Merdeka.com - The number of arrivals or airline passengers at West Java International Airport (BIJB) or Kertajati Airport during the Covid-19 pandemic was recorded to be very minimal. From April to August 2020, the airport has only recorded one non-commercial flight.

The President Director of BIJB, Salahudin Rafi, predicts that the minimum passenger condition will continue until the 2023-2024 timeframe. Acting on this situation, he said that the Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) under the West Java Provincial Government (Pemprov) made several continuity management strategies for Kertajati Airport. One of them is related to a business recovery strategy.

According to him, this business recovery is actually back to basic. Where, in the first phase of the construction of Kertajati Airport or BIJB, the master plan should be focused on industrial areas around it.

"Indeed, I read the history, this BIJB airport was built by the Provincial Government (West Java) to make industrial estates first, in Majalengka and Cirebon areas to flatten the economy of industries in West Java. So the industry was built first, the new city first, then the airport was built, "he explained in a webinar session, Tuesday (15/9).

"This history is reversed, the airport was previously built but the industry has not yet been formed. So that the revival of the airport has not been good," he emphasized.