Lion Air will fly Jakarta-Jeddah

One of Indonesia airline company, Lion Air will operate a direct flight Jakarta-Jeddah-Jakarta (non-stop), starting 28 June 2009. Flight to Jeddah using Boeing 747-400 aircraft with the registration PK and PK-LHF-LHG.

"Regular flight Jakarta-Jeddah is expected to increase Lion Air's international market share because there is a market opportunity big enough in the Middle East region, both from the business and Umroh travel," said Director General Edward Sirait, Wednesday (29/4/2009) in Jakarta.

Flight to Jeddah will be operated every day, departing at 12:30 WIB from Jakarta, and arrive in Jeddah at 18:00 (Jeddah time). Then, fly from Jeddah at 20:00 Jeddah (Jeddah time), and arrived in Jakarta at 09.30 WIB. This flight service on certain time will served four times a week according to the conditions and needs of the market.

Lion Air as the only national airlines that currently serve the schedule route flight is to provide flight as optimal possible, to achieve customer satisfaction, comfort and security of the flight (flight safety). Therefore, this flight provides two aircraft or aircraft available reserves in order to maintain the reliability of flight, especially the accuracy of the flight time.

Darwin Route Close, Garuda Indonesia Flying to Brisbane

PT Garuda Indonesia Airlines will not reopen Darwin-Denpasar route even though many party oppose this decision. However, in the upcoming months of November 2009, Garuda Indonesia will open a route to the destination of Denpasar-Brisbane.

Spokesperson for Garuda Indonesia, Pudjo Broto, says, closing the route Denpasar-Darwin is not economically profitable. "We can not be opened again, our calculation is searching for other potensial routes," said Pudjo, Friday (24/4/2009).

Pudjo unfold, up till now, load factor from Darwin-Denpasar route is below 68 percent. "This figure is very low, other airlines such as Qantas is finally close this route," said Pudjo.

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Indonesia challenge in 2010 : exports and investment

Global financial crisis still haunt the future in 2010. Indonesia Minister of Finance as well Plt Coordinating Minister for Economy Sri Mulyani Indrawati mention two things that become a challenge for Indonesia next year, that is, exports and investment.

"For years 2009-2010, the challenge must be faced are exports and investment," said Sri Mulyani while giving speech in the coordination meeting of the central level (Rakorbangpus), in Bappenas Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (22/4/2009).

Sri Mulyani said the export activities to be a challenge because of the demand for exports will be down due to a global crisis. "Export activities still depend on global economic activity and investment," she said.

She was proceeding, other than exports, earnings fund may rely on rotation in domestic. However, when relying on only from within the domestic, there will be a source of funds struggle between the government and the private sector to finance the investment and expense that must be fixed.

"To finance the deficit, the government issued a letter of debt that use domestic resources. Private sector also require funding. There will be competition (crowding out) private sector versus government," she said.

Garuda Indonesia Airlines stop flight to Darwin

Related with decline in passengers from several cities in foreign countries due to the impact of global economic crisis, the Indonesia airlines company Garuda Indonesia had stopped flight to Darwin, Australia, starting Friday (24/4/2009). Meanwhile, the flight to Bangkok will be reduced from seven times the frequency to be three times per week starting Friday (1 / 5).

"Furthermore, Garuda Indonesia will use the plane which previously serve this route to serve the other prospective and more profitable routes," said VP Corporate Secretary Garuda Indonesia, Pujobroto, Friday (17 / 4) in Jakarta. Recently, Garuda Indonesia open a nwe flight route: Yogyakarta - Singapore, Surabaya - Hong Kong, Denpasar - Hong Kong, Jakarta - Malang, Jakarta - Tanjung Karang, and Jakarta - Kendari.

On Friday (May 1, 2009), Garuda will also open a new flight route Jakarta - Denpasar - Kupang and Jakarta - Jambi. The flight route Jakarta-Kupang will served every day using Boeing 737 aircraft, departed from Jakarta at 10:40 WIB and arrived at Denpasar 13:25 WITA and will depart again at 14:05 WIT and arrived at Kupang at 15:05 WITA.

Instead, the flight from Kupang depart at 15:45 WITA, arriving in Denpasar at 17:20 WITA, departing again at 18:00 WITA and arrive in the Cengkareng at 18:45 WIB. Flight to Jambi will also be served once a day using Boeing 737 aircraft, departing from Jakarta 06.30 WIB and arrived in the Jambi at 07.40 WIB. Meanwhile, departing from Jambi at 08.15 WIB and arrived in Jakarta at 09.30 WIB.

Mandala Airlines moved to Terminal 3 Soekarno-Hatta Airport

One of the Indonesia airline company, Mandala Airlines, starting on Monday (20/4/2009) will move their operations from Terminal 1 Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Jakarta to Terminal 3. Mandala is to serve passengers in the terminal 1 C for 24 years.
"With the transfer to Terminal 3, Mandala Airlines can provide a better service for passengers," said Megawati Trisia, Head of Corporate Communication Mandala Airlines, on Tuesday (14/4/2009) in Jakarta.

She said that, determining the date of transfer has been planned by Mandala and has coordinate with the airport authority, PT Angkasa Pura II. Coordination include matters related to the device in the operational support necessary for smooth flight and passenger comfort. Currently, coordination still takes place for the smooth process of switching to Terminal 3.

Mandala has an average of about 35 scheduled flights per day from Jakarta to many cities in Indonesia such as Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Batam, Bengkulu, Denpasar, Bali, Jakarta, Kupang, Medan, Padang, Pangkalpinang, Pekanbaru, Pontianak , Semarang, Surabaya, and Tarakan.

"With the design of environment-friendly and equipped with facilities that support the comfort of passengers, the Airport Terminal 3 at Soekarno-Hatta International is expected to support the Mandala target passenger year 2009, which is about 5 to 6 million passengers," added Trisia.

Furthermore, Trisia add that at this time Mandala offers 550,000 seats per month capacity and this capacity will continue to grow along with it came some of the new A320 Airbus planes in 2009.  In 2007, Mandala was ordering 30 new Airbus aircraft worth 2.3 billion U.S. dollars. Mandala also has use of all types of Boeing aircraft and establish cooperation with Singapore Airlines Engineering Company for aircraft maintenance.

Mandala now offers a wide range of network services for the purpose of flight 17, with the aircraft in a safe fleet of Airbus A320 and A319 and the accuracy of the schedule, aircraft cleaning and security offers a very affordable price.

China's foreign exchange reserves 1.95 Trillion U.S. Dollar

Central Bank of China in Beijing, Saturday (11 / 4) announced the foreign exchange reserves rose 16 percent at the end of March 2009 compared with 2008. Current foreign exchange reserve reached 1.95 trillion U.S. dollars. Indonesia foreign exchange reserves per March 2009 only 54.8 billion U.S. dollars.

China's foreign exchange reserve is the largest in the world, up 7.7 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter 2009. Years ago, in the first quarter, China's foreign exchange reserves rose to 146.2 billion U.S. dollars. The increase in the first quarter was also much less than the increase in the fourth quarter of 2008 reached 45 billion U.S. dollars, as info by China press-agency. Increase less than the previous achievement was due to the decrease in imports. This is in line with the decrease in world demand of goods made in China because of global crisis.

The analysts believe China will still hold 70 percent of foreign exchange reserve assets in U.S. dollar denomination, including U.S. Government securities.

Foreign exchange reserves also increased because the Central Bank of China continues to buy U.S. dollars from the market as swift of flow incoming foreign investment. Despite China's economic decline in the trade sector and domestic properties, the data show a decrease in the last one the wane. The Government is taking steps to prevent further decline in exports, such as the reduction of export taxes and prevent the yuan exchange rate.

The economist said, the steps that can be tense relationship with China's trading partners if China trade not reasonable. UK PM Gordon Brown had to request pour bailout funds from China's reserves.

The decreasing of Indonesia exports should be allerted

The Indonesia businessman stressed the need for cautious of declining in the export transaction as seen from the export realization of the first quarter 2009 record of minus 6-9 percent. Solid government's economic team needed to anticipate this condition. The Indonesia employer are also asserted that the current government or the future government efforts to put the impact of global financial crisis as a priority.

The realization of the export transaction on the first quarter this year (2009) decreased sharply compared to 1.8 percent in the fourth quarter 2008. According to the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Office, the decline is due to the decreasing price of some commodities, such as textiles, tin, coffee, and nickel.

Chairman of the Indonesia Emplyore's Association Sofjan Wanandi said, the decline in exports due to commodity prices. The investment in the sector of natural resources is still a prospect. According Sofjan, the government should campaign the investment since at this time so that during the economic situation is rising, industry is ready to seize the market. Sofjan also emphasized the need for a solid government economic team.  "Indonesia needs a solid economic team. Compactness economic team described in the form of policy directions that do not overlap anymore, "said Sofjan.

Chairman of the Indonesia Textile Association (API) Benny Soetrisno said, the decline in exports is frequently occurred in the first quarter of each year. However, the decline in exports that occurred at this time are very significant.  "The caused is the buyers. Although the government already provides support for restructuring the textile machinery worth IDR 330 billion this year, textile industry can not force the increase in exports if the purchase is being decrease, "said Benny. According to Benny, the value of textile exports during January-March 2009 only 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. This means decline 15 percent compared with the same period in 2008.

Benny said, the decline is due in part the order is usually given to the Indonesia industry are diverted to other countries, like Bangladesh and Vietnam. Pattern share average quantity of this is that the export textiles and textile products decreased. However, the API is still optimistic that the textile industry will rise again. The purchase of textiles and textile products tends to increase again in the second quarter and climb again to a fourth quarter. School activities and preparation of Christmas is back up to export transactions.

Not Easy to Dig Out for New Export Markets

Impact of financial crisis in the U.S, affect the absorption of Indonesian export, striving the exporters to explore a new markets instead of the U.S. and Europe market  which have become a major export market of particular products, such as textiles and textile products (TPT).

For example, the Middle East and Africa markets, which is not the main export markets of Indonesia's TPT, it is not easy to be penetrated. This is expressed by the Vice Chairman of the Association of Indonesia Textile (API) Central Java, Djoko Santosa, on Monday (6 / 4). According to Djoko, also the Managing Director of PT Dan Liris, the demand from petrodollar countries is relatively small, and besides that is not easy to deal with a local businessman.

"It is not easy doing business with them. The average does not want to deal with the trivial matters and details of various kinds and complex of import export issues. The Middle East buyers inquriy is not be easily fulfilled, likes the Ihram clothing material such as towels. This material does not easily provide," said Djoko.

While the African market is quite promising, just ask for a lower quality so the price is not expensive for compliance with local market conditions. But according to Djoko, TPT industry of the country began to improve the quality of its products as an effort to meet market demand Europe and the United States which is a traditional market in the country's TPT production.

In general, the realization of the export volume from Surakarta, Central Java, in the first quarter 2009 decreased compared to the same period in 2008, ie, 22.34 million kg from 22.00 million a kilogram. However, the value increased slightly, from 68.35 million United States dollars into 69.17 million United States dollars.

Tiger Airways drill Indonesia market

The high traffic of Indonesians to Singapore make low cost airline company, Tiger Airways Singapore, which is owned by Tiger Aviation, perforate of Indonesia market.
Since March 29, Tiger Airways is officially operating in Terminal II, Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang. Director Tiger Airways Singapore Rosalynn Tay, Thursday (2 / 4) in Jakarta said the Singapore Tiger Airways currently operates seven times per week, and in June will be increased nine times per week.
The airline well known has a cheap rate and based in Singapore and Australia is confident that they can compete fairly with Indonesia and other foreigners airlines company, who also serves a similar route. "We offer a cheap flight rates and can compete in a competitive," said Rosalynn Tay a graduate of National University of Singapore.
Rosalynn, said the company may offer the cheapest price because successfully pressing expenditure costs that are not essential, such as the cost of advertisement on television. In addition, approximately 90 percent of Tiger Airways Singapore planes has the same type so that they can reduce the cost of pilot training and aircraft crew.
Before serving the route Singapore-Jakarta-Singapore, Tiger Airways has been serving routes to 25 cities across Asia-Pacific region, including Melbourne, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Manila and New Delhi.

Picture source : www.abc.net.au

EU not revoke the flying ban to Europe

Director General of the Department of Air Transportation, Herry Bakty Singayuda Gumay in Jakarta on Monday (30 / 3) said that Commission of European Union (EU) is not revoked the prohibition the Indonesia airlines flying to their region. "News from the embassy in Brussels (Belgium), a decision ban has not been revoked. But there are positive signals, the trends continue finding less," he said.
He said that the EU Council of Assembly's mid-March in Belgium to provide signals that may be revoked embargo before June. News acquired from Brussels, the Indonesia aviation authorities will also be invited to the council chamber in the European Union later in June.
At the hearing in March, the Director General clearly, the Indonesia aviation authority does not send the team to get there. Indonesia delegate at that time simply represented by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Brussels.