Plane Tickets Continue to Soar, Government Urged to Implement PSO

MediaBantenCyber.co.id – (MBC) Jakarta, Airline ticket prices that continue to soar are considered to be increasingly burdening society and threatening inter-regional connectivity. This condition prompted the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) to urge the government to immediately implement the Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme for air transportation as a concrete step to reduce ticket prices and ensure that flight services remain affordable, especially for island, remote, outermost and border areas.

Member of Commission V DPR RI from the NasDem Party Fraction, Teguh Iswara Suardi, said that implementing PSO in the aviation sector is very relevant and possible. So far, the PSO scheme has proven effective in the pioneering railway and transportation sectors in maintaining the continuity of public services.

“Implementing PSO in air transportation is a strategic step to ensure fair access. PSO can ensure that people in various regions remain connected at affordable prices, maintain the continuity of commercially less profitable routes, and help airlines continue to operate,” said Teguh, Monday (2/2/2026).

According to him, if managed appropriately, transparently and on target, PSO will not only help the community as service users, but will also be able to revive the national aviation industry, increase the load factor and strengthen equitable development between regions.

Regarding the government’s stimulus policy to reduce plane ticket prices ahead of Eid 2026, Teguh believes this step is appropriate as a short-term solution. However, he reminded that this policy should not stop as a temporary solution.

“We welcome the stimulus to reduce plane ticket prices ahead of Eid 2026. But if it is only temporary, the problem of expensive tickets will recur,” he said.

Commission V DPR RI also encouraged the government to prepare a permanent and sustainable solution through comprehensive reform of the aviation cost structure.

A number of steps are deemed necessary to be taken, including efficiency in airline operational costs, reviewing aviation fuel prices, taxes and airport charges, increasing healthy competition between airlines, strengthening the national fleet and rejuvenating aircraft, and optimizing airport management so that air logistics costs can be reduced.

“The approach should not be just a temporary subsidy, but improving the flight cost structure so that ticket prices are stable and affordable throughout the year,” stressed Teguh.

He also emphasized that in the geographical context of Indonesia as an archipelagic country, air transportation is not just an alternative, but is a primary need for people in many regions.

“The country needs to position aviation as part of the national public transportation system, on a par with trains, ships and buses. This means that affordability, safety and equitable access must be the joint responsibility of the government and industry players,” he said.

Public policy observer and Executive Director of the Nusantara Young Study Circle (LSMN), Richard Ahmad Suprianto, made a similar call. He believes that the spike in airplane ticket prices, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr, must be responded to immediately with cross-sector policies.

“The government needs to coordinate with the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Ministry of Transportation, and BUMN to recalculate all components of flight costs so that people in the Eastern, Central and Western regions of Indonesia can still access air transportation,” said Richard in Tangerang, Thursday (5/2/2026).

According to him, currently air transportation can no longer be categorized as a luxury item, but rather a basic need for society. One concrete option that the government can take is to remove the Value Added Tax (VAT) on airline tickets by 11 percent.

“As an archipelagic country, aviation does not only belong to certain groups, but is a need for the entire community. It is time for air transportation to be treated as mass transportation,” he said.

Richard also reminded the government not only to focus on ceremonial service improvements, but to seriously pay attention to aviation safety aspects amidst a number of accidents.

Demographically and geographically, Indonesia, with an area of ​​more than 28 million square kilometers and a population of around 280 million people, is highly dependent on air transportation. Speed, accuracy and efficiency make aviation play a strategic role in connecting remote areas, accelerating the mobility of people and goods, and encouraging national economic growth.

So far, the government has implemented the PSO scheme on other modes of transportation such as PT Pelni and PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI). However, it is considered that the aviation sector does not always need direct subsidies, but rather a more favorable fiscal policy.

Apart from VAT, other cost components such as passenger service fees (TDP) which are in the range of 5 percent, as well as various airport support service fees are deemed to still need to be evaluated. Relaxation of flight costs during the Eid and Christmas–New Year (Nataru) periods has previously been proven to increase people’s mobility.

Data on passenger movements during the Christmas and Eid periods compared to 2024 even shows a downward trend, so it can be an important indicator for the government in formulating future air transportation policies.

“With ticket prices continuing to soar, the government needs to immediately take structural steps so that air transportation remains affordable, safe and sustainable for the wider community. (*)