JAKARTA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has pledged to increase the number of flights in and out of the country, in order to accommodate the number of athletes, officials and observers arriving for the 18th Asian Games later this year.
The plan was released after Indonesian authorities projected that visitors from 60 nations and regions would arrive into the country for what is the world's second largest sporting event after the Olympics.
Indonesia's transport ministry has conveyed the plan to national and international airliners, said Agus Santoso, Director General of the ministry's air transport division.
"The number of projected arrivals and departures increases steadily when we include the number of supporters from each country, or those wanting to witness the atmosphere of the event," he said in a statement.
Santoso added that air travel would be the most common method of transport for visitors to the Asian Games, adding that airliners will be asked to propose new flight schedules to the ministry.
"It is therefore imperative to lay on extra flights in order to serve the delegates and supporters, so that their movements will be smooth and safe," Santoso said.
The ministry noted that the two major airports in service during the Games would be Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport in Palembang, provincial capital of South Sumatra.
It added that other smaller airports would also see an increase in traffic, such as I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, and Hussein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, provincial capital of West Java.
The 18th Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2, with 42 sports being featured.
