Joniansyah Hardjono, Tangerang – State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura II (AP II) recorded a spike in air passenger and aircraft traffic at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020.

AP II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin said there were 85,000 passengers and 907 aircraft movements as of December 23. "This hike is the highest during the Covid-19 pandemic," he said at the airport on Thursday, Dec. 24.

On normal days, Awaluddin added, the aircraft traffic was recorded at 1,150 to 2,000 per day.

Seen from the trend of air passenger and flight movements on this year's Christmas holiday, the peak of the Christmas homecoming at the airport occurred on Dec. 23 and 24, Awaluddin informed. "We estimate today's passenger traffic to hit over 80,000 and there will be 900 flights," he said.

The surge was also recorded in 18 airports managed by AP II. On Dec. 23, there were 144,000 air passengers and 1,600 flights in total.

Awaluddin further argued that the peak of Christmas and New Year transport was divided into three phases; the peak of the Christmas homecoming on Dec. 23-24, the peak of the New Year holidays on Dec. 29-31, and the return flow on January 3-4, 2021.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1417373/soekarno-hatta-airport-sees-highest-air-traffic-during-pandemi