Indonesia tourism ministry helping quake-hit tourists
JAKARTA, August 6, 2018
Indonesia's Tourism Ministry is closely monitoring airports and airlines’ schedules to manage the significant traffic changes following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Lombok, killing at least 90 people.
Hundreds of people have been wounded by Sunday's quake, officials say, mostly in the north of the island. The island is popular with tourists for its beaches and hiking trails.
Bali, another tourist destination also felt the tremor. Video footage from Bali, to the west of Lombok, showed people running from their homes screaming, said a BBC report. Lombok is a roughly 4,500 sq km (1,700 sq miles) island west of the slightly larger island of Bali.
Despite the minor damage, Lombok International Airport (Lombok) and Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali) operate normally.
A Tourism Ministry statement said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is focusing on the earthquake crisis management in Lombok and Bali.
“I am monitoring the demands of tourists to fly out of Lombok and Bali through the airports and airlines, in Lombok and Bali. Our team is preparing additional aircraft and extra flights, as well as enabling the slots for these new flights from and to Lombok and Bali,” Arif explained this morning.
Arief appealed for support from all the management teams of foreign airlines to give priority to the passengers who want to change their itinerary, try to reroute or get their tickets reissued.
National airlines are also preparing extra flights, including Garuda Indonesia which has dedicated 4-6 extra flights for the purpose.
“Lombok Praya and Lombok International Airports are giving prime service to the passengers. Lombok Praya is even open 24 hours now to anticipate any needs including extra flights to overseas,” said Robert Waloni, expert staff of access and infrastructure for Ministry of Tourism.
Singapore's Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam was in Lombok for a security conference when the earthquake struck. He described on Facebook how his hotel room shook violently. "It was quite impossible to stand up," he said.
Australian Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Peter Dutton who was also at the conference said his delegation was safe and thanked the Indonesian police and authorities for their work.
