D-7 of Eid, Flight Departures Drop by 66.45 percent

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ahmad Yani, the head of 2019 National Coordinating Post for Integrated Eid Transportation, said that the number of flight departures a week before Eid al-Fitr or lebaran dropped when compared to that of last year.

“This air transportation is interesting,” said Ahmad Yani in Transportation Ministry building, Jakarta, Wednesday, May 29.

Observed from 35 airports across the country as of Wednesday afternoon, May 29, there were only 763 flight departures today, declined by 66.45 percent from last year’s 2,274 flights. Besides, the number of passengers also dropped to 66,766 people from last year’s 289,522 or 76.94 percent.

“If the activity of air transportation decrease, the activity of sea transportation usually increase for the eastern and central area,” Ahmad added. Based on the information he received, the number of sea transportation users up 30 percent on average. “This means, there is a transportation change from air to marine.”

However, he claimed the data was temporary and so he could not make a conclusion yet concerning the drop number of air transportation user. “There are still flights tonight,” he said, adding that the arrival number also decreasing by 73.43 percent to 601 flights from last year’s 2,262 flights.

Earlier, Air Transportation Director-General Polana Banguningsih Pramesti predicted the drop in the number of flight passengers during this year’s Eid. “It’s not sluggishness but slow growth,” said Polana in the ministry building, Jakarta, May 21.

She could not detail the cause of the drop, however, one of the factors was the better transportation infrastructure.

CAESAR AKBAR