Airport tax to be increased

TANGERANG (JP): Soekarno-Hatta airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II will increase airport tax imposed on people flying overseas in a bid to fulfill the Tangerang mayoralty's demand for a share of the revenue.

Head of the company Miskul Firdaus said on Saturday the rate would be raised by Rp 10,000 from the current Rp 50,000. However, he would not reveal when the new tax increase will take effect.

"Increasing airport tax is the only way to meet Tangerang administration's demand. Also, airport tax imposed on passengers departing from Soekarno-Hatta still remains among the cheapest in the world," Miskul said.

Separately, Tangerang mayor Mochammad Thamrin predicted on Saturday his administration would reap in Rp 20 billion from the airport tax.

Thamrin said the share of tax revenue had been approved by the minister of telecommunication and transportation and would be realized in the current fiscal year.

"The tax revenue will help the mayoralty administration improve public welfare. It's important because Tangerang is situated close to the country's capital and the airport falls in our jurisdiction," Thamrin said, as quoted by the mayoralty spokesman, Herri Kusnadi. (41)