JAKARTA (HN) - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) has appreciated Lion Air Group for bringing new planes to Indonesia. The need for aircraft in Indonesia is very high as the growth of passenger air transport is very rapid.
Director General of Air Transportation Kemenhub Agus Santoso said air passenger growth this year rose 10 percent to 126 million people. The demand for this air transport mode must be met by the fleet's eligibility and fulfillment of aviation safety factor.
"Lion Air Group is helping us meet the needs of national air transport," he told National Day in Jakarta, Thursday (2/11).
Batik Air brought in the 37th Airbus 320 from the manufacturer in Toulouse, France on November 1, 2017. Agus attended the airbus 320 airplane flight check PK-LUY registration number with the Batik Air pilot team.
According to Agus, the aircraft is in accordance with national aviation fleet standard so that it can be sent to Indonesia. Agus self-test the suitability of the aircraft by emphasizing engine, avionics, interior, and exterior of the fleet. Even pilots do fly test two hours. "All aircraft that will be sent to Indonesia should do this checking," he said.
Agus asked Lion Air Group to more aggressively operate new aircraft in Indonesia. Kemenhub regulate the operational life of passenger aircraft in Indonesia maximum 30 years. "This we firm, no longer tolerance," he said.
The benefit, said Agus, this new aircraft can absorb 1200 idle pilot labor. The birth rate of new pilots in Indonesia continues to grow rapidly. Pilot schools are trying to present local pilots to reduce the number of foreign workers in Indonesia. "The number of pilots is currently not balanced with the aircraft operated," he said.
Pilot in Command Airbus 320 aircraft for Batik Air, Capt Surjo Djoko said, next year will come again 4 units of Airbus type aircraft from total orders of 234 units. Three units of Airbus 320 aircraft will be shipped from the City of Hamburg Germany in February in stages. One airplane will be delivered in March from Toulouse France. "We're scheduled for that arrival," he said.
Batik Air operates 50 units of Airbus 320 aircraft type as many as 36 units and Boeing 14 units. The 37th Airbus 320 Batik Air will be operated to support 10 national tourist destinations. Two new flight routes have been proposed, such as Jakarta-Labuan Bajo, and Jakarta-Silangit (Lake Toba).
Lion Air Group's shipping carrier continues to expand its business to meet the needs of national air transportation. Until now, the airline has served 37 domestic and international destinations with a frequency of 280 flights per day.
Batik Air receives IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate, international aviation safety audit on November 18, 2016. With this certificate, Batik Air pass international flight security standardization.
Reportase: Dian Riski Rosmayanti
Editor: Admin
