JAKARTA: An improvement in the performance of the aviation sector has been proven by an increase in the number of passengers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, according to Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, reported ANTARA news agency.

“This indicates that the performance of the aviation sector is improving. We can also see cargo planes arriving and departing from Soekarno-Hatta has increased,“ Sumadi remarked in a statement from his ministry issued on Monday.

He made the statement while reviewing the 2023 Christmas and 2024 New Year transportation at the airport on Sunday (December 24).

Based on data from state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II, the airport has served around 1 million passengers during this year’s Christmas and New Year period, an increase of 18 per cent from that of last year.

Sumadi assessed that the aviation sector’s good performance is the result of the community’s improving economy, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I saw many children going on holiday. This suggests that the community’s economy is getting better,“ he remarked.

The top overseas destinations of passengers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport are Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Jeddah, while the top domestic destinations are Denpasar, Medan, and Surabaya.

The on-time arrival rate of the airport is around 71 per cent, while the passenger load factor or occupancy is reaching 80 per cent.

During his visit to the airport, Sumadi also conducted ramp checks on the aircraft of the national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia.

He observed that, based on data from the airport authority, ramp checks have been carried out on 60 per cent of aircraft.

“I came here to see how many planes had undergone ramp checks to ensure their airworthiness for flight safety and security,“ he remarked.

The number of passengers at the airport during the Christmas holidays peaked on December 22 with 184,000 passengers.

The peak of the New Year holidays is predicted to occur on December 29 with a projection of 180,000 passengers at the airport.

Meanwhile, the peak of the return period is forecast to occur on January 2, 2024.–Bernama-ANTARA