Toba Lounge: The Airport Lounge at Medan Polonia Airport International Terminal

Medan Polonia International Airport may be long overdue for renovations and upgrades before moving to the new airport at Kuala Namu.

Toba Lounge Medan Polonia Airport International Terminal

Hence you may find the boarding gates of Medan Polonia Airport less comfortable than those of other countries or cities of Indonesia.

The conditions of lack of comfortable waiting areas at Medan Polonia airport opens up a market for executive lounges in Medan and across Indonesia. These lounges serve as a facility for travellers who seek more comfort on their travel.

Medan Polonia Airport International Terminal Executive Airport Lounge

At Medan Polonia Airport International terminal, you can find “Toba Lounge”, an executive airport lounge with facilities such as:
1. More comfortable seatings with Sofas.
2. Free Drinks, Light food and snacks
3. Internet Stations and Wifi Access
4. Media such as TV, magazines and newspapers
5. Cleaner toilets
6. Smoking room available

Internet Stations and Wifi Medan Polonia Airport International Terminal Executive Airport Lounge

To access the executive lounge, a charge of Rp75.000 is applicable per person. Sometimes, they you can get a discount for certain credit card promotions. At the time of posting, you will get Rp25.000 off when using Citibank Credit Cards.

Free Light Snacks and Drinks at Airport Lounge

Indonesian residents with local credit cards should be happy to hear that they can access this lounge as a facility complimentary from the credit card companies. Most credit cards are accepted for free entry. Ask at the counter which cards are accepted.

Medan Polonia Airport International Terminal Executive Airport Lounge

Unlike the lounge at the domestic terminal of Medan Polonia Airport where you can board your flight from the lounge, there is no direct access to the planes from this lounge. You will still need to pass through the boarding gates as usual.

Wishing you a pleasant trip

Copyright www.MedanKu.com

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JW Airport Lounge at Medan Polonia International Airport Domestic Terminal

The benefits for Indonesian travelers are the many airport lounge available at airport across Indonesia

Medan Polonia Airport has two large airport lounge at the domestic terminal operated by two private companies known as the JW Sky Lounge and Crown Gapura Angkasa.

Crown Gapura Angkasa Airport Lounge Medan Polonia Airport

JW Sky Lounge is located on the left side corner of the terminal which is mostly missed. The Crown Airport Lounge is on the right side of the terminal after the airport tax counter beside the boarding gates.

To use the airport lounge facilities, you will either need to have one of the many local credit cards accepted by the lounge for Free or pay a Rp60.000 fee.

The two airport lounges accept credit cards from different credit card companies (and its one or the other) so you need to check with them which of the cards are accepted. For example, the JW Sky Lounge accept Citibank credit cards among many others and the Crown accept HSBC credit cards among others.

Here, we visit the JW Sky Lounge to show you the facilities inside the lounge.

One of the many facilities provided for passengers include:

1. Helping you pay for your airport tax
A staff will help you queue up at the airport tax station to pay for your airport tax.

2. A small fashion boutique
At the time of posting there is a POLO shop in the lounge

3. Internet and wifi stations
Five free internet stations are available for use

4. Mobile phones charger stations
Two mobile phones chargers stations are available free for a variety of common phones convenient for those needing to recharge the battery.

5. Light snacks and drinks
Light snacks and drinks are always available for free.

6. Toilet
Clean toilets are available inside the lounge

7. Smoking room
The lounge is a smoke free lounge however, a large smoking room is available complete with LCD televisions for those needing a cigarette.

8. Children play area
A small children play area will keep your child busy while waiting for your flight.

9. Reflexology and massage area
Massage and reflexology service in its own special room is available at a small fee.

10. Media: TV, Magazines and Newspapers
For those needing to catch up with the news, television stations, magazines and newspapers are provided at the lounge

And best of all, you can board your flight from the lounge without having to go through the main boarding gates.

There will be a mini bus to take you from the lounge to your plane at time of boarding.

Have a pleasant flight

Copyright www.MedanKu.com

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More Information on Medan Polonia Airport International Departure Terminal

Here are pictures of the international terminal at Medan Polonia Airport.

Airport Tax Counter

All travelers need to pay the airport tax (currently Rp75.000/person) before entering the immigration area to board your flights. The airport tax is not included in the price of your air tickets like most countries do, hence you will need to queue up at the airport tax counter to pay the airport tax before you leave Medan.

Fiscal Payment Waiver Counter

For Indonesian Citizens, you will need to present your tax documents NPWP to register for waiving your fiskal (exit tax) at the fiscal counter. You may use your parents’ NPWP if you are below 17 or do not yet have an NPWP. In this case, you will need to present your family documents for proof.

Married couples may use spouse’s NPWP by presenting proof of marriage certificate. For more information about NPWP and Fiscal Exemptions, please read our previous post.

Baggage Wrapping Service

There are two baggage wrapping services available at the international terminal. Costs of secure wrapping range from Rp10.000 – Rp25.000/piece

Please bear with our outdated airport as we wait for the new airport at Kuala Namu….

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Air Asia Online Check in at Medan Polonia Airport

We recently found Two units of computer stations near the Air Asia check in counter at the international departure terminal at Medan Polonia Airport.

It is suppose to be an automated online check in counter where travellers can use the stations to check in by themselves without having to queue up at the check in counter.

If you have no baggage with you, its probably a convinient way to check in your flights, get a boarding pass and skip waiting to go straight to immigration.

If you have luggage with you, you probably have to queue up again

There are no signs or support for using the system and we wonder how many travellers are aware of it or even know how to use it. For the Air Asia Frequent flyers perhaps…

Since we are not flying Air Asia, we have yet to try out the check in system.

Have you used it? What do you think of the system? Share your thoughts and comments below.

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Lack of Trolleys at Airport

For those that have been traveling in and out of Medan Polonia Airport would notice the lack of Trolleys for luggages in the terminals of the airport.

This is especially true for arrival terminals where trolleys are usually taken up and used by the porters in the airport. First time travelers to Medan may not get used to using porter services at the airport as they are very much used to newer international airports where self service is a way of life.

Porter Services

In Medan and most parts of Indonesia, porter services are still common and widely used by the locals. You will find many of them especially at smaller airports where these airports still lack of good infrastructure of easy access to car parks, taxi stands etc..

Porters usually gather at the arrival terminals ready with a trolley in hand to help passengers with their bag for a fee. Listed price is Rp2.000 per luggage but they usually ask for Rp5.000 per luggage.

With limited trolleys in Medan Polonia Airport, passengers often find themselves stranded with no trolleys for their bags as they arrive. This can be very frustrating for passengers with many baggages in hand.

With the addition of 250 trolleys of the planned 500 trolleys for Medan Polonia Airport, this will double the number of 450 trolleys currently provided by the airport authority and will surely make passengers a lot happier.

So, a good tip when you first arrive Medan, if you have many baggages and do not want to use porter services, try to find a trolley for your bags first! Hopefully you will find one easily now, with the additional trolleys.

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Kuala Namu International Airport Progress

The planned new airport of Medan North Sumatra, the Bandara Kuala Namu International Airport is set to be ready by July 2011 announced the the Ministry of Transportation of Indonesia.

The target is by 2010 the constructions and development of Bandara Kuala Namu International airport should be 80% completed with the remaining 20% finishing in 2011. By Juli 2011 Bandara Kuala Namu International Airport of Medan North Sumatra should be operational.

However, the governement has only approved Rp 600 billion from the proposed budget of Rp 2 trillion for the development of Bandara Kuala Namu in 2010. Which means that there is a budget deficit of Rp 1,4 trillion which has not been approved or issued for the constructions. Apart from that, the 20% finishing of the airport still needs another Rp 1 trillion for completion.

In such conditions, if there is no confirmed allocation of the proposed budget from the central government, Bandara Kuala Namu may still be a dream to be realized for travellers to and from Medan.

For more information about the Kuala Namu Airport news in Bahasa Indonesia, please view at www.MedanTalk.com Bandara Kuala Namu Progress

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7 Airports in North Sumatra, Polonia Medan is the only certified Airport

Medan Polonia International Airport become the only certified airport, out of seven in North Sumatera, according to flight safety constituted by Transportation Minister, since Polonia has had affordable facilities and infrastructure and qualified human resource.

Acting head of North Sumatra Transportation agency (Dishub) on air transportation field Heriyono said here, on Tuesday (Sept. 15) night, the regulation has been established based on Transportation Minister decree No. 44/2002 about National Air Port Regulation.

“Polonia deserved to achieve the certificate, since it has provided ‘Non Direction Beacon’ (NDB) navigation facility, that help the pilot to arrange the direction and to find out distance of a air port,” Heriyono said.

Besides, he said, Polonia is the only airport equipped with national-standard facilities such as lighting for plane parking area, metal detector, patrol vehicle and fire-fighting devices in North Sumatra province.

“Regarding to human resource aspect, six out of seven airport activities in North Sumatra performed by functional Technical Service Unit (UPT) of Air Transportation agency,” he said. “Meanwhile, according to flight safety regulation, an airport should have air traffic organizer and electric engineer.

Seven Airports in North Sumatra

There are seven airports in North Sumatera, namely:

1. Polonia airport located in Medan,
2. Binaka airport located in Gunung Sitoli,
3. Pinang Sori airport located in Sibolga,
4. Aek Godang aiport in Padang Sidempuan,
5. Sibisa airport suited in Parapat,
6. Silangit airport suited in Siborong-borong, and
7. Lasondre airport in Pulau-pulau Batu islands, Telo, South Nias.

Heriyono suggested the condition should be improved by increasing the facilities, infrastructures, and human resources aspects in airport of North Sumatra.

Polonia International Airport is located in the city of Medan, North Sumatra that serves flights to several Indonesian and Malaysian cities, along with a flight to Singapore. Besides, flights to Indian cities are also planned. In terms of passenger numbers, Polonia is the fourth largest airport in Indonesia after Soekarno-Hatta, Juanda, and Ngurah Rai.

source: Waspada

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Indonesia takes steps to Control H1N1 Virus

Airports in Indonesia have installed thermal scanners and body cleaners (Body Clean Disinfectant Health Quarantine Machine) as part of efforts to control the spread of infectious diseases such as hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD), SARS, avian flu (bird flu) and the H1N1 Swine (Pig) flu.  To date, Indonesia has confirmed 4 cases of H1N1 virus

picture: passenger go through Body Clean Disinfection Health Quarantine Machine

At Medan Polonia International Airport, we have witnessed the body cleaner known as Body Clean Disinfection Health Quarantine Machine first hand which sprays alcohol disinfectant to all international arrivals passengers into Medan. From our travels, we only saw thermal scanners and have not seen the body cleaner installed at the airports of Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, and is glad that Indonesia is taking steps to protect its citizens from the spread of the virus. In Medan, however, there are no thermal scanners installed to measure and detect body temperature.

All arriving passengers have to queue up to go through the Body Cleaner as they enter the arrival terminal. Apart from the Body Cleaner, passengers will also need to fill in a health alert card for details of their address in Indonesia, contact information, previous travels to other countries and any symptoms of the H1N1 virus before they are allowed to queue at immigration. Although pens (limited) are provided, it is advisable to have you own pen ready for filling out the cards to ensure quick exit. I wonder why they dont distribute these cards in the planes with the immigration cards.

Thermal scanners were previously installed during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2005 and is now being re-installed in airports around the world.

Meanwhile, it is the first time for body cleaners to be set up here in Indonesia. The Korean-made machines were sent by the Health Ministry.

Here’s a video we took on the Body Clean Disinfection Health Quarantine Machine and how everyone has to walk through a smokey machine like traveling to/from space

Personally, We dont think the Body Cleaners will kill the H1N1 virus of those who has been infected, that’s why we still have several cases of the influenza in Medan. But we think, it might kill off the virus that lingers onto clothings or bags

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Medan Polonia Airport step up Pig Flu Prevention Measures

Latest update: 24 June 2009, Indonesia Health Minister reports first cases of H1N1 Flu in Indonesia

As of 06:00 GMT, 29 May 2009, 53 countries have officially reported 15,510 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 99 deaths.

H1N1 virus commonly known as Pig Flu or Swine Flu has caused worldwide travel worries. The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations by country is provided in the table below. With a huge relief, Indonesia is not in the listed countries.

We are also glad to see that the authority in Indonesia has taken steps to prevent the virus from spreading into Indonesia. On our arrival at Medan Polonia Airport from Singapore on Friday 29 May 2009, we have noticed additional H1N1 preventive measures by the authority at Medan Polonia Airport. It is not the expected usual thermal scanner found at other airports that detects heat for suspected carrier that has fever. But a machine that sprays some kind of antiseptic all over you!

This additional measure may be due to the 4 reported cases of H1N1 flu that has traveled to Singapore.

The machine is similar to a metal detector scanner installed in most airports that you go through at customs, only that it has nozzles around the machine spraying some kind of antiseptic all over you when you walk across.

The machine has been installed in international arrival hall of Medan Polonia Airport before the immigration counter and customs. Other measures noticed were police dogs monitoring hang luggages when passengers enter the arrival hall and filling in a yellow health card that requests information such as:

• personal & contact details
• dates of arrival & departure
• list of countries visited within 7 days prior arrival to Indonesia
• health questions such as whether have symptoms of high fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing

Visitors will also be relieved and feel safe to travel to Indonesia from the statement made by the Health Minister of Indonesia about the H1N1 virus.

Indonesia Health Minister statement about pig flu.

Health Minister, Siti Fadilah Supari announced public not to be afraid but keep aware to any possibility of pig flu emerging in Indonesia.

Fatality rate of bird flu (H5N1) appears to be higher – about 80-90 percent – compare to pig flu (H1N1) which about 6.4 percent. However, public asked to be aware since this virus has been confirmed to be transmissible among human.

H1N1 virus is only survivable in sub tropic area – in particular during autumn and winter – such as North America. Indonesia is a tropical country so that the possibility for the virus to survive is relatively low, said Health Minister in press conference, Ministry of Public Welfare Coordination (Menkokesra) office, Jakarta, Monday (27/4).

Pig/Swine flu or H1N1 cannot survive in warm temperate area such as Indonesia. But citizen are required to maintain self hygiene.

For preparedness of any possibility of this virus to emerge in Indonesia, Ministry of Health has ordered related parties to terminate import of pork. Moreover, government will do surveillance to numbers of pig farms in Indonesia, in total 9 millions pig population.

Meanwhile, airports in Indonesia have been equipped with Thermo Scanner or body temperature detector for new entrants.

Ministry of health also supplies Health Alert Card to airways companies and sea harbor, about the health/flu status, which required to be filled by new entrants.

Furthermore, Ministry of Health has prepared Tamiflu stock for H1N1 treatment.

In the same event, Director of Animal Derived Disease Control (PPBB) Ministry of Health, Rita Kusriastuti said, Thermo Scanner has been set up in 10 airports, i.e. Ngurah Rai Bali, Makassar, Surabaya, South Kalimantan, Jakarta, Batam and Medan.

Three millions Tamiflu for therapeutics have been prepared, and 100 reference hospitals will also be re-trained to anticipate the occurrence of the disease. Doctors in numbers of hospitals are also ordered to be more considerate in examining patients, said Rita.

Table below: Laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations (source WHO)

Country, Cumulative Total  Cases, Deaths

• Argentina     37     0
• Australia     147     0
• Austria     1     0
• Bahrain     1     0
• Belgium     8     0
• Brazil     10     0
• Canada     1118     2
• Chile     165     0
• China     30     0
• Colombia     17     0
• Costa Rica     33     1
• Cuba     4     0
• Czech Republic     1     0
• Denmark     1     0
• Dominican Republic     2     0
• Ecuador     32     0
• El Salvador     11     0
• Finland     3     0
• France     21     0
• Germany     19     0
• Greece     3     0
• Guatemala     5     0
• Honduras     1     0
• Iceland     1     0
• India     1     0
• Ireland     3     0
• Israel     11     0
• Italy     26     0
• Japan     364     0
• Korea, Republic of     33     0
• Kuwait     18     0
• Malaysia     2     0
• Mexico     4910     85
• Netherlands     3     0
• New Zealand     9     0
• Norway     4     0
• Panama     107     0
• Peru     31     0
• Philippines     6     0
• Poland     4     0
• Portugal     1     0
• Romania     3     0
• Russia     2     0
• Singapore     4     0
• Slovakia     1     0
• Spain     143     0
• Sweden     4     0
• Switzerland     4     0
• Thailand     2     0
• Turkey     2     0
• United Kingdom     203     0
• United States of America     7927     11
• Uruguay     2     0
• Grand Total     15510     99

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Kuala Namu International Airport (also known as New Medan International Airport) is a new airport under construction to replace Polonia International Airport, site of several crashes, and inappropriately located in the centre of the city of Medan, and with a difficult takeoff path, and short runway.

Construction began on 29 June 2006, shortly before the first anniversary of the crash of Mandala Airlines Flight 091. The airport is due for completion in October 2009, and it will serve the city of Medan on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Kuala Namu airport is reported to be have been 15% completed by the end of March. According to the Jakarta Post, the airport will cost at least 4.4 trillion Rupiah to build, or approximately US$473 million, using the August 3, 2007 exchange rate. Construction had previously been promised, initially in 1992, following previous crashes and safety concerns (construction was shelved following the Asian monetary crisis). Thankfully the airport has now been developed.

Kuala Namu Airport is located 20km North East of Polonia airport, 3km from the sea, and on a site of area 6.5 x 2.1 km. The new airport will offer greater safety and capacity, with a Phase 1 (2010), first year of operation plan for 6.4 million passengers, of which 5.1 million would be domestic, 1.2 million international, and 0.14 million international transit passengers. By Phase 2 (2025), the airport would be servicing 14 million passengers, 2.5 million international, and 0.63 million international transit passengers. But, current vice President Jusuf Kalla said the Phase 1 can serve 8,1 million passengers.

Medan’s Kuala Namu International Airport will be Indonesia’s second largest, following Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, and will eventually have capacity of 50 million passengers, a figure if realised today would place the airport in the top 10 busiest by passenger numbers in the world, although by the time if this figure is ever achieved it is likely that there will be many airports carrying more passengers.

Airside facilities would be controlled by the Indonesian government, while landside facilities would be owned by a joint venture (with PT Angakasa Pura II) company, which is expected to provide $350 million initial investment, in return for a 30-year lease, after which ownership would revert to PT Angkasa Pura II. The airport will be linked to the city of Medan by a $215 million railway project Medan Kuala Namu Railway to be completed by December 2009

Kuala Namu airport will be the first in Indonesia with a publicly accessible check-in area (current Indonesian airports restrict access to ticket holders with security at the gate). This means a much larger and more spacious check-in area than the existing airport.

The airport is being designed by Wiratman & Associates, who also designed several other new airports and office buildings in Indonesia. You may view visualization of the future Kuala Namu Medan International Airport video.

When it is 100% complete, Garuda Indonesia plans to fly to European Union such as Frankfurt, London, Paris. mmmm…. interesting

source: Wikipedia

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