Jakarta’ Halim Perdanakusuma air force base has opened for commercial flights to relieve pressure on overcrowded Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Garuda’s subsidiary Ciltilink started operating from the airport on Friday 10th January 2014 and the airport will now provide a base for several carriers such as Garuda Indonesia and AirAsia.
According to Bambang Susantono, country’s deputy minister of transport, the airport would operate for up to 10 years until the expansion of Soekarno-Hatta and the development of another Jakarta airport is complete. This shifting of flights to Halim is only a short-term solution. It won’t reduce flights at Soekarno-Hatta but instead, it will reduce burden there especially during certain hours to meet the ideal capacity of flights. Following the annual evaluation and the development of a new airport, Halim Perdanakusuma will focus on its original functions namely serving VVIP flights and defense purposes.
Operations at Halim Perdanakasuma airport might not run smoothly, the airport is still designed as an air force base. The new airport is expected to take six years to complete. The Jakarta’s existing Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is currently operating at more than double its intended capacity of 22 million passengers per year.
According to Bambang Susantono, country’s deputy minister of transport, the airport would operate for up to 10 years until the expansion of Soekarno-Hatta and the development of another Jakarta airport is complete. This shifting of flights to Halim is only a short-term solution. It won’t reduce flights at Soekarno-Hatta but instead, it will reduce burden there especially during certain hours to meet the ideal capacity of flights. Following the annual evaluation and the development of a new airport, Halim Perdanakusuma will focus on its original functions namely serving VVIP flights and defense purposes.
Operations at Halim Perdanakasuma airport might not run smoothly, the airport is still designed as an air force base. The new airport is expected to take six years to complete. The Jakarta’s existing Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is currently operating at more than double its intended capacity of 22 million passengers per year.
