More airports will serve int'l flights
More airports will serve int'l flights
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign visitors will have easier access to
several tourist destinations in Indonesia, as more airports in
the country will be able to accommodate international flights.
A report from the Directorate General of Tourism released
yesterday said a new airport in Medan, North Sumatra -- which
will replace the present Polonia Airport -- will be equipped with
a 4,000-meter runway. The new airport will serve direct flights
from the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands,
Britain, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.
The Polonia airport currently accommodates direct flights from
Singapore and Malaysia only.
The government recently picked PT Citra Lamtorogung Persada, a
company owned by President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti
Hardiyanti Rukmana, to construct the new airport near Medan at a
cost of US$600 million within three years. The company, in
cooperation with Schiphol Airport of the Netherlands, will start
construction it in the middle of next year.
Chief of the travel agent department of the Directorate
General, Thamrin B. Bachri, said yesterday that the inclusion of
additional international flights will be proposed to the
Directorate General of Air Transportation soon.
The other airports which will increase their services to
accommodate direct international flights include the Ngurah Rai
in Bali and the Juanda in Surabaya, East Java. Both will be
expanded to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 747-
400.
The Juanda, currently serving flights from Singapore,
Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, is also expected to serve
flights from Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.
The Ngurah Rai, already serving 13 international flights, is
expected to serve flights from France.
South Sulawesi
The Hasanuddin Airport in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, will
also serve direct flights from the United States, France,
Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Singapore, Australia and New
Zealand.
The Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications
anticipates that the country will attract 3.8 million to 3.9
million foreign visitors this year, and will increase to about
6.5 million in 1999.
The government has actually planned to build and expand
several other airports, including those in Lombok of West Nusa
Tenggara, the Adi Sumarmo airport in Solo of Central Java, the
Hasanuddin airport and the Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado of
North Sulawesi.
Eastern Asian countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan
and South Korea as well as European countries, including France,
Britain and Germany, are expected to provide the majority of
visitors to Indonesia.
Director General of Tourism Andi Mappi Sammeng said recently
that Japan Asia Airways (JAA) of Japan and LTU International
Airways of Germany, will start serving flights to Indonesia in
September and November respectively.
There are currently 33 international air carriers serving
Indonesia, which now operates four airports, Jakarta, Bali, Batam
in Riau and Medan -- the main points of entry for foreign
tourists. The other entrances include airports in Manado and
Surabaya. (icn)