Jakarta - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) supports Citilink airlines in strengthening connectivity by opening a new route to Way Kanan, Lampung Province, to improve accessibility and the economy of the region.
"The Ministry of Transportation supports Citilink which opens a new flight route to Way Kanan, this certainly opens connectivity to Way Kanan," said Acting Head of International Cooperation, Public Relations, and General Affairs of the Directorate General of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation Mokhammad Khusnu in a statement in Jakarta, Wednesday.
He said that the airline added a new flight route from Jakarta via Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) to Gatot Soebroto Airport (WTX) in Way Kanan, Lampung Province.
The inaugural flight took place on Wednesday and will operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, using an ATR72 series 600 aircraft.
Meanwhile, Head of the Silampari Airport Management Unit (UPBU) Office, Wachyu Setiawan, who oversees the Gatot Soebroto Airport Operations Unit in Way Kanan, assessed that there are a number of market potentials in the area.
He mentioned the market potential at the airport, firstly, there are seven district governments in both Lampung Province and South Sumatra Province, with a current population of approximately 3 million people.
Second, there are 39 large-scale industries, namely seven companies in Way Kanan Regency, three companies in East OKU Regency, five companies in South OKU Regency, 22 in OKU Regency and two companies in West Lampung Regency.
"These industries include plantations and processing of rubber, palm oil, sugar cane, pineapple, coal mining, cement, oil and gas," he said.
Third, the increasing enthusiasm of the public to travel outside the region and abroad, such as for the Umrah pilgrimage, Hajj and tourism.
Fourth, increasing visits to the region along with the development of tourist attractions in seven districts and increasing economic growth; and fifth, passenger and goods transportation services from and to Java Island are currently served by 82 airports.
"With the operation of Citilink airline, of course connectivity and flight operations from and to Way Kanan will bring a broad positive impact on regional progress," said Wachyu.