T

he Jakarta administration plans to support the realization of a helicopter transportation service proposed by publicly listed property developer PT Jababeka to boost business activities in the capital.

Jababeka introduced recently the Helicopter Air Club to the city administration while also proposing it as a commuting solution amid traffic congestion in the city.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said that the administration hailed the proposal as it would help ease business trips in Jakarta, and thus help accelerate the capital'€™s economy.

'€œWe often receive complaints from businesspeople about how long it takes to travel between Jakarta and industrial areas such as Cikarang in West Java,'€ Djarot said on Wednesday, adding that a single trip could take more than three hours because of traffic congestion in the capital. '€œThey wasted their time on the road while they could have used that time to make a quick business decision somewhere else.'€

Djarot further said that with a helicopter transportation service, businesspeople could move about easier and quicker. He said that with the realization of the proposal, the administration hoped the service could be accessible to a wider range of users '€” not only limited to executives.

Separately, Jababeka president director Setyono Djuandi Darmono said the club proposed such a concept to the administration in a bid to make helicopters as accessible as taxis.

'€œSao Paolo, Brazil, has 300 helicopters that are used like taxis. The users are wide, and thus the fares are low,'€ Setyono said, adding that the transportation service also had a regular schedule due to high demand. '€œWith similar transportation in the city, there will be certainty with regard to travel time to and from Jakarta, as well as within the capital.'€

Setyono said, however, that the concept had yet to be finalized as the club was still looking to purchase 12 helicopters. The helicopters are expected to be acquired within nine months.

He said the club currently had 10 helicopters that were used to serve companies wanting to carry out exploration and business trips.

In the initial phase, he added, the club planned to open routes to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten; Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in East Jakarta and Cikarang.

The club also planned to serve interbuilding routes within the city, which currently has 50 building helipads.

'€œWe aim to encompass 100 prominent companies as our clients. With their high number of workers, demand for helicopter transportation will be high when the service starts,'€ said Darmono.

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Andri Yansyah said previously that the administration supported the proposal but needed to evaluate certain aspects, including operation licenses.

Andri said the policy, regulations and licenses for helicopter transportation services were not issued by his agency but the Transportation Ministry.

He said once the transportation service was established, the fares would only be affordable for businesspeople even though Djarot hoped it would be accessible to more people.

'€œThe users will still be segmented for businesspeople. Nonetheless, the transportation will help business activities in the capital,'€ Andri said, adding that it might cost around US$100 for a single trip.