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INTERNATIONAL airline, Qatar Airways, officially opened direct commercial flight services from Kualanamu Airport (KNIA)-Doha International Airport (DIA) Qatar.
The opening of the route was carried out directly by Qatar Airways accompanied by the Qatar Embassy and the Indonesian Embassy to Qatar, which was marked by a ribbon cutting and first landing at Kualanamu Deliserdang International Airport, recently.
According to President Director of PT Angkasa Pura Aviasi, Achmad Rifai said that the opening of this new Qatar Airways route was the first to open the Kualanamu-Doha Airport Qatar connection and was a good step.
“We all know that Qatar Airways is one of the world’s best airlines, so the first flight will open up good business opportunities. The flight schedule is three times a week, Boeing 787 type with a passenger capacity of 254 people,” he said.
Achmad Rivai explained that this is the first flight service and our joint task is to make the Kualanamu-Doha flight service even more improved in the future. Efforts are to encourage passengers through various potential lines, including cultural exchange, student exchange, MSME commodity products, both from North Sumatra and Aceh Provinces. So that “In the future, many international airlines will also be interested in collaborating with Kualanamu.
Apart from that, the opening of the Qatar Airways international route is part of efforts to promote Indonesian tourism abroad to improve the economy of the community, especially North Sumatra, Aceh and surrounding areas.
On the same occasion, the Provincial Secretary of North Sumatra, Arif Trinugroho appreciated this first flight. “Because this will be a rare start to opening up good business opportunities, especially in encouraging the tourism sector in North Sumatra, which can not only be visited by Indonesian people, but also people from abroad, with direct flight access from Qatar to Kualanamu,” he said .
Meanwhile, the Head of Regional II Medan Regional Authority, Sokhib Al Rokhman, hopes that the level of sustainability of Qatar Airways flights can continue.
“First, of course we consider this as a function of the air bridge connecting Indonesia and Qatar. Then how do we maintain it, of course by increasing cultural exchange, this can be utilized by the Provincial Government and its surroundings. Second, the economic function is not only tourism, but our commodity throughout Sumatra we can improve North and Aceh. Then we will also involve academics, namely by bringing in universities in North Sumatra and Qatar,” he noted.
“We can improve it, so that student exchanges occur, so that both parties return home on this flight. And it is a source of pride for the people of North Sumatra that in the future they hope to be able to collaborate with large airports in Qatar, as well as other airports abroad,” he concluded. [antarnews/photo special]
