New terminal for Indonesian capital’s crowded airportThe main airport serving the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Tuesday opened a new terminal that will allow the overcrowded aviation hub to handle tens of millions more passengers a year. The $380 million terminal at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, a vast, futuristic-looking structure, will be able to handle about 25 million passengers a year once fully operational by March next year. The other three terminals at the country’s busiest airport are currently handling about 60 million passengers a year, way over their capacity. Eman Suherman, an Indonesian passenger at the terminal, said he was “proud” of the terminal, adding: “It’s beyond our expectations.”The terminal will eventually be connected to central Jakarta, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) away, by a rail link. Speaking at the terminal opening, Garuda chief executive Arif Wibowo hailed it as a “great milestone” that will help provide a better service for customers.

Source: Manila Bulletin August 09, 2016 04:07 UTC