Soekarno-Hatta Hit Record Number of Flights on Thursday Since Pandemic

TheIndonesia.id - Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang recorded the highest number of flights handled on Thursday, April 28, since the start of COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister of Transportation has revealed.

Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said Indonesia’s biggest airport handled 1,054 flights on Thursday – or four days before Idul Fitri that’s expected to officially fall on Monday, May 2.

According to Sumadi, the figure was the highest since before the pandemic, in which the number could reach up to 1,200 flights a day.

“I’m very delighted. This is the first time [the number] exceeds 1,000 flights in the last two years during pandemic. Hopefully, this is a sign that the recovery of aviation industry has started,” he said on Friday, as reported by Antara.

The Minister also appreciated the national aviation industry that still manages to optimally serve passengers despite the limited amount of planes available.

“What has been done is by extending the duration of planes’ operations – from eight to 10 flights a day. Airports also operates longer, even up to 24 hours a day like in Soekarno-Hatta airport,” he explained.

Meanwhile, director of Airnav Indonesia Polana B. Pramesti predicted that Thursday was the peak of passenger movement in this mudik season in the airport.

“Previously [on Wednesday], there were 1,005 flights. And from Friday, it appears that the number has gradually declining,” she said.

Furthermore, president director of airport operator Angkasa Pura II Muhammad Awaluddin revealed that from April 22 to April 28, the number of passengers in the 20 airports managed by the company has reached 1.01 million people.

According to him, the current situation showed that the public responded positively to the authorities’ urge to go on mudik trips earlier to prevent heavy traffic.