Terminal 3 Ultimate's Delayed Opening

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan has a well-grounded reason to delay the opening of the new Terminal 3 Ultimate at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport: It has failed to meet safety standards.

The delay has dashed the hopes of people who wanted to see a new terminal completed before the Lebaran holidays. At a glance, the magnificent structure adorned with traditional ornaments from across the archipelago looks quite immaculate. Containing 28 domestic and international gates, the terminal is even touted as being on par with Singapore's Changi Airport. Having the capacity to accommodate 25 million passengers a year, the Rp7 trillion terminal will become a significant alternative to the Soekarno-Hatta terminals that these days cater to an overwhelming 60 million travelers. This is perhaps the reason behind Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli's insistence that President Joko Widodo launch the terminal's opening before Lebaran.