Batik Air, the full-service unit of Indonesia’s Lion Air Group, will increase its fleet size from six to 16 aircraft to service 12 new domestic destinations and its first international flight to Singapore by the end of 2014.
According to the airline’s CEO, captain Achmad Luthfie, Singapore was chosen as the first international destination thanks to its highly strategic location and role as a popular transit hub. Due to the limitations of Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, many travellers seek connections from Singapore’s Changi Airport, making the route highly profitable.
Domestically, Batik Air currently flies to 10 destinations but plans to more than double this to 22. The new domestic points that the carrier will service this year will be Banjarmasin, Batam, Gorontalo, Kendari, Medan, Padang, Palembang, Palu, Timika, Tarakan and Solo. The airline will additionally resume its Jakarta-Bali Denpasar operations in 2014.
Batik Air currently operates six Boeing 737-900ER aircraft that it configures with 12 business and 168 economy class seats. The airline will take delivery of its first Airbus A320 this July and receive five more by the end of the year, which will feature 12 business and 144 economy class seats.
In addition, Batik Air will add four 737-800s to its fleet later this year, which will be configured with 12 business and 150 economy class seats.
For more information, visit www.batikair.com
Clement Huang
