1 month ago
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January 3, 2025 | 07:19 am
TEMPO.CO, Palembang - Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport or SMB II in Palembang, South Sumatra, will resume international flights. The airport status was downgraded from international to domestic on April 2, 2024.
Deputy Minister of Transportation, Suntana, conveyed the news during a working visit to Palembang to attend an evaluation meeting for the Christmas and New Year 2024/2025 traffic, as well as to coordinate and anticipate strategic transportation issues in South Sumatra Province.
"God willing, these (international) flights will resume after the Christmas and New Year period. All that remains is to wait for changes in regulations," Suntana said at the command center room of the Alang-alang Lebar Type A Terminal in Palembang City on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
Suntana said the infrastructure of SMB II Airport was also ready to be upgraded to an international airport. SMB II Airport was an international airport before its status was downgraded along with 16 other airports in Indonesia. "Later, we will adjust the regulations so that these international flights can be realized," he said.
Economic Support in the Tourism Sector
He considered that international flights at the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport in Palembang were critical and should be revived immediately to meet people's needs and increase economic growth in the tourism sector. This was also previously suggested by the acting governor of South Sumatra, Elen Setiadi.
"In addition, the routes that were active before the COVID-19 pandemic, namely Malaysia and Singapore, are in great demand by the people of South Sumatra, especially for purposes such as medical treatment, business, and tourism," said Suntana.
He also viewed the return of the international airport status as in line with President Prabowo Subianto's directive to activate and restore the status of airports that previously served international flights.
The central government, through the Ministry of Transportation, also expressed its support for the steps taken by the South Sumatra provincial government and the Palembang city government to reactivate the international route.
"In principle, the government will support all necessary efforts to improve the investment climate and economic growth, especially in South Sumatra," Suntana remarked.
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