Airport is ready to serve commercial flights and the plan is to also use it to serve Umrah flights", he said.

He said, of course, the Directorate General of Air Transportation will continue to strive for airlines to re-open flight routes to serve passengers to and from Kertajati.

Moreover, with the operational plan of the Cisumdawu (Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan) toll road in October 2022, it will greatly assist in faster recovery at Kertajati Airport.

"The toll road allows traveling from Bandung to Kertajati in just one hour", he said.

In addition, Nur Isnin also said that several small airports on the island of Java are also starting to recover. Such as, Ngloram Airport in Blora, General Sudirman Airport in Purbalingga and Wiriadinata Airport in Tasikmalaya.

Nur Isnin said, before the pandemic and before Halim Airport was revitalized, these airports were already operating and serving flight routes.

The temporary suspension of Halim Airport has an impact on these small airports.

For your information, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport will be temporarily closed from March to August 2022. This is to revitalize the airport to maintain flight safety. In addition, Halim Airport is also prepared to serve the G20 Indonesia Presidency event.

After the revitalization was completed in early September 2022, Halim Airport has been reopened.

"This is a good start, so that flight routes from Halim can be reopened", said Monday.

Along with the recovery during the pandemic, according to Nur Isnin, it takes time to return to pre-pandemic conditions.

Moreover, currently, the number of aircraft is still very limited to serve people throughout Indonesia.

"Compared to before the pandemic, the number of our aircraft that are ready to operate, only 55 percent to 60 percent of the number before the 2019 pandemic. Hopefully, by the end of the year there will be a significant increase in the number of fleets", he said.

Nur Isnin explained that airports, like other transportation infrastructures, cannot directly generate traffic and mobility in the short term.

"The benefits of having an airport will be felt in the medium and long term when people's mobility is getting higher and they need fast and safe transportation options", he said.

Nevertheless, Nur Isnin believes that with good cooperation and collaboration between relevant ministries/institutions, and involving local governments and aviation stakeholders, this recovery effort will run well.

"We are continuing to try to recover so that the aviation sector will revive, the airport will be busy again and many flight routes will be reopened, let's make it happen together", he said.