Sorong Airport limits passengers, not closed

Sorong Airport limits passengers, not closed

The head of the Sorong Airport Domine Eduard Osok (DEO), Rasburhany Umar said that the airport was not closed, but there were restrictions on incoming passengers.

"Closing the airport is the authority of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and until now there has been no order to close Domine Eduard Osok Airport," Rasburhany Umar said.

According to him, closing all airport activities based on law number 1 of 2019 local governments must coordinate with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Therefore, the Sorong Mayor's letter about the Corona virus emergency response restricting passenger access has been coordinated with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and is still waiting for instructions.

The airport supports the Sorong City government's emergency response letter to restrict passengers from entering the area as an effort to prevent and break the chain of the Corona virus spread.

It was said that his party had coordinated with the Mayor to convey that today could not be done considering that there had been a ticket purchase process and it was the residents of Sorong who were returning to the area.

"We were given a time tolerance until Wednesday, April 1, 2020 for the process of following up the Sorong City government emergency response circular to limit passengers entering the area," he said.

The Sorong City Government formally declared the corona virus emergency response after two local residents tested positive for the deadly virus which is currently afflicting the Indonesian nation by restricting the access of incoming and outgoing passengers at airports and ports.

The corona virus emergency response status was officially announced by the Mayor of Sorong Lambert Jitmau to the entire Sorong community on Sunday 29 March 2020, valid until 10 April 2020.