Angkasa Pura

General Besar Soedirman Purbalingga Airport Serves Commercial Flights October 2022, This is AP II's Readiness Including Providing Incentive and Promotional Support for Airlines

Jakarta - Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport in Purbalingga, Central Java, welcomes back commercial flights this month.

This commercial flight is supported by all parties, including the local government, airlines and PT Angkasa Pura II as the operator of Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport.

"This is evidence of good cohesiveness and cooperation between the Ministry of Transportation, regional governments, airport operators, and airlines to ensure there are flights at this airport," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi.

The Minister of Transportation said this after holding a meeting at Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport on Friday, September 30, 2022, with AP II and six regional heads in West and South Central Java, namely Purbalingga, Banyumas, Banjarnegara, Wonosobo, Pemalang, and Kebumen.

Regional heads have expressed their commitment to ensure the occupancy rate of airplane passengers through blocking seats or purchasing seats, the scheme of which will be discussed further between airlines and their respective regional representatives, with facilitation from the Ministry of Transportation.

AP II as the airport operator is also preparing support in the form of incentives and promotions for airlines.

AP II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin said incentives would be given for certain periods.

"AP II provides a stimulus or incentive to airlines in the form of exemption from landing and parking fees for aircraft for a certain period. We hope that this incentive can support airlines in serving flights to and from Purbalingga. We will inform the airline about the period when the incentive will be applied," said Muhammad Awaluddin.

The airlines that serve flights to and from Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport will also get a marketing cooperation scheme (cross promotion) in the form of displaying flight route information from and to Purbalingga as well as promoting tourism potential in Purbalingga and its surroundings, on 222 digital media in 18 airports. AP II.

Muhammad Awaluddin said, "The promotion carried out at AP II's 18 airports will massively make the flight routes at Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport and Purbalingga tourism and its surroundings increasingly known to the wider community.

Purbalingga and its surroundings have considerable tourism potential with a number of well-known tourist destinations including Batu Raden, Serayu Rafting, Asri Valley Serang and Dieng. Based on AP II data, the number of tourist visits to Purbalingga and its surroundings reached around 7.36 million people or 23% of the total tourist visits in Central Java.

Muhammad Awaluddin said that apart from being an airport to support tourism, Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport also has the option of being a feeder airport for Umrah pilgrimages.

"We are considering the option of developing flight traffic at Jenderal Besar Sudirman Airport so that it can become a feeder airport for Umrah flights, with flight routes to Kertajati Airport (Majalengka) which will open direct flights to Jeddah in November 2022, and then to Surabaya, which already has flights. direct flights to Jeddah," said Muhammad Awaluddin.

Airport operational readiness
In addition to providing incentives and promotional cooperation, AP II also ensures operational readiness and airport services.

The Executive General Manager of Jenderal Besar Airport Sudirman Catur Sudarmono explained that all areas of the airport, both on the land side and air side, are ready to support commercial flights.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Besar Sudirman Airport is always operating, and all areas such as the check-in area, boarding lounge, baggage claim area, to public facilities are ready to serve passengers."

On the air side, the runway with dimensions of 1,600 x 30 meters is certain to be very ready to serve propeller aircraft flights with a capacity of under 100 passengers. All facilities on the airside and land side are certainly ready," said Catur Sudarmono.

For land transportation services for airplane passengers, continued Catur Sudarmono, currently it is confirmed that taxi and Trans Jateng Bus services are available.

Security facilities are also ready, including Walkthrough Metal Detector (WTMD), Handheld Metal Detector (HHMD), x-ray for luggage and CCTV. Meanwhile, for the safety aspect, facilities for Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) Category 5. have been prepared.