REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Member of Commission V of the House of Representatives (Komisi V DPR RI) from Fraction of Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) Sigit Sosiantomo, rejected the government's plan to impose tourism fees on airplane passengers.

Withdrawing fees that will be included in the component of calculating the price of an airplane ticket has the potential to violate the law. "I reject the government's plan to collect tourism fees from airplane passengers. Apart from being a burden on passengers because it will automatically make fares soar, it also has the potential to violate the law," Sigit said in Jakarta, Tuesday (April 23, 2024).

Sigit said, based on article 126 of Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation, the determination of passenger fares for economy class services is calculated based on the components of distance fare, tax, mandatory insurance contributions and surcharge fees. What is meant by additional fees in Law No.1/2009 are fees charged because there are additional costs incurred by air transportation companies outside the calculation of distance tariff determination, including costs for fuel price fluctuations and costs borne by air transportation companies because when departing or returning from a flight without passengers, for example during holidays.

Sigit reminded that the tourism fees that the government will apply clearly do not include taxes that can be charged to passengers in their ticket rates. Contribution has a very different meaning. "In the aviation law itself there is no terminology for tourism fees. The government should not be ridiculous because this clearly has the potential to violate the law," he said.

Sigit reminded that determining airline ticket rates must also pay attention to people's purchasing power as regulated by the Aviation Law. As is known, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced that annual inflation in 2023 is relatively low due to a decrease in the core inflation component which indicates a weakening of people's purchasing power. Based on BPS data on last year's inflation, Sigit assesses that people's purchasing power is not good.

"Every airplane passenger has been charged a passenger service charge (PSC). If they are forced to collect tourism fees again, it is the same as passengers being charged a double additional fee. Not all passengers board airplanes for tourism purposes," he explained.

With these various considerations, Sigit emphasized that collecting tourism fees was not feasible and asked the government to cancel the plan. Sigit reminded that the government's task is to provide easy and affordable transportation rates for its people.

As is known, the government is currently drafting a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Sustainable Tourism Fund or Indonesia Tourism Fund. One thing that is in the spotlight is the source of funding that comes from tourism fees. The government plans to impose tourism fees on airplane passengers.

Contributions will be included in the calculation component of the airfare price. This plan was known from the invitation to the Coordination Meeting for Discussion of the Draft Presidential Regulation on Sustainable Tourism Funds issued by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment which was issued on April 20 2024.

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