TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry’s spokesman, Bambang Ervan, said the increase in services has become the basis of increase in airport tax. The government will not allow airport organizers to increase airport tax if there is no improvement in services.
Starting April 1, state-run airport operator, PT Angkasa Pura I, is set to increase airport tax at five airports by 33 percent for international flights and 80 percent for domestic flights.
The five airports are Juanda airport, Surabaya; Ngurah Rai airport, Denpasar; Sepinggan airport, Balikpapan; Sultan Hasanuddin airport, Makassar; and Lombok airport, Mataram. Meanwhile, the operator is planning to increase the airport tax at three airports in Sumatra, which are Kualanamu (Deli Serdang), Sultan Syarif Kasim II (Pekanbaru) and Raja Haji Fisabilillah (Tanjung Pinang).
The above-mentioned airports have shown the increase in service standards, Bambang said. He gave an example, where Ngurah Rai airport in Bali has a new terminal. The investment value has become the benchmark for the amount of airport tax increase "There are calculations, but the government should also consider the public’s buying power," he said.
The determination of tariff increase, Bambang said, was not merely discussed by the airport operator and the Ministry of Transportation. The government has also looked for advice from various parties, for instance, the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) and the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA).
ANANDA PUTRI
