All domestic flights from Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, West Java, will be transferred to the newly opened West Java International Airport in Kertajati, Majalengka regency, no later than July 1.

“A total of 28 take-offs and 28 landings by domestic aircraft will take place in Kertajati. Meanwhile, a total of 32 take-offs and 32 landings by propeller aircraft going abroad will remain in Bandung,” Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Tuesday.

Domestic flight routes transferred to Kertajati include flights to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, Batam in Riau Islands, Bali, Medan in North Sumatra and Makassar in South Sulawesi, Pekanbaru in Riau and Pontianak in West Kalimantan. Airlines ready to operate from Kertajati include Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air, Wings, Air Asia and Citilink.

Budi said that domestic flights using propeller planes such as ATR 72 going to Yogyakarta, Surabaya in East Java and Jakarta would continue to use Husein Sastranegara. Hopefully, said Budi, the flight slots could increase passenger numbers.

Previously, the ministry's air transportation director general, Polana B. Pramesti issued a letter for the rearrangement of flights using the two airports. The change was initially going to take effect on Saturday but was postponed due to the limited preparation time.

Based on data from state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura (AP) II, Hussein serves 88 flights daily, 68 of which use jet planes. There are only four slots that can provide several flight schedules.

AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said the transfer was in line with his priority in structuring and improving flight operations at Husein Sastranegara International Airport, West Java International Airport, Soekarno Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.

“The purpose is to balance the flow of passengers as instructed by the director general to manage domestic and foreign flights. We will make the transfer a priority so that it could be done no later than July 1,” Awaluddin said referring to Polana.

The president director of state-owned air navigation firm AirNav Indonesia, Novie Riyanto Rahardjo, said he was ready to support flights at West Java International Airport, which is located about 68 kilometers from Bandung.

“We will concentrate on managing flights as well as possible in terms of the human resources and safety procedures,” Novie said.

Regarding the preparation of transportation modes from and to Kertajati, West Java Transportation Agency head Hery Antasari said the agency had issued operating licenses for buses, minibuses and shuttles.

In addition, Hery said, Damri buses will operate from Bandung, Kuningan, Cikarang and Cirebon, all in West Java.

“All transportation modes will follow the flight schedules,” Hery said.

West Java Deputy Governor Uu Ruzhanul Ulum said he appreciated the plan, which would help improve Kertajati’s airport.

“It will help the regional economy, and hopefully, West Java’s PAD [regional income] will increase,” Uu said. (syk)