Transport Minister strengthens domestic aviation as other countries close airspace

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has stressed that strengthening domestic aviation is a key strategy to address the closure of airspace in several countries, which disrupts global connectivity and could pressure mobility and travel demand. He stated that the government is holding back increases in domestic ticket prices to keep them affordable, allowing the public to travel and maintaining national economic activities and mobility amid external pressures. “That’s why we are keeping domestic ticket increases from being too high so that people can still travel,” the minister told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday evening. According to him, the stability of domestic fares is crucial for maintaining passenger movements when global dynamics squeeze international flights and the tourism sector. Dudy noted that experiences from economic crises and the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the domestic market became the main support for tourism when foreign tourist arrivals dropped sharply. “During the crisis and COVID-19, the domestic market acted as a buffer for tourism. That’s why we are ensuring people can still travel,” he said. The government, he continued, is working to ensure domestic travel continues to sustain the tourism industry and support national economic growth. “This step is also to anticipate a decline in the flow of foreign tourists,” Dudy said. In his view, each country has its own considerations in aviation policies, so Indonesia cannot intervene and must adapt its measures accordingly. “There is an impact, such as a decline in tourism. We cannot prohibit other countries from reducing flights because their conditions must be understood,” he stated. In addition, global rises in aviation fuel prices are further pressuring the aviation industry, necessitating policies to balance operational costs and public purchasing power. Dudy hopes the global situation improves soon so that international aviation recovers, while strengthening the domestic market continues as a mitigation for the decline in foreign tourists. “The rise in aviation fuel is global. We hope this situation improves. The closure of airspace in China will impact Indonesia,” he said. He emphasised that increases in economy class domestic airfares must not exceed the maximum limit of 13% in line with government policy. The government has set a range of 9 to 13% for economy class fare increases and has asked airlines to comply with the rules without taking excessive profits. “It must not exceed that,” the minister asserted firmly.