Cheap flights, will travel

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sun, 10/21/2007 4:05 PM | Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Drop by Jakarta's airport these days and you will see more than just big-shot managers and tourists hurrying to catch their flights.

T-shirt clad youngsters and mothers wearing head scarves and ankle-length dresses will also be queuing up at check-in counters.

Cheaper flights offered by various private airlines have enticed more Indonesians to return from their Idul Fitri holidays by air.

Since the airline industry was deregulated in 2000, many new airlines have entered the business.

Their ticket prices are generally competitive, which has sparked frequent price wars between airlines such as Batavia Air, Lion Air, Air Asia, Adam Air and the national carrier Garuda Indonesia.

Due to the increased affordability of air travel, the Transportation Ministry has predicted the number of people taking airplanes in Indonesia this year will increase to 1.7 million people from 1 million people last year.

Anto and eight of his relatives left for Padang, West Sumatra, on Friday. He managed to secure one-way tickets for Rp 115,000 (approximately US$ 14) by buying them four months prior to Idul Fitri.

""It's better than taking the bus,"" Anto said.

This was their first time flying to Jakarta. In previous years they traveled for two days by bus to celebrate Idul Fitri in the capital, which cost them Rp 300,000 per ticket.

Irnawati, 50, and her son Wawan, 20, who were heading back to Padang, were also first-time flyers.

""Flying is a welcome alternative to the other transportation options available,"" Wawan said.

Wawan and Irnawati had spent Rp 460,000 each on their one-way tickets, but could justify the expense due to the many hours in travel time it would save them.

Not all flights are inexpensive though, as Iwan and Ridho from Medan, North Sumatra, discovered. Their round trip to Jakarta set them back Rp 1.1 million each. The recently married couple said their return tickets cost nearly double the price of their departure tickets at Rp 700,000.

""I guess it's because the return ticket date coincided with the day everyone was traveling home,"" Iwan said.

""It's a bit more expensive than usual, but what can we do?""

The couple recently used the same airline to travel from Medan to Jakarta, paying only Rp 300,000 each for the return trip.

Meanwhile, the number of people returning to Jakarta from the Idul Fitri holiday was expected to have reached its peak on Saturday.

State railway company PT Kereta Api spokesman Akhmad Sujudi told Detik.com some 71,000 passengers arrived at the Jatinegara, Senen, Gambir, Tanah Abang and Kota stations on Saturday.

He said approximately 15,000 people arrived at the Senen railway station Saturday, compared to some 12,000 people on Friday.

Officials at the Pulogadung bus terminal in East Jakarta estimated that incoming passengers numbered 50,000 on Saturday compared to about 39,000 on Friday.

In stark contrast, those using the Cikampek and Jagorawi turnpikes experienced smooth traffic conditions Saturday.

""The number of vehicles was stable at between 17,000 and 20,000 each day after Idul Fitri,"" Novianto from the Jagorawi information center said.

He said traffic on the Jagorawi tollway flowed smoothly due to the opening of the Cikunir section of the road, which connects Jagorawi with the Cikampek turnpike.

The Cikunir section is part of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR) turnpike, which encircles Jakarta and connects with most turnpikes leading out of Jakarta. (24/12)

Comments (0) | Post comment

A | A | A |