Election Causes Flight Passengers Decline
16 June 2014 10:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Last April's legislative elections had caused the number of airline passengers to decline. "During the election day, we noted a 25-percent drop in domestic flights," Muhammad Arif Wibowo, chairman of the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA), told Tempo yesterday.
Arif said that this phenomenon should alert the aviation industry, as it will certainly happen again during the presidential elections on July 9.
Despite the considerable decline, Arif said it will not have significant impact on this year's domestic and international airlines' performances. The decrease in the number of passengers is predicted to be brief, and the numbers will return to normal "after the elections because of the school holidays and Eid," said Arif.
Qatar Airways regional country manager for Indonesia Chan Cheong Eu said that, since the legislative elections, the number of Qatar Airways' Indonesian passengers had declined by 10 percent. The decline is getting bigger as the presidential election draws near.
"Moreover, there is the World Cup finals and the coming Ramadan; Indonesians will become more reluctant to travel," Chan said during a visit to Tempo's editorial office last weekend.
Nevertheless, Chan remains optimistic that Qatar's number of passengers will jump back up nearing the Eid holiday.
RAYMUNDUS RIKANG R.W | PUTRI ADITYOWATI