MAKASSAR - Angkasa Pura Airports Sultan Hasanuddin Airport Branch, Makassar, South Sulawesi, mentioned that there were three airlines which have been requesting permit for extra flights during mudik (hometown travel) season and its backflow of Lebaran 2014. The three airlines were Sriwijaya Air, Garuda Indonesia Airlines (GIA), and Lion Air. "GIA requested more than ten extra flights. These extra flights are planned to start operating on D-7 Lebaran or this upcoming 21 July 2014," said General Manager of Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Rachman Syafrie, to reporters, Wednesday (16/7/2014).
Rachman explained that other than those three airlines, several airlines had already operated extra flights. The extra flights are incidental and are not on mudik routes. According to him, the mudik route flights are going to be operated for 14 days starting from D-7 to D+7 Lebaran. "Some of the Lebaran extra flight routes are Ujung Pandang-Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta-Ujung Pandang, Ujung Pandang-Surabaya, Ujung Pandang-Balikpapan," Rachman said.
He also explained that the route which operates the most extra flights on every year was flights to Surabaya. For this year, a decrease of number of mudik travelers is being predicted due to two airlines stopped their operation. "We realize that there is a decrease on flight frequency, of which will also affect a decrease of number of passengers. It happens because Merpati Airlines closed down their operation. In the meantime, Air Asia is decreasing their flights because they want to focus more on international routes," Rachman said.
The airport also runs a Lebaran Air Transportation Post for the airport’s customers. The Integrated Post Team will operate 24 hours, starting 21 July to 5 August 2014. In addition, Sultan Hasanuddin Makassar Airport applies a silent-airport procedure which has run well. [Diani Sekaring Sejati/Source: Okezone)
