Pontianak's Supadio Airport Status Changes, Residents Disadvantaged

Harisson some time ago had discussions with the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi regarding this matter. One of the reasons international airports have been returned to domestic airports is because many international airports in Indonesia make it easier for Indonesian citizens to go abroad.

Indonesian citizens traveling abroad are actually doing so for tourism, shopping for souvenirs, and staying at tourist destinations overseas. This is considered not in line with the President's mandate that international airports are actually opened to facilitate foreign tourists coming to Indonesia for staying and shopping in Indonesia.

"Therefore, their money (foreign tourists) circulates within our country. However, the opposite is happening. With the existence of international airports, our citizens are instead easily going abroad and this is eroding our country's foreign exchange," said Harisson.

Harrison has also discussed with the Minister of Transportation that most of the Kalbar community already trusts healthcare services in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Sometimes, Kalbar residents require emergency services. If they have to use the road route from Pontianak City, the capital of West Kalimantan Province, to Kuching, it takes six to eight hours.

"Meanwhile, by air, the flight from Pontianak City to Kuching only takes around 30 minutes. I have asked the Minister of Transportation to consider this as well. "However, I think we'll just follow the Minister of Transportation's Decree which returns the status of Supadio Airport from international to domestic airport," said Harisson.

Foreign tourists visit Indonesia less than Indonesian citizens go abroad because of the government's failure to stimulate the domestic economy.

Kompas notes, international flights from Supadio Airport, Pontianak, to Kuching and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have not existed since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. The West Kalimantan Provincial Government at that time sent a letter to the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi essentially proposed to temporarily close Pontianak-Malaysia flights, Friday (13/3/2020). This was done at that time as an effort to prevent the entry of Covid-19 from Malaysia to West Kalimantan.

During the 2019 period, Supadio Airport recorded 1,101 international arrivals with 109,388 passengers and 1,088 international departures with 110,155 passengers. The total aircraft movements were 2,189 with 219,543 passengers.

During the January-February 2020 period, there were a total of 181 international departures with 17,171 passengers and 182 international departures with 16,379 passengers. The total number of aircraft movements during the January-February 2020 period was 363 with 33,547 passengers.

Also read: Governor of West Kalimantan Proposes Temporary Suspension of Pontianak-Malaysia Flights

Based on official data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12, 2020, there were 129 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Malaysia at that time. The Malaysian Ministry of Health recorded 158 confirmed cases and there were still 319 people awaiting laboratory examinations. The number of cases in Malaysia at that time was tending to increase every day.

When the pandemic ends, the people of West Kalimantan also begin to wonder when international flights will reopen. However, flights from Pontianak to Kuching and Kuala Lumpur have not yet been opened, and the airport's status has changed from international to domestic.

It is deeply regretted

The change in status of Supadio Airport from international to domestic has received responses from a number of residents. Loren (50), a resident of Batu Layang Village, North Pontianak District, Pontianak City, said that by closing direct flights from Pontianak to Kuching and Kuala Lumpur, it will incur high costs. This is because Kalimantan Barat residents, if they want to travel abroad, have to go to Jakarta.

"The number of foreign tourists coming to Indonesia is lower compared to Indonesians going abroad due to the government's failure to stimulate the domestic economy, such as in the tourism sector. So, it is not because of the status of international airports," said Loren.

The government is unable to create a competitive economy in the region, thus not attracting foreigners to come. To attract foreigners to come, the attractiveness of tourism or other economic aspects needs to be strengthened.

"I was greatly helped when there was still a Pontianak-Kuching flight for health and business services. I hope that Supadio's status can be restored as an international airport," he said.

Agapitus (42), a resident of Arang Limbung Village, Sungai Raya District, Kubu Raya Regency, expressed his regret about the change in status at Supadio Airport. The existence of international flights to Kuching has greatly helped him and his family in emergency situations, particularly in terms of health, several years ago.

"We once referred our family to Kuching for medical treatment. I hope its status will return to international level again. In terms of health, for example, in Kuching, there is a certainty in diagnosing diseases. If we had to go to Jakarta, the cost of airfare is expensive," said Agapitus.

Also read: Supadio Airport Inaugurated

Yustinus (46), a resident residing in Sungai Bangkong Subdistrict, Pontianak Kota District, Pontianak City, stated that international flight routes from Pontianak to other countries should actually be added, for example, to Singapore. In this way, passengers from abroad to Pontianak and vice versa will not be bothered by transit.

"Especially in West Kalimantan where there is a cultural tourism agenda, such as Cap Go Meh. Tourists from China can directly come to West Kalimantan if there are international flights," said Yustinus.