Indonesian low-budget airline Lion Air targets to see a 15 percent year-on-year (y/y) increase in air passengers to 38.25 million in 2017, from 33.26 million passengers that were carried by the airline in the preceding year. Daniel Putut, Director for Business Development at the Lion Air Group, said the airline will need to achieve this target without expanding its fleet size, which currently numbers 113 units. Lion Air, founded by Rusdi Kirana, is one of the biggest airlines of Indonesia, dominating the low-budget segment.

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Indonesian low-cost carrier Sriwijaya Air targets to fly 12.1 million passengers in 2017, up 10 percent year-on-year (y/y) from an estimated 11.2 million passengers in 2016. To achieve this target 17 new airplanes will be delivered to the airline next year consisting of 15 narrow body Boeing B737-800NG jets and two wide body Boeing 777-300ER jets. Chandra Lie, President Director of Sriwijaya Air, is confident that the airline will achieve next year's passenger target, specifically by increasing its focus on international passengers.

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Low-cost airline Indonesia AirAsia plans to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in late-2017. This IPO plan has been agreed upon by the management and shareholders of the company. AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes said there are two main reasons why Indonesia AirAsia would like to become a listed company: (1) to improve transparency and corporate management, and (2) to allow Indonesian investors to join in on Indonesia AirAsia's profit and business growth.

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Through the implementation of Presidential Regulation No.12/2016, Indonesia confirmed its participation in the ASEAN Open Sky policy (also known as the ASEAN Single Aviation Market). This policy comprises the multilateral agreement of all ten ASEAN member countries to unite their skies into one single aviation market (hence liberalizing regulations to a large degree). By enhancing connectivity (implying an easier flow of people and cargo) the ASEAN member nations target to boost the region’s economic growth. ASEAN is home to more than 600 million people.

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Saudi Arabian Airlines, the Jeddah-based flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, plans to increase its flight frequency to Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta from 14 flights to 18 flights per week. According to Marwan M. Altoumah, Saudi Airlines' Area Manager for Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, demand for flights between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia is on the rise and therefore the airline wants to cater this demand. By the end of the year, Saudi Arabian Airlines intends to submit its request for additional flights to Jakarta and Surabaya.

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The Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA) expects domestic and international air passengers in Indonesia to grow by about 8-9 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2016, flat from the estimated growth pace this year (8 percent y/y). Based on the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik/BPS), air passengers in Indonesia stood at 67.5 million in the first ten months of 2015, up 12.8 percent from the number of air passengers in the same period last year.

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After Indonesian authorities threatened to suspend the operating license of the Indonesian unit (Indonesia AirAsia) of Malaysia’s budget carrier AirAsia, shares of the latter (AirAsia Berhad) on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange plunged over 12 percent on Wednesday morning (08/07). Indonesia AirAsia is among 13 Indonesian airlines that were found to have negative equity and were ordered by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry to turn this positive before 31 July 2015 in order to retain their operating licenses.

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On Tuesday (30/06), an Indonesian military airplane (C-130 Hercules) crashed into a densely populated residential area in the city of Medan in North Sumatra. The aircraft, en route from the military airport in Medan to Tanjung Pinang (capital of Indonesia's Riau Islands), crashed shortly after take-off and probably carried 122 people. A government spokesman said that at least 141 people have died. This figure is likely to rise. According to local media, the pilot of the military aircraft requested to return to base due to engine trouble.

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Small Indonesian airlines face difficult times ahead of the implementation of a new law (UU No. 1 2009 on Aviation) which stipulates that per 1 July 2015 all Indonesian airlines have to operate at least ten aircraft. Of this ten airplanes, at least five aircraft have to be owned by the airline, while the remainder can be leased. The Indonesian government emphasized that if domestic airlines fail to comply with the new law per July 2015, then their flight permits will be revoked.

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Ahead of implementation of the ASEAN Single Aviation Market (ASAM) in 2015, it is important for Indonesia to improve infrastructure at (and around) airports, particularly the nation’s smaller airports, in order to be able to compete with other airports in the ASEAN region. ASAM will turn ASEAN into a unified and single aviation market by 2015, meaning that air travel between ASEAN member states is fully liberalized. As such, ASAM will supersede existing unilateral, bilateral and multilateral air services agreements between ASEAN members.

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Good news for Indonesia's aviation industry and Indonesian airlines. After a nearly decade-long ban, the US aviation regulator (Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA) finally allows Indonesian airlines to enter US airspace again. The ban was imposed in 2007 due to safety concerns. The FAA announced on Monday (15/08) that the safety status of Indonesia's aviation industry was upgraded by one notch to category 1. This opens doors for Indonesian airlines to serve flight routes to the USA as well as code shares with US airlines.

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The spotlights are again turned on low-cost carrier Lion Air, Indonesia's largest privately-held airline that controls about 40 percent of the air passenger market in Indonesia. The airline, owned by Rusdi Kirana (one of the richest Indonesians), has again disappointed thousands of passengers due to delayed flights. This time flight delays were caused by Lion Air pilots going on strike. It is worth to zoom in on this case and to take a look at which Indonesian airlines are most reliable in terms of departure punctuality.

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On Monday (21/12) the government of Indonesia unveiled its eight economic stimulus package. This latest edition of the series of packages - all aimed at boosting economic growth - involves three policies. Firstly, the scrapping of import taxes on 21 categories of airplane spare parts. Secondly, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for the development of oil refineries. Thirdly, the central government will streamline and harmonize land-acquisition for infrastructure development across the country through the new "one-map policy".

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In line with the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of the year, the ASEAN Open Skies policy (also known as the ASEAN Single Aviation Market) should become fully effective later this year. The ASEAN Open Skies policy, a key component of the AEC, involves the multilateral agreement of all ten ASEAN countries to unite their skies into a single aviation market (hence liberalizing rules and regulations to a large degree) in a bid to boost the region’s economic growth.

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While Indonesia is still mourning for the lives that were lost in the military plane crash in Medan (North Sumatra) on Tuesday (30/06), the Indonesian Transportation Ministry threatens to suspend operating permits of 13 Indonesian airlines that are being plagued by negative equity, raising concerns about these airlines’ safety practices. The Transportation Ministry reviewed audited financial reports of 60 local carriers. These airlines will have time until 31 July 2015 to adjust their balance sheets.

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