ID :
18602
Tue, 09/09/2008 - 15:13
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/18602
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SRIWIJAYA AIR PLANS TO MAKE PENANG AVIATION HUB FOR ASEAN REGION
PENANG (Malaysia)_, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- Sriwijaya Air, the third biggest private airline in Indonesia, intends to make northern Penang state in Peninsular Malaysia, as its regional hub to Asean destinations.
To realise the plan, the Jakarta-based airline will start its maiden flight
to Malaysia via the Medan-Penang-Medan route on Sept 15.
P.T. Sriwijaya Air Medan district manager Heru Tony Hardjanto said the
inaugural flight from Medan will depart at 7.15am (Medan time) and is expected
to arrive at the Bayan Lepas International Airport at 8.55am (Malaysian
Time).
The flight will take off for Medan at 9.35am (Malaysian Time) on the same
day and arrive in Medan about 45 minutes later, he told a media conference.
Besides Penang, the airline company also plans to make Kuala Lumpur as its
hub to Middle East countries, he said.
Tony said Penang's selection as the Asean hub befitted its location at the
Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) area.
He said the company also proposed to expand the destinations to several
major cities in Asean beginning next year.
Tony said Sriwijaya Air had secured the rights for the second air route --
Medan-Kuala Lumpur-Medan -- which it will operate from early next year.
"We also plan to fly to new destinations like Medan-Penang-Phuket and
Medan-Penang-Haadyai next year interspersed with flights to Medan-Penang-Ho Chin
Minh City," he said.
Currently, Sriwijaya has 19 aircraft comprising Boeing 737-200, 737-300 and
737-400. By June next year, the airline will have five Boeing 737-500
planes.
For a start, the 141-seater B737-300 will be used for the
Medan-Penang-Medan
route and bigger aircraft for the Medan-Kuala Lumpur-Dubai route, he
said.
Tony said the company has appointed Allya Travel & Tours (ATT), a
wholly-owned subsidiary of IBF International Network Sdn Bhd, as its agent and
all ticket transactions should be made through the company.
He said a return ticket for the Medan-Penang-Medan route costs US$100 and
US$125 for the Penang-Medan-Penang route.
"The airfare is cheaper from Medan as Penang is a medical tourism
destination and many people from Medan and other parts of Indonesia are
receiving treatment from several private hospitals in Penang," he said.
Tony said Sriwijaya Air is expected to earn US$2.1 million between
September and December. "Our planes will be modified to enable patients flown to
Penang to be wheeled in on a stretcher," he said.
ATT will also offer land transport package, accommodation and a hospital
chian to patients requiring the service, he said.
Meanwhile, IBF International chief executive officer Ahmad Fazil Hashim
said
under the "Fly-cum-Charity" programme, ATT would contribute RM2 to the Malaysian
Islamic Economic Foundation (YaPEIM) for every ticket sold to passengers on
the Penang-Medan route and RM1 on Medan-Penang route.
ATT will also sell a privillege card "Sahabat YaPEIM" at a promotional
price
of RM30 during the current Ramadan month and RM50 next month to passengers on
the Penang-Medan-Penang route, he said.
The card entitles passengers to discounts for airfares, accommodation,
medical, shopping at selected malls and during deaths.
YaPEIM will use the contribution to help the needy, regardless of race and
religion, he added.
To realise the plan, the Jakarta-based airline will start its maiden flight
to Malaysia via the Medan-Penang-Medan route on Sept 15.
P.T. Sriwijaya Air Medan district manager Heru Tony Hardjanto said the
inaugural flight from Medan will depart at 7.15am (Medan time) and is expected
to arrive at the Bayan Lepas International Airport at 8.55am (Malaysian
Time).
The flight will take off for Medan at 9.35am (Malaysian Time) on the same
day and arrive in Medan about 45 minutes later, he told a media conference.
Besides Penang, the airline company also plans to make Kuala Lumpur as its
hub to Middle East countries, he said.
Tony said Penang's selection as the Asean hub befitted its location at the
Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) area.
He said the company also proposed to expand the destinations to several
major cities in Asean beginning next year.
Tony said Sriwijaya Air had secured the rights for the second air route --
Medan-Kuala Lumpur-Medan -- which it will operate from early next year.
"We also plan to fly to new destinations like Medan-Penang-Phuket and
Medan-Penang-Haadyai next year interspersed with flights to Medan-Penang-Ho Chin
Minh City," he said.
Currently, Sriwijaya has 19 aircraft comprising Boeing 737-200, 737-300 and
737-400. By June next year, the airline will have five Boeing 737-500
planes.
For a start, the 141-seater B737-300 will be used for the
Medan-Penang-Medan
route and bigger aircraft for the Medan-Kuala Lumpur-Dubai route, he
said.
Tony said the company has appointed Allya Travel & Tours (ATT), a
wholly-owned subsidiary of IBF International Network Sdn Bhd, as its agent and
all ticket transactions should be made through the company.
He said a return ticket for the Medan-Penang-Medan route costs US$100 and
US$125 for the Penang-Medan-Penang route.
"The airfare is cheaper from Medan as Penang is a medical tourism
destination and many people from Medan and other parts of Indonesia are
receiving treatment from several private hospitals in Penang," he said.
Tony said Sriwijaya Air is expected to earn US$2.1 million between
September and December. "Our planes will be modified to enable patients flown to
Penang to be wheeled in on a stretcher," he said.
ATT will also offer land transport package, accommodation and a hospital
chian to patients requiring the service, he said.
Meanwhile, IBF International chief executive officer Ahmad Fazil Hashim
said
under the "Fly-cum-Charity" programme, ATT would contribute RM2 to the Malaysian
Islamic Economic Foundation (YaPEIM) for every ticket sold to passengers on
the Penang-Medan route and RM1 on Medan-Penang route.
ATT will also sell a privillege card "Sahabat YaPEIM" at a promotional
price
of RM30 during the current Ramadan month and RM50 next month to passengers on
the Penang-Medan-Penang route, he said.
The card entitles passengers to discounts for airfares, accommodation,
medical, shopping at selected malls and during deaths.
YaPEIM will use the contribution to help the needy, regardless of race and
religion, he added.
