The total number of passengers at both the departure and arrival terminals of Soetta Airport on H-1 Eid, predicted to fall on April 22, 2023, is expected to reach 174 thousand with the number of flights forecast to touch 1,200.
"This figure is close to normal before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 with around 170 thousand to 200 thousand passengers per day," senior manager of branch communication and legal at Soetta Airport, M. Holik Muardi, said here Tuesday.
Muardi predicted that the increase in the number of passengers at Soetta Airport would be around 30 percent compared to last year.
As of Tuesday, the number of passengers passing through Soetta Airport reached 148,268, with the number of departures pegged at 85,446 and arrivals at 62,822, he informed.
The figure was the highest recorded in the past few days ahead of Eid, he added.
On Monday (April 17, 2023), the number of homecoming passengers at Soetta Airport totaled 128,995 with aircraft movements recorded at 995, he said.
He informed that Terminal 1B, which has not been operational since the COVID-19 pandemic, will be reactivated starting Tuesday on account of a surge in passengers at Terminal 1A.
The passenger mobility at Terminal 1A has reached 31 thousand, exceeding the terminal's capacity of 25 thousand.
"Starting today (April 18), we have prepared Terminal 1B. We have also coordinated with Super Air Jet airline. There will be several flights that will be moved to Terminal 1B to reduce congestion at Terminal 1A," he announced.
He stated that his party had prepared the scenario and officers since April 15. However, the decision to utilize Terminal 1B was taken on Tuesday due to overcapacity at Terminal 1A.
Related news: Homecoming: Ministry to focus on handling waste in Sumatra, Java-Bali
Related news: Homecoming travelers must follow health protocols: minister
Translator: Pamela Sakina, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
