Lasarus explains why Putussibau–Pontianak ticket prices are so expensive
Thekabarnews.com—Residents in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, are still unhappy about how expensive flights are between Putussibau and Pontianak. They say that the current prices for tickets make...
Thekabarnews.com—Residents in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, are still unhappy about how expensive flights are between Putussibau and Pontianak. They say that the current prices for tickets make flying mostly available to rich people and government officials.
Right now, a round-trip flight from Putussibau to Pontianak costs between Rp1.7 million and Rp1.8 million. Many people in the area think this is too much for everyday travel.
The Chairman of Commission V of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Lasarus, said that the high ticket prices are due to several things, including taxes and the cost of aviation fuel.
He stated that high taxes and the price of aviation fuel significantly impact the cost of flights in Indonesia.
“Another reason is that airplanes are still considered luxury items in Indonesia, so airline tickets are also taxed,” Lasarus told reporters at Pangsuma Airport in Putussibau on Tuesday, February 24.
Lasarus also said that the government does not give most parts of Kalimantan regular flight subsidies. He says that most of the money goes to remote routes in eastern Indonesia, especially Papua.
“The government does not usually help Kalimantan. If there are any, they are usually only for pioneer flights, and that depends on the government,” he added.
Lasarus stated that airlines are mostly businesses, so they need to carefully plan their costs and revenues before opening new routes.
“Airlines run their businesses based on business needs. They need to know how much money they made and how much they lost. Airlines will only fly if the routes are profitable,” Lasarus said.
He also said that the high prices for tickets are not because of monopolistic behavior.
“No one company owns everything,” he said.
Lasarus then said that the dispute is about who can drive the route.
He said that Indonesia is like Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, which are nearby countries where airline tickets are usually less expensive.
He said that the rules for planes in those countries are different from those in Indonesia, where people still consider them luxury items.
Lasarus said that government policy has a big impact on airfare prices.
“We often blame airlines, but the government is the most important factor. They need to be willing to lower the costs that affect ticket prices,” he stated.
The issue shows how challenging it is to make sure that people in remote areas like Kapuas Hulu can still get to big cities for a fair price. For these people, flying is still an important way to get around.
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