TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The regional-owned enterprise PT Bandarudara Internasional Jawa Barat (BIJB) CEO Virda Dimas Ekaputra stated low-cost airline Citilink would start to serve regular flights in Kertajati Airport, Majalengka on July 1, 2018.
“Previously, Citilink only serves extra flights during Eid homecoming, and that per July 1 it will officially offer regular flights. The permit has been issued,” said Virda in Bandung on Monday, June 25.
Virda said Air Transportation Director, Air Transportation DG, and Transportation Ministry had inked the permit of regular flights for Citilink with Kertajati-Surabaya route and vice versa.
Citilink was the only one airline operating in the newly-opened airport during Eid’s homecoming season since June 8, 2018, with the route of Kertajati-Surabaya at 07:25 am and Surabaya-Kertajati at 05:00 am.
“The new schedule will be at 15:10 from Surabaya to Kertajati and from Kertajati to Surabaya at 12:30 local times, people have bought the ticket,” Virda explained.
Virda recalled during homecoming season, the Citilink occupancy rate reached 92 percent for flight Kertajati-Surabaya, while that of from Surabaya-Kertajati was at 70 percent on average. “We hope the load factor of every flight will be 70 percent. [The route] Surabaya-Kertajati still below the target,” he said.
Virda mentioned there were three airlines currently preparing to open flight services in Kertajati Airport, viz. Lion Air, Sriwijaya, and Garuda Indonesia. “Lion Air has proposed the permit for Kualanamu-Kertajati-Denpasar and Kertajati-Lampung route,” he added.
However, he went on to say that the access to Kertajati Airport was needed to be improved. “We have provided airport bus, Damri, and in the near time, the taxi service will also operate in there,” Virda said.
AHMAD FIKRI
