VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo on Monday urged Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi to be careful while allotting the quota of flights to foreign and domestic airlines despite the 84-percent spike in demand. "There is a request for 166 slots, or an 84-percent development. However, the President gave the directive that even if there are so many requests, do it carefully," he informed after a meeting at the Presidential Palace here on Monday.

President Widodo instructed the minister to determine the productivity that could be generated by each additional flight slot.

"If it's not efficient, don't give it too much of a chance," he noted.

The ministry will also need to adjust to some airports if they add flight slots, he said. For instance, Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, needs to be improved to eliminate flight delays and address increased passenger capacity, among others.

"We will further coordinate on Mr. President's directives. Thus, our conclusion in the President's briefing is, during this transition from pandemic to endemic, we must do well. That our services at international airports must be good," the minister said.

Many of the requests for additional slots have come from airlines from Qatar, Turkey, the Philippines, and other foreign flights.

"From overseas, Singapore Airlines is also asking for an increase (in slots)," he said.

A similar inquiry for domestic flights has been made by Air Asia and others.

According to the Transportation Ministry, the recovery rate for domestic flights in 2022 has reached 71 percent. At Soekarno Hatta Airport, the number has gone up as much as 90 percent.

"We compare between current flights to 2019. Basically, domestic flights have achieved a recovery rate of 71 percent. This is a pretty good number. Even at Soekarno Hatta Airport, it has reached 90 percent," he remarked.

He revealed that the recovery rate for foreign flights in 2022 reached 33 percent. (Antaranews)