ER
THE MINISTRY of Transportation announced that the transfer of flight services from Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung to Kertajati Airport in Majalengka, West Java, will start on October 29 2023. So, what about the fares? Is it more expensive or cheaper?
According to the Director of Air Transport at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Transportation Ministry, Putu Eka Cahyadi said that aircraft fares to and from Kertajati Airport will not be much different from when flight services are carried out in Bandung. The Ministry of Transportation has set upper limit rates (TBA) and lower limit rates (TBB) for Kertajati Airport.
“The fares between flights to Bandung and Kertajati are equally competitive, because the distance is not too far. Comprehensively, the pricing is the same, so there’s no need to worry,” he said at his office, Central Jakarta, on Friday, (9/15), 2023.
In fact, Putu confirmed that plane fares on routes to eastern Indonesia would be cheaper. He compared it to a flight to Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.
“For example, Bandung-Balikpapan, the TBA is say around IDR1.3 million. But from Kertajati IDR1.2 million. It is similar,” said Putu.
Putu explained that since early September 2023, to support the transfer of airport operations. Booking plane tickets to and from Kertajati Airport has also started. We have opened reservations, so our commitment is also the same as providing space in advance for the public to be able to buy tickets.
All permits, said Putu, were completed at the end of August 2023. So, airlines have opened ticket bookings through various applications such as Traveloka from early September 2023 to full operations at the end of October.
There are only three airlines providing services at Kertajati Airport, namely PT Citilink Indonesia, PT Indonesia AirAsia and PT Super Air Jet. The airline serves seven domestic flight routes, namely the Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Batam, Denpasar, Makassar, Medan and Palembang routes.
The seating capacity provided is 32,760 passengers per week or 4,680 pax per day (arriving and departing). Meanwhile, the domestic scheduled commercial flight routes that are still served from Bandung are Propeller aircraft, from and to Adisutjipto Airport by Wings Air with ATR 72-600 aircraft.
“As for international flights, there will be cooperation with Malaysia Airlines which will operate first around mid-October 2023. We are still discussing with Malaysia Airlines,” Putu remarked.
He concluded that the Ministry of Transportation had also opened ticket reservations for Malaysia Airlines for return trips to Kuala Lumpur. In total it will be served four times a week. [sources/photo special]
