Airport operator to reopen back gate

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.