He made the statement during a discussion on aviation sector development organized by state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, also known as InJourney Airports.
"We need to upgrade Indonesia's airports, starting with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten and I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali," Thohir noted in a statement issued on Thursday.
He stressed that airports reflect a nation's image, as foreign tourists often form their initial impressions of a country based on the experiences and services they receive upon arrival.
Improving an airport's quality does not always require building a new terminal; optimizing an existing terminal is often more cost-effective, he added.
This refers to the government's decision to shelve plans for a fourth terminal at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The project would have cost the country Rp14 trillion (over US$864 million).
"Having conducted a comprehensive assessment, we learned that we only needed Rp1 trillion to upgrade the existing terminals."
In addition to being more efficient, upgrading the existing terminals has increased the airport's annual passenger capacity from 56 million to 94 million.
"Imagine, despite cutting the budget from Rp14 trillion to Rp1 trillion for efficiency, we still managed to raise the capacity," he stated.
Thohir expressed hope that Indonesian airports would meet international standards and enhance the nation's image globally.
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Translator: Maria C, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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