"Please, you (the Transportation Ministry) might coordinate with airlines to set ticket prices at a reasonable level instead of taking the highest benchmark," he remarked during the Coordination Meeting for 2024 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta.
Speaking as chair of the meeting, Karnavian urged the Transportation Ministry to push airlines to not increase ticket prices during the homecoming period, as he believes that soaring prices in the air transportation sector might lead to rising inflation rate, especially during holidays.
"As the demands will drastically increase, we hope that airlines will not take advantage by increasing ticket prices. They (airlines) will gain benefits, but rising prices will result in a spiking inflation rate that will, in turn, lead to soaring prices of food commodities," he pointed out.
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He also urged the Ministry of Transportation to ensure the preparedness of all ports and airports in facilitating the distribution of staple goods before and during the upcoming Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
Meanwhile, Expert Staff of the Transportation Minister for Sea Transportation and Maritime Affairs, Andre Mulpyana, noted that his office had devised a strategy for controlling an increase in prices of flight tickets since last year.
However, he welcomed Karnavian's suggestions, saying that he would soon extend them to Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.
"God willing, I will immediately convey the suggestions to the minister of transportation. We will follow up on the suggestions within a week," the official stated.
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Translator: Muhammad H, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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