TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Halim Perdanakusuma Airport will start operating domestic commercial flights tomorrow. This step is taken to reduce the load at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for having reached the limit in passenger capacity.
Minister of Transportation Evert Erenst Mangindaan said Halim Airport is ready to serve Citilink Airline flights. "Citilink will be the first airline set to fly from Halim - all 16 flights," said Mangindaan during his visit to Halim Airport yesterday.
From Halim, Citilink has scheduled four domestic flight routes round trip (RT). The routes are Halim-Yogyakarta (RT), Halim-Semarang (RT), Halim-Malang (RT) and Halim-Palembang (RT). Citilink will use its new aircraft, Airbus A320, to serve the passengers flying from Halim.
Other than Citilink, Garuda Indonesia will also be diverting some of its flights to Halim next month. Indonesia AirAsia will join in March. Garuda will be serving these routes: Halim-Surabaya (RT), Halim-Semarang (RT), Halim-Palembang (RT), Halim-Yogyakarta (RT), and Halim-Pontianak (RT). While Indonesia AirAsia will serve Halim-Yogyakarta (RT), Halim-Medan (RT) and Halim-Surabaya (RT).
Although it will serve commercial flights, Halim Airport still serves military flights and VIPs'. For this matter, there are a few terms that are agreed upon by the Ministry of Transportation, PT AngkasaPura II, and The Indonesian Air Force, especially on flight delays.
Mangindaan said commercial flights will be delayed if there are flight activities of the Air Force which are out of the routine schedule. Besides, flight delays will also occur if there is a presidential flight scheduled. "The delays will be 2 hours maximum," he said.
AYU PRIMA SANDI