With its operation located in a remote area, the company recognizes that returning to their hometowns and villages to gather with their loved ones is a primary need for employees. This is particularly true during significant times such as the Idul Fitri holiday that will soon arrive, when all employees yearn to be with their families to celebrate the holiday.

Since 2011, PTFI by way of its Industrial Relations Division has been providing Idul Fitri flights for employees going on leave to celebrate the Lebaran holiday  in their home villages in Papua.

Fakfak is one region where the majority of the population are Muslims. There is no regular flight directly connecting Timika to Fakfak and so employees traveling to Fakfak must perforce fly to Sorong or Jayapura first before continuing on to Fakfak.

The Idul Fitri flight facility allows employees to save traveling time and costs. To take advantage of the Idul Fitri flight, employees need only to register with the Industrial Relations team and to pay a subsidized fare of Rp. 300,000 per passenger – far more affordable than the steep fare exacted by commercial airlines for peak seasons.

La Ode Kaimdhini, a Mine Maintenance Division employee is one of the passengers on the Idul Fitri Flight, traveling with five family members. He was grateful for the facility provided for him and his family by the company. This was his second experience flying on an Idul Fitri flight, after first participating in 2016.    

“I offer thanks to Allah the Most High and Almighty, and I am grateful to the PTFI for the facility provided us to travel to our home village. Without this direct flight provided by the company, we would have to travel a longer distance, transiting either in  Sorong or Jayapura before continuing on to Fakfak. And the cost is far less because the fare is subsidized,” La Ode said.

The company takes employee quality of life very seriously. They are its most valuable asset, and the company wants to ensure employees receive the best facilities, in support of generating a sound working environment and good productivity.

“We hope employees will take advantage of this Idul Fitri flight. Hopefully in coming years more employees will avail themselves of this program so that all feel equitably addressed by the Company, and they are enabled to celebrate the holiday with family in their hometowns,” Vice President, Industrial Relations, Demi Magai said when he sent off the  Idul Fitri 2018 flight at the Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport Pioneer Flights Terminal on Monday (11/6). 

This year’s Idul Fitri Flight transports 28 employees and family members to Fakfak via Kaimana aboard an Airfast Indonesia twin-otter charter aircraft. The Timika - Fakfak flight takes two hours and fifteen minutes, stopping in Kaimana for refueling. The return flight to Timika is scheduled for 29-30 June 2018. (Sularso)