Soekarno-Hatta Earns the Most Recovered Airport in Asia-Pacific
- VIVA.co.id/ Sherly (Tangerang)
Banten – Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Cengkareng, Banten, received an award as the fastest-recovering airport in the Asia Pacific region from the Covid-19 pandemic, Angkasa Pura conveyed.
This award was presented by Aviation Worldwide Limited (OAG), a London-based institution known for its leading data platform in the travel industry.
In the category of "The Most Recovered Airport," Soekarno Hatta Airport was designated as the winner for the Asia Pacific (ASPAC) region, earning the gold medal from Aviation Network Champions.
This award also serves as an appreciation for all stakeholders at Soekarno Hatta Airport for their hard work in maintaining and strengthening flight connectivity during the pandemic.
Bandara Soetta.
- Sherly/VIVA.
OAG observed the growth of airline capacity at Asia Pacific airports between 2019-2023.
Asmoro stated that when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Angkasa Pura II and all stakeholders made efforts to ensure that the pandemic did not significantly impact Soetta Airport's operations.
"We understand that Soekarno Hatta Airport is a key domestic flight hub, where air travel is the most efficient transportation in Indonesia, an archipelagic country," Asmoro remarked.
According to Asmoro, with the full support of all stakeholders including AP II, Responsive Headquarter of Covid-19, airlines, Air Nav Indonesia, Indonesian National Army-Police, Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, Ground Handling, and the ministries of transportation and state-owned enterprises, Soekarno Hatta Airport never reduced its operational hours amid the pandemic.
"We continued to operate 24 hours a day to serve various types of flights, including pandemic assistance and vaccine-carrying flights. We are grateful to all stakeholders, to all airport staff for their dedication during the pandemic," Asmoro expressed.
Asmoro further explained that as the pandemic situation began to improve, AP II along with all stakeholders immediately worked to strengthen air connectivity at Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
"When the pandemic situation started to improve, all stakeholders collaborated to enhance flight connectivity so that Soekarno-Hatta Airport could contribute optimally to the recovery of national tourism and economy," Asmoro explained.
Meanwhile, Soekarno Hatta Airport's General Manager, Dwi Ananda Wikasana stated that air traffic at the airport experienced a significant decline due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Flight traffic plummeted drastically in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid impact and began to increase again in 2022 and 2023.
In 2019, before the pandemic, there were recorded 54.5 million passengers, which dropped to 20.6 million in 2020, and then further to 18.8 million in 2021.
Meanwhile in 2022, there was a notable increase to 40.5 million passengers, and in 2023, it reached 50.3 million passengers, representing a 93 percent recovery compared to 2019.
