JAKARTA - Passenger traffic at 15 airports managed by Angkasa Pura Airports decreased in the first quarter of 2020 by 8.11% compared to the same period in 2019. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic of which the first case in the country was only identified in early March.
For the first quarter of 2020, passenger traffic at the 15 airports reached 17.78 million passengers, dropped 8.11% compared to the same period in 2019 of 19.3 million passengers. Meanwhile, aircraft traffic fell by 4.86% to 175,143 from 184,085 in the corresponding period last year. Cargo traffic also saw a decrease of 16.98% to 121,127,758 kg from 145,894,028 kg in the same period last year.
"As we know, the decline in passenger traffic in March 2020 is in line with the identification of the first COVID-19 case among Indonesian citizens, which was followed by physical distancing policy and the Government's appeal not to travel to break COVID-19 chain. However, in the midst of this pandemic, Angkasa Pura Airports still providing optimal services to airport service users who have to travel by implementing health protocols related to the prevention of the COVID-19 spread, both by spraying disinfectant in all areas of the airport, implementing a minimum distance of one meter, policies on the use of PPE for airport officials, and others," said Angkasa Pura Airports president director Faik Fahmi.
During the first quarter, passenger traffic at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, which has the highest traffic among other airports managed by Angkasa Pura, was recorded at 4.66 million, plunged by 13.57% compared to the same period in 2019 which reached 5.39 million passengers. The most significant drop was seen at Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Solo of 19.45% to 335,928 passengers from 417,023 in the corresponding period last year.
"In the midst of this pandemic, Angkasa Pura Airports continues to operate its airports and keep developing several airport development projects with regard to health protocols related to the prevention of COVID-19 spread. Airport operation during the pandemic is useful for logistics and postal needed by the community, serving as an alternative airport for flights that experience technical or operational constraints and serving flights for health matters as well as transporting COVID-19 infection samples,” Faik added.
