VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has, since Wednesday, Feb 5, halted flight services from Jakarta to several cities in China to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin noted in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday that the company had coordinated with all stakeholders in connection with the policy.

"We have prepared this with all stakeholders, especially all airlines that serve flights from Jakarta to China and vice versa. We are optimistic that all parties would understand about the temporary suspension of flights," he stated.

Soekarno-Hatta is the only airport, under the AP II management, serving regular or scheduled flights to China.

"PT Angkasa Pura II strongly supports efforts to prevent the entry of the new coronavirus. Soekarno-Hatta has operated a thermal scanner and conducted surveillance to identify passengers, who have contracted the coronavirus," Awaluddin remarked.

Mentioned herewith is the list of the last six flights in Soekarno-Hatta to and from China on February 4, 2020:

Arrival flights included China Southern CZ0387 serving the Guangzhou-Jakarta route; China Eastern MU5069 serving the Shanghai-Jakarta route, and Air China CA0977 serving the Beijing-Jakarta route.

Departure flights comprised China Southern CZ0388A serving the Jakarta-Guangzhou TD; China Eastern MU5070 serving the Jakarta-Shanghai route, and Air China CA0978 serving the Jakarta-Beijing route.

On Wednesday, there were 16 permits for flight routes from Soekarno-Hatta to China and vice versa. The route permits were aimed at serving flights to and from Beijing, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Shanghai Pudong, Kunming, Nanning, Haikou Meilan, Fuzhou Changle, and Xiamen Gaoqi

Total aircraft movements serving those routes reached 143 trips per week.

Air China, Southern China, Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Lion Air, Xiamen, Eastern China, Sriwijaya Air, and Federal Express are the airlines serving flights to and from China.

"Around 16-20 flight slots per day are idle since flights to and from China are temporarily closed that is a new opportunity for Soekarno-Hatta to be able to expand flight connectivity to other countries or to maximize existing routes," Awaluddin stated.

Destinations that can be explored included Turkey and Australia, and South Asian nations, including India, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. (ANTARA)