TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Air Transportation ensured that airlines guaranteed the safety of passengers despite decrease on airfares of domestic flights.

“Safety is a fixed-price matter. Airlines' main point is safety. So this year, we will tighten the security measure because this is our responsibility,” said Transportation Ministry’s director general for air transportation Polana B. Pramesti in Jakarta, Monday.

Polana said the ministry would intensively conduct ramp checks.

He admitted that at present, airlines faced a difficult situation following the unstable global economy and price hike of aviation turbine fuel (avtur), as well as the low season.

However, to generate a conducive situation among the public, airline management is urged to adjust airfares for domestic flights.

Therefore, the ministry coordinated with several SOEs including airport operator AP I and II to provide ticket discount; the Indonesian Flight Navigation Service Organizer Body (LPPNPI) or AirNav Indonesia postpone the price hike on navigation service; and with Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to deal with the avtur price issue.

Polana continued to say that since Transportation Ministry issued a decree in 2016 concerning mechanism and formulation of flight tariff, the highest and lowest limit tariff had not yet been revised, whereas the price of avtur and aviation operational costs had fluctuated.

ANTARA