After the travel restrictions due to Covid-19 brought the world to a standstill, the resumption of full-scale mobilization has marked a significant milestone. Notably, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has seen its passenger numbers soar past those recorded before the pandemic.
In the first half of 2024, Soekarno-Hatta Airport welcomed 26 million passengers. This is approximately two percent higher than the 25.48 million passengers recorded in the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic. This resurgence indicates a robust recovery and growth in air travel.
This increase is even more pronounced when compared to the first half of 2023. During January to June 2023, the airport saw 24.45 million passengers, showing a remarkable six percent growth this year.
Cin Asmoro, the Acting Senior Vice President of Corporate Secretary at PT Angkasa Pura II, highlighted the ongoing rise in flight traffic since Indonesia declared the pandemic over in June 2023.
“The entire Soekarno-Hatta Airport community is working together to reactivate routes that were closed during the pandemic, open new ones, and increase the frequency of existing routes.” quoted from Kompas.
He emphasized the importance of Soekarno-Hatta Airport in driving national economic growth, particularly in the tourism sector.
“We are committed to maintaining and boosting the contribution of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Indonesia’s largest and busiest airport, to the national economy,” said Cin Asmoro.
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Dwi Ananda, the Executive General Manager of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, reported that the airport handled 175,359 flights in the first six months of 2024. He noted that the five busiest domestic routes in June 2024 were Denpasar, Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, and Balikpapan. Internationally, the busiest routes were Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jeddah, Doha, and Hong Kong.
The resurgence in passenger numbers is not limited to Soekarno-Hatta alone. Across all 20 airports managed by AP II, including Soekarno-Hatta, the total passenger count for the first half of 2024 reached 40.05 million. This figure represents a 2.5 percent increase from the 39.04 million passengers recorded in the first half of 2023.
Furthermore, the recovery rate for passenger traffic in the first half of 2024 across these 20 airports stands at 92 percent compared to the first half of 2019, which saw 43.22 million passengers before the pandemic.
Looking ahead, Cin Asmoro shared AP II’s ambitious target. “We aim to achieve a total of 91.08 million passengers by the end of 2024, reflecting a recovery rate of more than 100 percent compared to 2019, when we recorded approximately 90.77 million passengers.”
This optimistic outlook underscores the significant strides made in the aviation sector, paving the way for further growth and economic recovery. With collaborative efforts and strategic planning, Soekarno-Hatta Airport is set to continue its pivotal role in Indonesia’s development.
