“Honestly, I am still striving for (tackling) the issue of ticket (prices). Bus tickets are very expensive, (while) plane tickets, transportation tickets are still a burden,” he stated after sending off participants of the free Eid al-Fitr homecoming exodus program here on Monday.
According to him, the issue is an economic challenge that emerged after the COVID-19 pandemic which should be the focus of the next government.
"It is the task of the next government to realize affordable prices, especially when living costs are very burdening," he remarked.
On that occasion, the minister also stated that the livelihoods of 45 million people depend on the tourism and creative economy sector.
He expressed hope that the new government would make the tourism and creative economy sector a mainstay sector that drives the economy and opens jobs.
Sandiaga stated that his ministry had coordinated with the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and airlines regarding the issue of high domestic airfares.
He noted that the issue of high domestic airfares, which even exceeded pre-pandemic levels, had been the cause for public complaints for more than nine months and had a negative impact on the tourism and creative sector.
Earlier, on Tuesday (April 2), Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi affirmed that his ministry will take firm action against airlines failing to comply with the price ceiling of airfares.
He explained that the price ceiling has been set by considering the components of the business itself, whether leasing or purchasing aircraft, aviation fuel, employees, and others.
He further elaborated that the price ceiling provisions only apply to economy-class tickets. Meanwhile, for business class, the price is under the authority of each airline.
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Translator: Sinta Ambarwati, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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