President Prabowo Subianto has ordered for a 10-percent decrease in domestic airfares during the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year holidays as part of the efforts to ease the burden on local travelers.
“The government has agreed to lower domestic flight ticket prices by 10 percent during Christmas and New Year. Tariff reduction is valid from December 19, 2024 until January 3, 2025, specifically for unsold tickets. For passengers who have purchased tickets during that period, airlines can provide incentives according to their respective policies,” Spokesman of the Ministry of Transportation, Elba Damhuri, said on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
To realize this policy, airlines together with State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, State energy company PT Pertamina, and air navigation service provider Airnav Indonesia have agreed to lower several operational cost components such as fuel surcharge, Passenger Service Charge (PJP2U), and avtur prices at a number of airports.
President Director of TransNusa premier carrier, Bayu Sutanto, said that fuel surcharge that was previously imposed at 10 percent is now only 2 percent, thus reducing costs by up to 80 percent on several routes, such as Jakarta-Denpasar, Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Denpasar-Manado, and Sorong-Manado.
“This policy applies to ticket sales period from November 28, 2024 to January 3, 2025,” Bayu said.
Deputy Chairman of Commission VI of the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Trade and State-owmned Enterprises Commission VI, Andre Rosiade, appreciated the measures taken by national airlines, such as Garuda Indonesia, which have implemented this policy.
“This ticket price reduction is a collaboration between all parties, including Garuda, the Ministry of Transportation, and Pertamina, in accordance with President Prabowo’s direction,” Andre said at a hearing with Garuda Indonesia in Jakarta, on Friday, November 29, 2024.
He encouraged that similar policies to be implemented continuously, not only during the Christmas and New Year holidays. He also highlighted the importance of airline operational cost efficiency without reducing services, especially for domestic flights.
“I hope this ticket price reduction does not stop during Christmas and New Year holidays, but can become a permanent policy. We need to ensure that domestic ticket prices are more competitive,” he said.
This ticket price reduction is expected to increase the accessibility of domestic flights for the public, especially amidst the high demand for travel during year-end holidays.
