TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I (AP I) recorded a drop in airplane passengers during this year’s Eid homecoming season in its several airports. The corporate CEO Faik Fahmi said that the number declined by 18 percent when compared to that of last year.

“There were 3.1 million passengers, but now (this year) only 2.5 million,” said Faik when met after the Ramadan post-gathering or halal bi halal with other SOEs in Sinergi 8 Building, Central Jakarta, Monday, June 10.

However, the calculation has yet come to an end and the percentage will likely change. “[We] will resume the calculation until June 12,” he said.

According to Faik, AP I would prepare to increase the airport capacity and asserted it has no problem should foreign airliners enter Indonesia.

On the other occasion, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi revealed several factors affected the drop in airplane passengers during Eid homecoming season. “One of them is caused by the reduction in the number of aircraft, that’s a lot,” he said.

Other than the aircraft availability, people were reluctant to board an airplane for their homecoming trip following the airfare issue. Though at the same time the demand for air transportation was relatively good.

Based on the ministry’s data from D-7 until D+4 of 2019 Eid, the number of passenger departures declined by 30.73 percent or at 2,700,995 compared to that of the same period last year’s 3,899,278.

CAESAR AKBAR | EKO WAHYUDI