S Kalimantan umrah travel report Garuda ticket monopoly to KPPU

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Umrah travel entrepreneurs who are members of the South Kalimantan Umrah and Special Hajj Travel Communication Forum (KPIUHK) reported the monopoly of Garuda flight tickets to the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU).


During a meeting with KPPU Balikpapan at the Rattan Inn Hotel here on Friday, they protested the policy of the second party's appointment in purchasing Garuda flight tickets.

"We want an official written report regarding this issue, so that we can follow up," said KPPU Balikpapan Head Office Abdul Hakim Pasaribu. KPPU Balikpapan oversees all provinces in Kalimantan.

It will conduct an investigation on this issue, so it can conclude whether there is unfair business competition due to the policy.

"The sanctions that can be imposed could be administration, or fines, and other," he said.

He admitted, if the process of handling the problem could not be counted for days, it may be a minimum of five months to be decided.

Meanwhile, Head of South Kalimantan KPIUHK H Saridi Sarimin said more than 50 Umrah travels expressed objection that they could no longer buy tickets at Garuda branch office.

"Garuda's policy since the beginning of March 2019 appointed a second party for the place of ticket purchase for the Umrah. This has an adverse effect," Saridi said.

The boss of the special Hajj and Umrah travel "Abis" Hj Utami Dewi stated the agency no longer using the Garuda Indonesia airline.

"This is our form of protest against Garuda's policy of appointing three private agents to buy tickets for Umrah trips, because it made it difficult for us, because it was monopolized," she said.