AIRPORTS, in general, have tended to be viewed as quite exclusionary spaces.
The assumption (frankly speaking, reality) has finally ended up in YIA (Yogyakarta International Airport), as state-owned airports operator, PT Angkasa Pura I launched "Discover YIA - Airport Education Tour" program, Monday (April 12, 2021).
The program enables non-flyers to enter several airside areas of YIA, that once understandably restricted to them.
"Now we can welcome more community members into YIA", Devy Wildasari, Marketing and Service Director of PT Angkasa Pura I, said.
Non-passenger guests, she explained, have been alllowed to set foot on the airfield pavements (runway, taxiway and apron), in the building (terminal and hangar), and some other important parts of the airport.
Through this program, a visitor can enjoy an educational experience with her/his child, while watching the hustle and bustle that takes place during a flight's turnaround.
This includes watching the planes docking at the parking bay, as well as observing how baggage and in-flight catering are loaded onboard.
In fact, there is no better place than the airport for flight enthusiasts to plane-spot.
Have fun identifying the different airlines from their tail fins and marvel at the sleek lines of the airplanes at the viewing gallery, which offer a floor-to-ceiling view of the terminal's aircraft parking bays.
The "Discover YIA - Airport Education Tour" enables non-flyers to have a brief recreational trip at the airport, from 7 AM to 7 PM.
There will be six tours everyday, and each tour is managed to be two hours long.
PT Angkasa Pura I provides two busses which can carrying 20 guests each, plus snacks and drink served.
For those services, a visitor need to buy a ticket costs Rp 85,000 (5,8 USD).
The promotional ticket price will apply to all non-flyers until the first week of August 2021.
After that period, a guest will have to pay more two times higher than the previous price, Rp 200,000.
YIA, which is situated in Kulonprogo regency, was inaugurated on Friday (August 28, 2020) by President Joko Widodo.
The airport is built to replace its "forerunner" Adisucipto International Airport as the main flight hub in Yogyakarta province.
Spreading over an area of 587 hectares, the new airport has a 3,250 meter-long runway, compared to just 2,200 meter-long one of the Adisucipto.
YIA provides a 219,000 square meters terminal, or 11 times larger than that of the Adisucipto, to handle up to 20 millions passengers per-year.
The airport is located 61,5 kilometers in the south of Magelang regency's Borobudur temple, or some 44 kilometers to the south west of Yogyakarta City.[sahrudin]
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