KUALA NAMU Airport as an International Hub

PT Angkasa Pura II will make Kuala Namu Airport Medan as an international aviation hub, while Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta Cengkareng, as the domestic aviation hub.

Angkasa Pura II President Director Tri Sunoko said the commitment to make Kuala Namu airport as a international hub appropriate given its location geographically closer to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Geographical advantages, making flights from Medan to be much more efficient to ASEAN countries and other countries rather than flying from Jakarta in terms of time and fuel.

Since January, Kuala Namu Airport running on shadow operation to test navigation equipment and radar airport.

If after operating officially later, it is optimistic that the airport is located in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, it can shift the position of Singapore's Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Airports.

Tri Sunoko insist the Soekarno-Hatta airport which operating since 1985 is still to be developed considering the capacity already exceeds the limit but will be focusing a collector for domestic airports.

Both airports are also considered in the list of airports that are used to deal with the ASEAN Open Sky 2015.

Therefore, it also requested the cooperation with stakeholders including the Ministry of Transportation in order to realize the plan's two airports. "These ideals we must work together," he said.

Ministry of Transportation reported that there were five airports are prepared to face the Asean Open Sky namely Soekarno Hatta (Jakarta), Juanda (Surabaya), Sultan Hasanuddin (Makassar), Kuala Namu Airport (Medan) and Ngurah Rai (Bali).

AirAsia will move its regional office to Jakarta

Low-cost carrier, AirAsia has said it will focus work on the ASEAN market. Unmitigated AirAsia will move its regional office to Jakarta next year.

"We want to be the ASEAN airline. We probably bring most ASEAN passengers than other airlines, "said CEO of Air Asia, Tony Frenandes at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, on Thursday (17/11).

AirAsia's regional offices will move from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta. The launch of the new office itself will take place in January 2012. Tony said AirAsia moved into offices in Jakarta because the office was located ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta. "We want to show that we are no longer a carrier of Malaysia, Thailand, or Indonesia. But we are an ASEAN airline, "he said.

In addition to moving his office, AirAsia will add approximately 100 of the aircraft next year. These planes will serve particular routes in ASEAN. "The problem is, every airline is now looking for the plane. It is a nice problem, "he said. Tony adds, AirAsia is targeting growth of its business was not too affected by floods in Thailand. The company is still optimistic that could grow 20% this year.

Regarding the ASEAN open sky policy, Tony said he really supported it and did not see the risk of Indonesian airlines will lose the market. "Let us be more confident. What is good for the people of Indonesia? I think AirAsia has been quite beneficial to many people of Indonesia, business, hotels, labor, and the pilot is growing. We must think big, think ASEAN, if not we will be beaten by China and India," he said.

picture: google.com

AirAsia : “No Fuel Surcharge”

The airline company, AirAsia still want to strengthen the implementation of the policy of no fuel surcharge, although other airlines company intend to increase their fuel surcharge as world crude oil prices is increasing. The largest low cost airline cheap in Asia is committed to continue providing affordable tickets for all level.

"AirAsia not impose fuel surcharge in November 2008 and we have no intention to enforce back," said Dharmadi, President Director of Indonesia AirAsia. "Strong sales of our seats and additional revenue to address the growing problem of rising fuel prices. We continue to innovate to help reduce costs and ongoing development of various strategies to increase revenues," said Dharmadi.

Dharmadi  emphasized, increasing the fuel surcharge may be the easiest solution. However, the benefits are temporary. AirAsia also receive additional revenue from its products, such as luggage Supersize, AirAsia Insure, AirAsiaGo, AirAsia Courier, Pick a Seat, and AirAsia Megastores.

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AirAsia migrating from Open Skies to New Skies

One of Indonesian airlines, Air Asia migrating from Open Skies system to New Skies. This migration makes the Air Asia service is temporarily inaccessible to consumers. Why Air Asia to migrate?

"New Skies is an online reservation system that uses foremost technologies. New Skies is designed specifically to meet the needs of airlines," said President Director of Air Asia Indonesia Dharmadi in Jakarta on Thursday (08/07/2010).

Migration is done because the capacity of the Open Skies reservation system is no longer able to accommodate Air Asia passengers rapidity which reaches 26 million passengers a year. "With the New Skies system, will further facilitate the consumer in aviation services, either in the registration plane, hotel and check-in," he continued.

With New Skies system, airlines would be more economical price. Check-in costs and marketing will be reduced. The Air Asia.com website which can be accessed through mobile phones, check-in can be done. "By entering the code number of tickets through the website, consumers can directly check in, they will get the code for the barcode. At the airport only show the barcode, so can directly check-in. Be more economical and simple," said Dharmadi.

In addition, the transaction is no longer limited to a maximum of IDR 10 million. With New Skies system, transactions can not be limited. Dharmadi added that this system also includes a PNR (Passenger Name Record) for 50 people. Previously, the system is only able to carry 10 people. Thus, the amount of revenue passenger capacity becomes larger.

Other convenience services offered by this new system is the connecting flight. If on the previous system, passengers must check-in, check-out, then check in again at the time of transit between regions or countries, so in this new system only need one-time passengers check-in.

"For example, the flight route from Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur - London. In the previous system, passengers while landing in Kuala Lumpur should be checking out of the plane and then check in again for a flight to London. On the New Skies, passengers simply check-in in Jakarta only. So when you arrive in Kuala Lumpur, passengers only transit, no check-out to move the plane to London, "said Audrey, Corporate Communications Manager of Air Asia Indonesia. Transactions also become easier because it can use multiple currencies.