She wanted to visit her relatives struck by massive earthquake.

 “It’s kind of a double whammy,” Shinta Firdaus, 35, said.

She ended up paying Rp 1.6 million (US$160) for a one-way ticket.

“I can usually buy a plane ticket to Padang for just Rp 500,000, but the prices tripled after the quake. It’s crazy,” she told The Jakarta Post at the domestic departure hall.

Irwandi, another passenger, said he usually spent between Rp 400,000 and 500,000 for a plane ticket to Padang, but this time an airline ticketing staff told him the price had gone up to Rp. 1.3 million.

“In moments like these, airlines should help people, especially the relatives of quake victims wishing to visit their close ones in their hometowns. Instead, they are trying to make money on the back of people’s misery,” he said.

However, Hana Simatupang, spokeswoman for Sriwijaya Airline, denied the company had raised ticket prices following the mounting demand for plane tickets to West Sumatra.

“We abide by the government’s regulations, which forbid us to sell tickets above a certain price, which is determined by the government.”

She blamed soaring prices on ticket scalpers at the airport.

“There are many ticket scalpers roaming the airport now, and we call on people to only buy tickets directly from airline ticket booths at the airport,” she said.

Herry Bhakti, director general for air transportation at the Ministry of Transportation, said that airlines, airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II and the government had agreed on capping the price of plane tickets to Padang on Friday afternoon.

“Air fares [from Jakarta] to Padang should not exceed Rp 1 million,” he said.

He added that several airline companies had fixed fares for tickets to Padang, such as Mandala Air
(Rp 600,000), Lion Air (Rp 700,000), Sriwijaya Air (Rp. 900,000) and Garuda (Rp 700,000).

Popular

Troubled Board of Peace

Videographer demands justice as he faces graft trial over project pricing

Prabowo pledges 100 GW solar energy target within three years