Thousands of passengers arrive in Soekarno-Hatta airport

 As many as 8,294 passengers, including 6,946 domestic visitors and 1,348 foreigners, arrived at the international airport of Soekarno Hatta, a day after Eid al-Fitr, the airport's main office stated here on Tuesday. 

Compared to last year's record, the office predicted a rise in the number of passenger this year, the airports branch communication manager, Dewandono Nugroho, stated. 

The number of passengers until 12.00 pm local time reached about 20,968 people. 

Several cities, including Denpasar, Surabaya (East Java), Kualanamu (North Sumatera), Makassar (South Sulawesi), and Yogyakarta, have been noted to be the most favorite destinations of passengers. 

Therefore , the office remarked that some 524 extra flights have been launched 10 days before and two days after Eid al-Fitr, which was celebrated on Sunday, to accommodate the passengers' demands. 

As the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, many Indonesian citizens would celebrate the day by enjoying local dishes, such as "opor," which is chicken cooked with coconut milk and turmeric, and "lontong," the rice cake, as well as visiting friends and families. 

Ahead of the Eid day, most citizens who live in the capital city of Jakarta would travel to their hometowns in the villages in a tradition known as "mudik." 

Source: ANTARA