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The Highland Papua Provincial Government and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian Aerospace or IAe), a subsidiary of defense and electronics holding state-owned enterprise (SOE) PT Len Industri (DEFEND ID), are working together to reduce airfare towards Highland Papua. Their cooperation was marked with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by Highland Papua Governor John Tabo and IAe, which was witnessed by Defense Deputy Minister Donny Ermawan.
Acting Highland Papua Transportation Office (Dishub) Head Jimmy Yoku confirmed that the MoU was signed on June 12, 2025 when met by the press in Wamena District, Jayawijaya Regency, Highland Papua on July 17, 2025.
"The cooperation agreement was made possible thanks to the Indonesian Industrial Policy Committee (KKIP)'s facilitation. [It is targeted] to help reduce airfares and inflation in the Highland Papua region," he stated.
Yoku said that the cooperation would allow IAe to start operating flights from Wamena to seven other regencies in Highland Papua using N219 aircraft.
"The N219 aircraft will soon be serving flights reaching areas in the Papua Highlands before the second week of July," he added.
Yoku explained that the N219 airplane developed by IAe can be used as both a passenger or cargo aircraft.
"This small, twin-engine airplane has 19 seats and can be used as a passenger or cargo aircraft. It is very suitable for pioneering flights in remote areas of Highland Papua," he added.
Yoku said that the Papua Provincial Government has also signed a cooperation agreement with PT Sriwijaya Air for passenger and cargo flights to and from Wamena.
"The collaboration with Sriwijaya Air, [which operates] Boeing [passenger airplanes], is to improve connectivity and reduce inflation in Highland Papua. We requested Sriwijaya Air to serve a new flight route, namely the Jakarta-Makassar-Biak-Wamena route," he concluded.
