Minister Of Transportation Budi: There Was An Increase In Regular Flights During The 42nd ASEAN Summit

Komodo Airport. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARATA - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) ensures that it does not close regular flight access to and from Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), during the implementation of the 42nd ASEAN Summit on 9-11 May 2023.

"During the ASEAN Summit, we did not close regular flight access to and from Labuan Bajo, even our airport operations were open 24 hours and there were additional or extra flights for regular flights," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi as quoted by Antara, Monday, May 8.

Budi said, to ensure the fulfillment of aspects of safety, security and smoothness of five types of flights, namely VVIP, military, charter, private and regular flights, the Ministry of Transportation has also made a number of arrangements to balance the movements of the five types of flights.

The arrangement is contained in the Circular (SE) of the Director General of Air Transportation Number SE 6 of 2023 concerning Operational Regulation of Aviation During the Implementation of the ASEAN Summit in 2023 at Komodo Airport, Labuan Bajo, which was issued on April 18, 2023 and took effect on May 7-13, 2023.

The SE has been submitted to air transportation operators, both airport operators and flights in advance, to be better prepared to anticipate changes in flight schedules.

"We appeal to airline and airport managers to be proactive in providing clear information to passengers, in accordance with applicable regulations in circulars. For example, information on changes to flight schedules, delays, cancellations, compensation, refund processes, and so on," said the Minister of Transportation.

The Ministry of Transportation also appealed to people who will travel using regular flights to and from Labuan Bajo to pay attention to the flight schedule on that date, especially on the peak day of the arrival of VVIP aircraft on May 9, 2023 and the return of the VVIP aircraft on May 11, 2023.

Furthermore, so that regular flights can still operate from and to Komodo Airport, arrangements have been made, namely that all VVIP aircraft for ASEAN member countries will park overnight at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Bali on the north apron and south apron.

"On the one hand, we are trying to minimize the impact of flight disruptions for invited guests and delegates. On the other hand, we are also trying our best so that people can still be able to travel to enjoy the beauty of Labuan Bajo during the ASEAN Summit. This is a good momentum to promote Labuan Bajo nationally and internationally," he said.

Based on data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in the normal period there are a maximum of 18 regular PP flights per day route to/from Labuan Bajo. Meanwhile, during the ASEAN Summit period, it is estimated that there will be an additional 16 VVIP flights and repositions in a day, especially during the peak period on May 9 and 11, 2023 upon the arrival and return of the delegates.

The Ministry of Transportation has also coordinated with airport operators, ground handling, immigration (CIQ), and other related parties, to launch movement or flow of arrival and return of VVIP guests and delegates.

In addition, arrangements have also been prepared to anticipate air evacuation by using helicopters that have been published in the aeronautical information publicization (AIP) in the form of visual flight rules (VFR) corridors.