Six airlines, including Scoot, apply for permits to fly from Indonesia’s repurposed Bandung airport

BANDUNG, Indonesia – State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura Indonesia is preparing all operational facilities at Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, West Java, ahead of the airport’s reactivation plan for commercial flights using jet airliners, scheduled for Sept 17. Currently, the airport serves only military flights, VIP/VVIP and charter flights.The only commercial flight is operated by Susi Air using Cessna 208B Grand Caravan turboprop aircraft, linking Halim Perdanakusumah International Airport in East Jakarta and Nusawiru Airport in Pangandaran, West Java. Arie Ahsanurrohim, corporate secretary group head of the operator, also known as InJourney Airports, said the company continued coordination with all stakeholders to ensure that all operational aspects meet the standards set by the Transportation Ministry’s air transportation directorate general, tribunnews.com reported on July 19. “InJourney Airports has conveyed the operations and services plan at Husein Sastranegara Airport to airlines,” he said on July 18. “So far, six airlines have officially applied for permits to operate from Husein Sastranegara Airport.” The airlines have shown increased eagerness to reopen flights to and from Bandung.Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has applied for flights to Bali using the Boeing 737-800NG narrow-body aircraft, the only type in its fleet that can land on Husein Sastranegara Airport’s 2,200m runway. Low-cost carrier (LCC) Citilink, a member of Garuda Indonesia, expects to operate flights to Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra; I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Badung, Bali; and Juanda International Airport in Sidoarjo, East Java. Citilink operates Airbus A320-200 and A320neo jetliners, as well as ATR 72-600 turboprop airplanes. Privately owned no-frills airline Super Air Jet submitted a request for seven airports, including Kualanamu and I Gusti Ngurah Rai, as well as Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau; Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam, Riau Islands; and Minangkabau International Airport in Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra.Super Air Jet exclusively operates Airbus A320-200 in its fleet. Medium-service regional airline TransNusa has applied for two international routes to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru and one domestic flight to Radin Inten II International Airport in South Lampung, Lampung. TransNusa operates Airbus A320-200 and A321-200 narrow-body jetliners, as well as Comac C909 regional jets. Regional LCC Wings Air has applied for routes to Radin Inten II International Airport and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport in Palembang, South Sumatra, for its ATR 72-500 and -600 turboprop airliners. Singapore’s regional LCC Scoot, the subsidiary of flag carrier Singapore Airlines, has applied for a route to Changi International Airport. Scoot uses Embraer E-190-E2 regional jets. To follow up on those requests, the airport operator will soon set flight slot times so that all routes can be accommodated according to available space and capacity. The reintroduction of jet airlines at the airport is projected to strengthen accessibility in Bandung and West Java, as well as provide a positive stimulus for tourism, trade, investment and macroeconomic activity in the region. “We hope flight connectivity from Husein Sastranegara Airport can fully support economic and tourism growth in West Java and especially in Bandung,” Arie said. The airport operator has deployed foam tender specialised fire extinguisher vehicles, as well as Category 7 aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment. For security protection, the operator is modernising screening checkpoint areas by installing the latest X-ray scanners, walk-through metal detectors and handheld metal detectors. Airside, the operator is strengthening various facilities, such as its runway, taxiway and apron. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK