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THE management of budget carrier company AirAsia has expressed the corporation’s readiness to open direct flights from and to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
According to Executive Chairman of AirAsia, Berhad Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said we will send a follow-up team to discuss the planned development of Banyuwangi Airport. If the infrastructure to make it an international airport is ready, then we are ready to open Kuala Lumpur-Banyuwangi flights. We seek to attract travelers from Australia and China, because Kuala Lumpur is AirAsia’s biggest hub.
“While visiting the first airport with green concept in Indonesia, that his visit was intended to see first-hand the development of Banyuwangi Airport in the framework of business development. During my visit to the sub-district, often dubbed as the Sunrise van Java, I was accompanied by AirAsia’s CEO in Indonesia, Dendi Kurniawan, while Banyuwangi Sub-district Head Abdullah Azwar Anas, who was participating in an event at the Ministry of National Development Planning in Jakarta, participated in the conversation through teleconference,” he said.
Datuk Kamarudin Meranun noted that I am surprised to see the high potentials possessed by Banyuwangi. There are 77 tourist attractions throughout the year, as well as interesting tourist destinations. I appreciate all parties who have contributed to the development in this area. We are exploring businesses in Banyuwangi. My first arrival to Banyuwangi was a follow-up measure to the conversation with the Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan a while ago.
“Indeed, I came here after meeting Pandjaitan to develop a new tourism area, in addition to Bali and Jakarta. The visit today is to conduct a study of Banyuwangi and the airport,” Kamarudin revealed.
Meanwhile Head of Banyuwangi Sub-district, Abdullah Azwar Anas, expressed that I appreciation towards AirAsia’s plan to expand its business in Banyuwangi. Every citizen in Banyuwangi is committed to develop tourism here, and Banyuwangi will also build a state-owned railway factory, a national sugar mill, and an international marina development.
Azwar Anaz also explained that the airport progress in Banyuwangi was relatively fast. In 2017, the number of passengers reached 188,949 people, or jumped 67 percent, compared to 113,153 passengers in 2016. In the period from January to March 2018, the number of passengers jumped 143 percent compared to the period of January-March 2017.
“For aircraft movement, there was an increase of 103 percent. The infrastructure of Banyuwangi Airport will also continue to be developed. Moreover, Banyuwangi will become the buffer airport for the IMF-World Bank meeting in Bali this October. The runway in the process is extended to 2.6 thousand meters with a width of PCN 56. The apron is 18 thousand square meters. For AirAsia, Airbus A-320 can land here. Therefore, I believe we are ready,” he noted. [antaranews/photo special]
