Indonesia AirAsia denies bankruptcy rumor

Audrey Progastama P, Manager of Corporate Communication of Indonesia AirAsia, confirms that Indonesia AirAsia is not in a position to go bankrupt. Although Jakarta - Surabaya and Jakarta – Medan route are closed as per October 1, 2010. "We want to clear the information that is now circulating in the community about Indonesia AirAsia," said Audrey, Tuesday (08/03/2010) in Jakarta.

Audrey asserted, the closure of two routes was linked with changes in business strategy of Indonesia AirAsia. "Our focus this year is on the development of international air routes, rather than domestic routes. Therefore, the aircraft which was originally used for the two routes were transferred to route Surabaya - Singapore, Surabaya - Bangkok, Surabaya - Kuala Lumpur, Medan-Singapore, Medan - Kuala Lumpur, and Medan-Hongkong/Macau, "said Audrey.

Audrey also said, is not true that the tickets were already booked is non-refundable. "Passengers who had bought tickets could refundable. However, it depends on the payment method used. If passengers use credit cards, so our costs have been incurred to return as well as through credit cards," he said. Meanwhile, if a passenger using a debit payment system, then the money is returned through the passenger bank account. Similarly, if passengers pay cash at one of the sales counter, the passenger will receive cash.

Passengers can also choose a refund in the form of a credit shell, that is, credit is added to the respective accounts AirAsia passengers. Furthermore, these funds can be used to purchase another AirAsia flight ticket.

Audrey added that Indonesia AirAsia's performance in the second quarter of 2010 was very positive. Its load factor reached 75 percent with the number of passengers as many as 947 786 people or an increase of 9.8 percent compared with same period last year.

Wings Air use two new fleets as a feeder to Lion Air flight

Two new fleets of ATR 72-500 owned by Wings Air will be operated on short flight routes in Sumatra. This short route will use as a feeder aircraft to Lion Air flight. These two aircrafts with a registration of PK-WFI and PK-WFJ as to complete the total number of aircraft to as many as five units.

"The operation of this short route will continue Lion Air flight schedules which designed to connect to each other," said General Director of Lion Air, Edward Sirait.

Wings Air will fly four new routes in Sumatra with two ATR 72-500. The flight routes are Medan – Gunung Sitoli, Medan - Sibolga, Medan - Meulaboh and Medan - Lhokseumawe. The flight route Medan – Gunung Sitoli with the flight number IW 1260 will operate twice daily. Medan - Sibolga operated once a day with flight number IW 1254, Medan - Meulaboh operate once a day with the flight number IW 1252, while Medan - Lhokseumawe will operate once a day with the flight number IW 1250.

If the 15 of ATR 72-500 aircraft from a total of 30 aircraft which will be brought in gradually until 2012 it has prepared, it will planned to operate for short flight routes in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara, and islands of eastern Indonesia. The aircraft was able to fly nonstop four hours and landed on the short runway. "We have already operated three ATR 72-500 aircraft to fly routes in eastern Indonesia," Edward Sirait said.

In 2009, Wings Air had ordered 30 ATR 72 aircraft consisting of 15 units of ATR 72-500 scheduled for sure, while the remaining 15 ATR 72-600 into additional options. The aircrafts will receive in phase until 2012. The arrival of two ATR 72-500 aircraft with 72 seats in April 2010 had increased the number of aircraft operated by Wings Air into 14 units consisting of five ATR72-500, 6 of MD-80, and 3 of DHC8-300. "The use of these new aircraft to target regional markets of the western part of Indonesia," he said.

Riau Airlines Add 30 Aircrafts

The local airlines company, Riau Airlines will add 30 new small types aircraft until 2013 for facing the aviation liberalization policy in the ASEAN region, or a known as open sky policy which will implemented in 2015. "At least until 2013 later Riau Airlines to add a jet type aircraft fleet in anticipation of the ASEAN open sky policy will be implemented soon," said Director of Riau Airlines, Teguh Triyanto.

Teguh Triyanto explained, adding the new aircraft fleet with capacity 30-50 passenger seat as an effort to position Riau Airlines as the feeder airlines to serve the short flight routes. In that position it will be easier for Riau Airlines to synergize with the airline on the ASEAN region and to expand their business to grab the aviation world market especially on the island of Sumatra.

Based on the governor of a coordination meeting of Sumatra region, followed by the 10 provincial governments that took place in Pekanbaru 19-21 December 2009 recommending the establishment of Sumatra Air and Riau Airlines acts as the operator's flight from the program. The recommendation also has produced enough positive results for the Riau Airlines and also Bangka Belitung Provincial Government has expressed commitment to work together to open the flight routes in the archipelago.

"Our main focus is the island of Sumatra, but we also be working like in Java Island or other areas in Indonesia as long as our position as a feeder," Teguh explained.

Teguh also said that, until now Riau Airlines has a number of types of aircraft manufacturing with produced either from Europe or America to support the airline's business plan which owned by Stated-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) that 51 per cent ownership of its shares controlled the Riau provincial government. "There are some names that have been our pocket for a business plan forward, but clearly the position of the feeder we'd like to co-exist with other airlines to facilitate people easier travelling," he said.