Sentani Papua Airport is still operating, but only to serve cargo flights

Sentani Papua Airport is still operating, but only to serve cargo flights

Sentani Airport Papua is currently still operating but only to serve cargo flights. This was conveyed by the General Manager of Sentani International Airport, Antonius Widyo Praptomo, in accordance with the instructions and mutual agreement to prevent the control and control of the Corona virus in Papua Province.

The same thing was conveyed by the Director General of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Novie Riyanto, stressing that there were no instructions from the Ministry of Transportation to close airport operations in Papua.

The statement was revealed by Novie after the release of a letter from Angkasapura I as the operator of Sentani Airport in Jayapura, which closed the airport's operations from March 26, 2020 to April 9, 2020.

Head of Public Relations Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation Irene Marizkha said, the central government tried to ensure that mobility from and to Papua was not impeded by the existence of these regulations.

"It was not banned yesterday but it was restricted, the one who banned it was not us but the one who banned it was the government there [Papua Provincial Government]. But it seems that yesterday there was a difference of opinion, meaning that the airport should still continue to operate," he explained.

'' All airports in Papua are still operating normally, only limiting passengers. We will coordinate again, but we will still coordinate the direction of the future. "There are no airports that don't operate, they don't only carry passengers, but they also bring logistics," he continued.

Different conditions were told by Corporate Secretary of PT Angkasa Pura (Persero) Handy Heryudhitiawan, who claimed to have received information that the Sentani Jayaputa Airport was closed.

He said this following a directive from Papua Governor Lukas Enembe who closed access to the flight and shipping lines to Bumi Cendrawasih, from 26 March to 9 April 2020. This was done to prevent the spread of the Corona virus or COVID-19.

"That has been directed by the local government. For passengers it has been closed as of today. But for logistics, it still can enter," he said, Thursday (3/26/2020).

In a letter distributed by Angkasa Pura I, the closure has also been directed from the center through the Letter of the Head of Bandra X Authority Directorate General of Civil Aviation Ministry of Transportation No. AU.301 / 001 / KOBU.WL.X / III / 2020 dated March 25, 2020 concerning closure flight at Papua Province Airport.

"Regarding this matter, hereby conveyed that Sentani-Jayapura Airport was declared closed for passenger flights from 26 March 2020 at 00.00 local time to April 9 2020 at 23.59 local time but continued to serve cargo, emergency and other medical aspects, including medical personnel in the context of handling, controlling and handling Covid-19, "the letter said.