Although the number of flights operating between Jakarta and Singapore continues to expand, demand still exceeds supply, resulting in air ticket prices that are very expensive, sometimes four times the price levels that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quoted by Beritasatu.com, Suryopratomo, the Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore, speaking during an interview with Investor Daily, said: “In the past, the round-trip ticket price Singapore-Jakarta on a low-cost airline was only SIN $200 (around Rp. 2.1 million), now that price has increased to SIN $600-$800. In the past, this was very cheap, and now it is much more expensive.”
After the pandemic had abated, said the Ambassador, the number of passengers flying Jakarta-Singapore increased extraordinarily. “I think 100,000 can fly between Singapore and Jakarta in a single month,” said Suryapratomo.
The Ambassador suggests supply of aircraft seats far exceed current demand, with demand held down by high prices.
The Ambassador continued, explaining that Singapore Airlines flights have now increased to five times and recently increased from four times each day. However, this number has yet to reach half of the flights between the two cities before the COVID-19 pandemic, when Singapore Airlines flew 13 flights each day.
Meanwhile, Garuda Indonesia, flying during the post-pandemic period only once daily, has increased its flight schedule to 11 times each week, leaving four days on which there are two flights each day.
Turning his focus to Bali, the Ambassador said Garuda had recommenced flights from Singapore to Denpasar 3 or 4 times per week, while Singapore Airlines flies twice daily.
Elaborating further, the Ambassador said Batik Air flies twice daily. The lower number of flights reflects demand held back by high ticket prices in the post-pandemic era.