Airport operator to reopen back gate

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II is to reopen the back gate to public access and widen the main road to the airport in a bid to improve its services.

"We plan to work together with Tangerang municipality to build an alternative access route, but it will take a lot of money and time," the airport administration chief Untung Rahayu told The Jakarta Post recently.

He said security would be heightened along with the reopening of the airport's back gate.

The alternative entry point was designated in 2002 a restricted access area following complaints that public use caused traffic congestion. Since then, only employees' vehicles carrying an Angkasa Pura sticker or embarking passengers had been allowed to use the back gate, which is heavily guarded by Air Force personnel.

Aside from passengers, Tangerang motorists have used the back gate and toll road as an alternative route into Jakarta to avoid the congested Jakarta-Tangerang toll road during peak hours.

Many people have also used fake stickers, reportedly sold for Rp 80,000 (US$8.60) to Rp 150,000.

Untung said the airport police were investigating the fraud.

"We have set up an in-house team to investigate if any of our employees produced the stickers, while the airport police have set up another (external) team...," he said.

Airport police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Firman Shantyabudi said they had been facing difficulties in investigating the case, because motorists would not provide reliable information.

"They claim to have bought the stickers at the back gate, but could not identify the sellers," Firman said.