Batavia Air FIRST flight to Dili, Timor Leste

On December 27, 2010 Batavia Air conducts the first flight from Denpasar, Bali to Dili, Timor Leste (return) by using Airbus A320-811 with flights number Y6-811

The aircraft departed from Denpasar at 07:00 LT and landed at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport at 09:40 LT. While the flight from Dili to Denpasar departed at 10:25 LT. Direct Flights Denpasar – Dili will be operated every day.

"With the entry of Batavia Air to Dili, the Timorese people have an alternate transportation to travel to Denpasar, Bali and other cities in Indonesia. Now, Dili has been connected with 40 cities in Indonesia that have been serving by Batavia Air," said Batavia Air President Director Yudiawan Tansari.

In addition, he continued, transport goods and cargo from Dili to the cities in Indonesia and vice versa become more fluent. "And of course we hope for the tourism potential that is here much more widely known by the people of Indonesia," he added.

Inaugural flight to Dili, led by Capt. Pilot Noer Effendi with a group of officials from Batavia Air, Director General of Civil Aviation as well as officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The delegation was welcomed by the President and Prime Minister of Timor Leste as well as officials in the country.

Batavia Air currently operates more than 170 flights per day and serving 40destinations across Indonesia, and 6 international destinations namely, Jeddah and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Guangzhou (China), Kuching (Malaysia), Singapore and most recently Dili, Timor Leste. Batavia Air has a fleet of 36 aircraft consisting of Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-400, Airbus A-319, Airbus A-320 and Airbus A330.

picture: google.com

Garuda Indonesia needs special terminal

The airline company which has the second largest number of passengers in Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia, needs a special terminal at the terminal of Soekarno-Hatta (Soetta), Jakarta. The terminal is to anticipate the development of the airline business is expected to increase almost doubled in 2014 later.

In the year 2009, the total number of passengers carried by Garuda Indonesia more than 10 million people.

According to President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Emirsah Sattar, currently Garuda Indonesia already operates 74 aircrafts and by 2014 its fleet will increase to 116 units. Garuda Indonesia also has selected Jakarta as a base of operations. "We need a dedicated terminal for us," said the Emir in Jakarta. Nevertheless he was evasive that Garuda Indonesia is also required to participate to build its own terminal at the Soekarno Hatta airport. "Too much for it," said Emir.

For time being, Garuda Indonesia has formed a team to advise the Board of Directors. Angkasa Pura II as the organizer of Soekarno-Hatta airport.

As is known, PT. Angkasa Pura II will create a grand new design for the Soekarno Hatta airport. Grand design is expected to be completed later this year and will be implemented next year. Indonesia Minister of State Owned Entreprises, Mustafa Abubakar also have to allow private parties to participate in developing and managing Soekarno Hatta airport. Some news said, Schipol airport management (Netherland), Changi airport management (Singapore) and the airline Air Asia Group is interested in developing the biggest airports in Indonesia.

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Wings Air and Lion Air operate 5 new routes

The airline company Lion Air and Wings Air will operating five new routes to Bali, Nusa Tenggara, and Kalimantan began earlier this month.

According to General Director of Lion Air, Edward Sirait, Wings Air is to operate four new routes, Semarang - Denpasar, Denpasar - Mataram, Denpasar - Tambolaka, and Denpasar-Bima. While the Lion Air, will add one new route, Surabaya - Palangkaraya. Wings Air will use the new aircraft ATR72-500 (propeller) with a capacity of about 72 seats for this five new routes. Meanwhile, Lion Air flights to Palangkaraya for time being served with Boeing 737-400 jets.

"The route Semarang – Denpasar and Denpasar - Mataram served by Wings Air started operating since September 6, 2010. The route was flown twice in one day," Edward Sirait said. The route Denpasar - Tambolaka served four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. While the Wings Air route from Denpasar to Bima served three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Lion Air's new route from Surabaya to Palangkaraya done once a day, starting Tuesday (Sept 7, 2010). Semarang - Denpasar flight was operated by the transit in Surabaya before, will be increased flight frequency of once daily.

"Lion Air and Wings Air in synergy continues to develop services for the domestic flight and international operations. But for now the market development will concentrate on domestic flights to meet the domestic air transportation market which is still quite large in the entire archipelago," said Edward.

In addition to increasing revenue and expanding markets, development of flight operations into the eastern region of Indonesia such as Bali, Sulawesi Tenggara, and Kalimantan, he said, was intended as an effort to encourage economic growth in the region. In addition, with the opening of new routes, it is expected the tourism sector in these areas will continue to rise.

Edward predicted, the load factor or the level of passenger plane filled five new routes will reach 90% with passengers from all segments of the target. Development of flight operating new routes are also planned with the addition of the frequency of flights to increase the capacity of the aircraft. That, he said, made possible because of the increasing new fleet of jet and propeller both owned airlines.

4 of 12 Indonesia airports excess capacity

Aviation industry and the number of passenger planes in Indonesia continues to grow significantly even beyond the capacity of existing airports. According to PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) or AP II, four of the twelve airports under its management have excess capacity. According to Director of AP II Tri S Sunoko the four airports which excess the capacity are Soekarno-Hatta Cengkareng - Jakarta, Polonia - Medan, Sultan Thana - Syafiuddin Jambi and Minangkabau Airport - Padang.

Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatera with a capacity of 900 000 passengers, are now serving 4.9 million passengers per year. Then Sultan Thana which has a capacity of 700 000 passengers have 900,000 passengers per year. While the Minangkabau Airport has served 2.8 million passengers per year, while its capacity is only 1.2 million passengers. "While the Soekarno-Hatta airport has a capacity of 22 million passengers have been serving 37 million passengers in 2009. That's why we will continue to increase the capacity by build a new airport terminal," said Tri.

The airport development projects and the construction of the new airport is ready to be done is Polonia Airport, which will be replaced with Kualanamu Airport. In the next two years, the airport is ready for use.

Last year, Lion Air has the domestic passengers at most 13.3 million (30.7%), Garuda Indonesia, as many as 8.39 million (19.28%), followed by Batavia Air around 6.10 million (14.02%) . While for the international route, most dominant is Garuda Indoensia Airlines with transporting 2.21 million (44.74%), followed by Indonesia AirAsia 1.98 million (40.09%), and the third position Lion Air around 383 584 passengers (7.74%).

Indonesia AirAsia will close 2 flight routes

The decision of PT Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) to  close the flight route from Jakarta to Medan and Jakarta to Surabaya certainly will not affect the capacity of flights to both these destinations. Both routes have the densest traffic flow with a number of airlines that compete in it.

"Competition was tight and ‘crowded’ for those routes. So if Indonesia AirAsia have other options it would be a company policy. But the flight capacity of those routes will not be disturbed, "said Tengku Burhanudin, Secretary General of the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA).

INACA annual data released in 2009 showed that Medan and Surabaya are the two most populous of the six airports in Indonesia. Last year, Juanda International Airport, Surabaya recorded a 8,436,000 flights, while the Polonia Airport, Medan recorded 3,840,000 flights. That’s why, this solid flight creates a high competition between airlines. Tengku Burhanuddin asserted, AirAsia's decision to close two routes is the company's strategy, not because these routes are empty of passengers.

Closure of these routes will commence as of October 1, 2010. AirAsia will only leave 20% of domestic flight route from all flights routes at the end of this year. "For time being, our international-domestic route comparison 75% -25%, and  it will be 80% -20%," said Corporate Communications Manager of Indonesia AirAsia, Audrey Petriny.

New Routes of Garuda Indonesia Airlines

PT Garuda Indonesia will conduct maiden flight from Jakarta to Tokyo from August 31, 2010. Vice President of Communications Garuda Indonesia, Pujobroto explained the new route will be served one time flight every day. "Garuda Indonesia to open flights to Tokyo to meet the needs of customers, especially for business travelers," Pujobroto said in a press release, Monday (9 / 8).

Garuda Indonesia Airlines will use Airbus A330-200 to transport its passengers to Japan. The aircraft has a capacity of 222 seats with a passenger configuration of 36 executive class and 186 of economy class. The aircraft was equipped with a new interior where Executive Class is equipped with fully reclining flat bed seats. The aircraft is also equipped with LCD touch screen at all classes, and entertainment system with Audio & Video On Demand (AVOD) in the form of movies, music, and games that can be enjoyed during the flight.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Emirsyah Satar ensure that the Japanese market represents a potential market for Garuda Indonesia. Because Garuda Indonesia Airlines itself has been flying several other cities in Japan for more than 48 years. Such as the Denpasar-Nagoya route three times a week, Denpasar-Osaka five times a week, Denpasar-Tokyo every day.

"This flight gives the Immigration Service on-board, where the passengers can make arrangement to conduct immigration documents such as issuing visas on arrival at the aircraft," he explained. As for schedule, the Jakarta-Tokyo flight GA 884 will depart from Jakarta at 23:50 pm and arrive in Tokyo at 09.00 local time. Then go back to Jakarta by GA 885 at 12.00 local time and arrive in Jakarta at 17:45 pm.