Jakarta, (Antara) - Due to overland traffic snarls, the travel time from the East Java provincial city of Surabaya to the district and city of Sumenep in the eastern end of Madura island is five hours by crossing Suramadu Bridge.
Shortening the travel time between the two cities in East Java seemed impossible in the beginning, but with the Wings Air flight service, nothing is impossible in terms of air transportation.
For years, the people in Sumenep have been dreaming of how to make their travel easier, shorter, and more comfortable, but now, their dreams have come true as the Wings Air has opened its scheduled flights from Surabaya to Sumenep.
Starting from September 27, 2017, Wings Air operates its ATR-72 planes with a capacity of 70 passengers to serve Surabaya-Sumeep flights.
With the ATR-72 aircraft operated by Wings Air to serve the flights from Juananda airport in Surabaya to Trunjoyo airport in Sumenep, the travel time now takes only 40 minutes, instead of 5 hours by overland trip.
Sumenep has actually been in desperate need of air transport services in order for tourists and other visitors to explore its interesting sites.
The district and city of Sumenep has many historical sites such as Kraton and Tiny Museum, along with traditional arts and cultural attractions such as mask dances and bull race, as well as the beautiful beaches of Lombangh and Slopeng, awaiting local and foreign tourists to explore.
From Surabaya's Tanjung Perak harbour, it takes about five hours to reach Sumenep by bus or private cars.
Sumenep can also be reached from Bali by passing through Banyuwangi to reach Jangkar Port in Situbondo district, and then crossing by ferry from Jangkar Port to Kalianget sub-district in Sumenep, but all of this takes several days.
The transportation-related problems had been a great challenge for Sumenep, but now the local district government can breathe a sigh of relieve after the Wings Air has opened Surabaya-Sumenep commercial flights.
"This is a pride for the Sumenep people because the Surabaya-Sumenep transportation route is now getting closer," said East Java Vice Governor Saifullah Yusuf on the sidelines of the inaugural Wings Air flight at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya on Wednesday.
Every day Wings Air plane will fly from Juanda airport at 12:45 pm West Indonesia Standard Time (WIB) to Trunjoyo airport, and from Trunojoyo return to Juanda at 1.45 pm with flying time of only 40 minutes.
Ticket price from Surabya to Sumenep is Rp263,000 per passenger, and from Sumenep to Surabaya is Rp179,000 per passenger, or Rp84,000 more economical.
In addition to Wings Air flight service, there has been been a pioneering flight from Juanda to Trunojoyo airports, operated by PT Airfast Indonesia.
There are two pioneering flights per week by using Twin Otter DHAC-300 aircraft with the capacity of 17 passengers.
Saifullah Yusuf, the East Java vice governor, expressed his hope that the pioneering flight and the Wings Air service can have positive impact on improving economic welfare of Madurese society, especially those in Sumenep.
The closer and easier access to Sumenep is expected to increase the welfare of local communities, while helping to improve the economic and tourism sectors.
"Air service to Sumenep will make the distribution more equitable, so economic growth is not only felt in Surabaya, but also in other areas in East Java," Yusuf remarked.
In the meantime, Sumenep Deputy District Head Achmad Fauzi said he was proud and grateful because at this time the travel time from Surabaya to Sumenep will no longer take more than four to five hours by overland trip.
"With the Surabaya-Sumenep route being served by the Wings Air, we are optimistic that Sumenep will grow and its economy will improve," Fauzi said.
Meanwhile, Operational Director of PT Wings Abadi Airlines, Redi Irawan, who also attended the inaugural flight, has set the target of passengers on this new route by 80 percent.
"The targeted passengers are businessmen, tourists and students. We hope that the Wings Air flight to Sumenep is successful and the passengers are always full," he said.
Head of East Java Transportation Department Wahid Wahyudi who participated in the inaugural flight also said this is part of the effort to increase inter-regional connectivity in East Java.
"We are optimistic that passengers who use this aircraft meet the target, and in the future the flight schedule to Sumenep's Trunojoyo airport can increase," Wahyudi remarked.
Since January 2017, the Trunojoyo airport has been serving as a flight training center for several flying schools.
With adequate facilities and a less crowded airspace around it, the Trunojoyo Airport is qualified to become a flight training center on Madura Island.
The airport has seven flight paths for flight training, and therefore, it is an opportunity for the Ministry of Transportation to optimally utilize the aerodrome.
Until well into early 2017, five flying schools had been operating at the Trunojoyo airport.
The five flying schools now operating in Trunojoyo Airport are Aviaterra Flying School, Merpati Pilot School, Trans Asia Pacific Aviation Training Pilot School, Flight Training Education Center of Banyuwangi, and Global Aviation School.(*)
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Jawa Timur 2017
Shortening the travel time between the two cities in East Java seemed impossible in the beginning, but with the Wings Air flight service, nothing is impossible in terms of air transportation.
For years, the people in Sumenep have been dreaming of how to make their travel easier, shorter, and more comfortable, but now, their dreams have come true as the Wings Air has opened its scheduled flights from Surabaya to Sumenep.
Starting from September 27, 2017, Wings Air operates its ATR-72 planes with a capacity of 70 passengers to serve Surabaya-Sumeep flights.
With the ATR-72 aircraft operated by Wings Air to serve the flights from Juananda airport in Surabaya to Trunjoyo airport in Sumenep, the travel time now takes only 40 minutes, instead of 5 hours by overland trip.
Sumenep has actually been in desperate need of air transport services in order for tourists and other visitors to explore its interesting sites.
The district and city of Sumenep has many historical sites such as Kraton and Tiny Museum, along with traditional arts and cultural attractions such as mask dances and bull race, as well as the beautiful beaches of Lombangh and Slopeng, awaiting local and foreign tourists to explore.
From Surabaya's Tanjung Perak harbour, it takes about five hours to reach Sumenep by bus or private cars.
Sumenep can also be reached from Bali by passing through Banyuwangi to reach Jangkar Port in Situbondo district, and then crossing by ferry from Jangkar Port to Kalianget sub-district in Sumenep, but all of this takes several days.
The transportation-related problems had been a great challenge for Sumenep, but now the local district government can breathe a sigh of relieve after the Wings Air has opened Surabaya-Sumenep commercial flights.
"This is a pride for the Sumenep people because the Surabaya-Sumenep transportation route is now getting closer," said East Java Vice Governor Saifullah Yusuf on the sidelines of the inaugural Wings Air flight at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya on Wednesday.
Every day Wings Air plane will fly from Juanda airport at 12:45 pm West Indonesia Standard Time (WIB) to Trunjoyo airport, and from Trunojoyo return to Juanda at 1.45 pm with flying time of only 40 minutes.
Ticket price from Surabya to Sumenep is Rp263,000 per passenger, and from Sumenep to Surabaya is Rp179,000 per passenger, or Rp84,000 more economical.
In addition to Wings Air flight service, there has been been a pioneering flight from Juanda to Trunojoyo airports, operated by PT Airfast Indonesia.
There are two pioneering flights per week by using Twin Otter DHAC-300 aircraft with the capacity of 17 passengers.
Saifullah Yusuf, the East Java vice governor, expressed his hope that the pioneering flight and the Wings Air service can have positive impact on improving economic welfare of Madurese society, especially those in Sumenep.
The closer and easier access to Sumenep is expected to increase the welfare of local communities, while helping to improve the economic and tourism sectors.
"Air service to Sumenep will make the distribution more equitable, so economic growth is not only felt in Surabaya, but also in other areas in East Java," Yusuf remarked.
In the meantime, Sumenep Deputy District Head Achmad Fauzi said he was proud and grateful because at this time the travel time from Surabaya to Sumenep will no longer take more than four to five hours by overland trip.
"With the Surabaya-Sumenep route being served by the Wings Air, we are optimistic that Sumenep will grow and its economy will improve," Fauzi said.
Meanwhile, Operational Director of PT Wings Abadi Airlines, Redi Irawan, who also attended the inaugural flight, has set the target of passengers on this new route by 80 percent.
"The targeted passengers are businessmen, tourists and students. We hope that the Wings Air flight to Sumenep is successful and the passengers are always full," he said.
Head of East Java Transportation Department Wahid Wahyudi who participated in the inaugural flight also said this is part of the effort to increase inter-regional connectivity in East Java.
"We are optimistic that passengers who use this aircraft meet the target, and in the future the flight schedule to Sumenep's Trunojoyo airport can increase," Wahyudi remarked.
Since January 2017, the Trunojoyo airport has been serving as a flight training center for several flying schools.
With adequate facilities and a less crowded airspace around it, the Trunojoyo Airport is qualified to become a flight training center on Madura Island.
The airport has seven flight paths for flight training, and therefore, it is an opportunity for the Ministry of Transportation to optimally utilize the aerodrome.
Until well into early 2017, five flying schools had been operating at the Trunojoyo airport.
The five flying schools now operating in Trunojoyo Airport are Aviaterra Flying School, Merpati Pilot School, Trans Asia Pacific Aviation Training Pilot School, Flight Training Education Center of Banyuwangi, and Global Aviation School.(*)
Editor : Chandra Hamdani Noer
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Jawa Timur 2017