Take cheap flight to westernmost Weh Island

Take cheap flight to westernmost Weh Island

By Yasad Ali

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (Antara): A man was busy explaining to his
children and wife the beautiful landscape below as the light
eight-seater airplane approached the airstrip on Weh Island.

The family was visibly happy and it was probably the first
time they had flown. It is a 15-minute flight from Banda Aceh to
Weh Island, now being beautified and promoted as a tourist
destination.

Weekly flights to the island aboard the light plane are
organized by PT Sabang Merauke Raya Air Charter (SMAC), and are a
special attraction for locals and people from other islands
wanting to explore Indonesia's westernmost island.

"We meant to enjoy the flight," said Ahmad, who works in Weh's
main town of Sabang but lives in Banda Aceh. He returned to Banda
Aceh aboard the same plane after a half hour stopover in Sabang.

SMAC began operating the Banda Aceh-Sabang route on May 31.
The light plane also serves the Medan-Sinabung (on Simeule
Island)-Banda Aceh route on Mondays.

The company decided to operate the Banda Aceh-Sabang route
because Sabang is the only western territory included in the
state-sponsored Integrated Economic Development scheme, where
tourism is expected to generate major revenue.

"The extra flight is to support the government's scheme, and
in return the government subsidies the flight," SMAC Banda Aceh
representative Saifullah said.

The actual cost of the flight from Banda Aceh to Sabang is Rp
68,500, but the government pays for half of this cost.

Saifullah said the operational cost for a Banda Aceh-Sabang
flight is about Rp 250,000 (about US$42). With eight seats on the
plane costing Rp 32,000 ($5) each, the company would lose money
on the route without the government subsidy.

The flight has received an enthusiastic response from the
residents of Weh. Until the flight began, the island of 24,000
people and Banda Aceh were connected by a ferry which ran once a
day.

"We have been overwhelmed by ticket reservations in both Banda
Aceh and Weh Island. You can imagine. It is a weekly flight and
the aircraft only carries eight passengers," Saifullah said.

The aircraft leaves Banda Aceh every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. and
arrives on Weh Island at 7:45 a.m. It is expected that in the
future, most of the people flying between Banda Aceh and Weh will
be holidaymakers.

The plane returns to Banda Aceh some 30 minutes after its
arrival in Weh. Another advantage, according to Saifullah, is
that passengers from Sabang can travel on to Medan or Jakarta on
the same day.

TM Yusuf, a Sabang resident, said he hoped that in the future,
the Banda Aceh-Sabang route would be served by a larger aircraft,
such as a Cassa which has the capacity to carry 19 passengers. He
also said the number of flights to the island could be increased
to two a week because Weh was becoming increasingly popular among
foreign tourists who wanted to enjoy the island's natural beauty.

Saifullah conceded the eight-seater SMAC aircraft was just too
small. He promised to look into the possibility of a larger
aircraft and more flights.

For its regular Medan-Sinabang-Banda Aceh route, the aircraft
leaves Medan at 7 a.m. and arrives in Sinabung at 8:25 a.m. Then
it flies to Banda Aceh at 10:20 a.m.

A ticket from Medan to Sinabang costs Rp 207,100, and from
Sinabang to Banda Aceh the price is Rp 222,500.

The opening of the Banda Aceh-Sabang route has also opened
opportunity for travel agents organizing trips to Weh. In
addition to the regular ferry service, visitors can also hire
motorboats. Weh Island can be explored in a day.

Travel agents have envisaged a number of tour packages. One is
to go to Sabang aboard SMAC's plane on Tuesday and return to
Banda Aceh the following day on the ferry or a chartered boat.
The second possibility is going to Sabang by ferry or boat on
Sunday and returning to Banda Aceh on Tuesday by plane.

SMAC officials have expressed their interest in leasing cars
in Sabang at affordable prices. "Maybe about Rp 100,000 a day for
a Kijang van," Saifullah said.

The flight time to Sabang can be prolonged upon request.
"Although the actual journey is only about 15 minutes, it can be
extended if people wish to see the scenery, such as circling Weh
Island," he said.

The Banda Aceh-Sabang air journey is the cheapest in
Indonesia, probably in the world, and the tourist industry should
not miss this opportunity.