Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura (InJourney Airports) is adding 53 flight routes to strengthen national air connectivity and support growth in the transportation and tourism sectors.”From January to April 2026, 53 new flight routes will be operated at various airports—consisting of new routes and new flight services,” InJourney Airports president director Mohammad R. Pahlevi said in his statement on Saturday.During that period, the number of flight routes rose15 percent compared to the same period the previous year, when 46 routes were added.”An example is the new route is Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado to Naha Tahuna Airport, which Wings Air will be serving in May 2026,” he said.Additional services include Garuda Indonesia flights from Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport to Mozes Kilangin Airport in Timika, also starting in May.Pahlevi said the expansion of the flight network is a concrete step to position airports as agents of development, supporting economic growth, equity, and tourism. He emphasized that connectivity is key to public mobility and the smooth flow of goods and logistics.“InJourney Airports will continue to respond to challenges to ensure air connectivity remains sustainable,” he said, noting that rising aviation fuel prices due to Middle East tensions have affected airfare sentiment.To address these challenges, the operator is strengthening collaboration with airlines, regulators, and airport operators to expand routes and increase competition.As part of regional development, InJourney Airports participated in Routes Asia, holding strategic meetings with 28 airlines and 16 airports.Recent additions include T’way Air’s new service from Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Incheon, South Korea, launched on April 29, 2026. Scoot will open routes from Belitung’s HAS Hanandjoeddin Airport to Singapore’s Changi Airport in May, and from Pontianak’s Supadio Airport to Changi in June.Spring Airlines is scheduled to begin flights from Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China, to Soekarno-Hatta in June.Upcoming routes include Centrum Air flights from Tehran, Uzbekistan, to Bali, and Greater Bay Airlines’ inaugural service from Hong Kong to Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport.“In terms of international routes, our target within two years is to increase flight frequency on existing services and open new ones. This will lay the foundation for direct long-haul connectivity from Indonesian airports,” Pahlevi said.