Airports Become More Comfortable to Welcome Eid Travellers

The atmosphere at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport appears more vibrant ahead of the Eid transportation period. In this lively setting, passengers at Terminals 1 and 3 bustle about with luggage, some sitting while waiting for boarding calls, while Ramadan-themed decorations adorn various corners of the terminals.

Among the passengers preparing to fly, Hari (30 years old) appears relaxed while awaiting his flight. This man from Padang, West Sumatra, who works as an event organiser, admits to travelling home by plane almost every year. However, this year he has chosen to go on holiday instead of returning to his hometown.

Nevertheless, Hari still notices quite significant changes at the airport from year to year.

According to him, the processes at the airport now feel much easier. The services are also rated as increasingly good, from the flow of checks to the facilities available for passengers.

“Now the airport is far more comfortable. The processes are easier, and the services are getting better. The waiting areas are also much nicer,” said Hari.

He acknowledges that air ticket prices remain a challenge for some passengers. However, for many people, the desire to return home often outweighs the cost issue.

“When it comes to going home, people usually make the effort,” he said with a smile.

Past experiences

A similar story comes from Yuliati, a migrant worker from Tuban, East Java, who works in Changhua, Taiwan. This woman has been working abroad for nearly two decades since 2007.

She usually returns to Indonesia twice a year, especially during Eid or for important family events.

However, her first experience returning to the homeland via the airport left an unpleasant impression.

“In the past, I once fell victim to touts,” said Yuliati, recalling her experience from several years ago.

Now, she says the situation is far different. The airport is rated as more orderly, clean, and comfortable for passengers.

“Now it’s much better. There are no more shady touts. The airport is also cleaner and more comfortable,” she said.

Yuliati hopes that the quality of airport services will continue to improve so that the journey home for migrant workers like her can be more comfortable.

“I hope this goodness can keep being enhanced,” she said.

Modern terminals to international standards

Positive assessments are also voiced by Amelia (28), a migrant worker from Central Java. Every time she returns to Indonesia, she often waits for her flight at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

According to her, the facilities at that terminal are very adequate for passengers who have to wait a long time before departure.

“Terminal 3 is very comfortable. I’ve never encountered touts or anything like that,” she said.

Amelia even rates the facilities at Indonesian airports as comparable to several international airports she has used while working abroad.

“The location is comfortable, safe, and in my opinion, it can already be compared to international airports where I work,” she said.

The comfort felt by these passengers is inseparable from the various preparations made by airport operators ahead of the Eid transportation period.

The state-owned holding for the aviation and tourism sector, PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (Persero) or InJourney, along with PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airports), ensures operational readiness and services at 37 managed airports during the 2026 Eid transportation period from 13 to 30 March.

InJourney’s President Director, Maya Watono, said that the Eid momentum is the period with the highest traffic across the entire InJourney business ecosystem.

“We see very positive movement, especially from the domestic market, which is the main focus this year. We hope this momentum runs smoothly while driving performance growth across the ecosystem,” said Maya.

She added that InJourney prioritises customer experience in every service, from airport operations to retail facilities and tourist destinations.

To support this, airports are prepared to operate up to 24 hours following airline needs. Additionally, the number of service personnel is increased during peak periods of outbound and return flows.

InJourney Airports’ President Director, Mohammad R. Pahlevi, stated that the number of aircraft passenger movements during this year’s Eid transportation is projected to reach around 9.03 million passengers.

“Eid transportation is the busiest period of the year. Therefore, all airports are prepared to accommodate increased traffic, including additional flights,” said Pahlevi.

Several airports with the highest traffic during this period include Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, Juanda Airport in Surabaya, Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, and Kualanamu Airport in Deli Serdang.

Additional flights for the return flow

As public mobility increases after Eid, InJourney Airports, together with airlines, are also preparing additional flights to anticipate a surge in passengers during the return flow.

On 22 March 2026, passenger movements at 37 airports reached 468,604 passengers with 3,265 flights. This figure increased to 536,109 passengers with 3,636 flights on 23 March, and rose again to 583,815 passengers on 24 March.

Pahlevi said that this increase is anticipated by optimising slot times so that airlines can add flight schedules.

“All airports are projected to serve around nine million passengers during this Eid transportation,” he said.

In addition to regular flights, around 2,400 additional flights have been operated during the period of 13–21 March 2026.

Ramadan atmosphere

In addition to ensuring smooth operations, airports are also presenting various activation programmes to provide a more memorable travel experience for passengers.

Several activities such as bedug parades, Ramadan-themed music performances, distribution of takjil, up to p