JAKARTA: The government has opened Halim Perdanakusuma Airport Jakarta for short distance aviation and in the future, it could be used for aircraft with a capacity of over 110 passengers.
Previously, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport was used for private aircraft. Meanwhile, it was also used for air force military base and presidential aircraft, including aircraft for state guests.Directorate General of Civil Aviation at Ministry of Transportation Herry Bakti S. Gumay said Halim Airport will be developed for general aviation after all this time it is used for private flights.Merpati Nusantara Airlines will start to fly from the airport and in the near future, Sky Aviation will also provide airline service in the airport."Only public aircrafts with a capacity of 110 seats are allowed to fly from the airport. If the aircrafts is bigger, it can be arranged by considering the need. We change the regulation, which the Decree of Minister of Transportation," Herry said in Jakarta, over weekend.It is regulated on the Decree of the Minister of TransportationNo.32/2003 on the Operation of Soekarno-Hatta Airport and Halim Pedanakusuma Airport.According to Herry, the opening of Halim Perdanakusuma as a commercial airport is due to its adequate capacity of 3 million passengers per year. In addition a number of areas nearby Jakarta such as Lampung is also need to be visited.He added the opening of the airport for public airlines will increase the growth of the national aviation industry. In 1Q/2011, the industry increased 17% and during 2010 it also increased 31%."The development of our aviation industry is higher than AsiaPacific region that is 6%," he said.Lion opportunitiesThe opening plan of Halim Perdanakusuma Airport for public airlines with a large or jumbo aircrafts will provide opportunities to PT Lion Mentari Airlines to make the airport as a base, since the capacity of Soekarno-Hatta has been increasingly limited.Especially in the near future, a number of airlines including Lion Airand Garuda Indonesia will bring dozens of new aircraft.Lion Air is currently awaiting a formal letter for the opening of Halim erdanakusuma Airport for aircraft with a capacity over 110 seats from Ministry of Transportation." We are still waiting," said Lion Air General Director EdwardSirait to the Business through his cell phone on Sunday afternoon.He added that basically the opening of the airport is needed as an alternative airport in Jakarta because the capacity of Soekarno-Hatta Airport is increasingly inadequate.This is because the number of airlines will continue to bring new aircrafts the next few years.(t03/msw)
