Due to Limited Runway Capacity at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Garuda Indonesia Forced to Postpone Flight Service to London

Jakarta, Indonesia, July 31, 2013 - (ACN Newswire) - Due to a limited runway capacity at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Garuda Indonesia has been forced to postpone its flight service to London, which had initially been planned for 2 November 2013. Reason being, the pavement classification number (PCN) of the runways and apron at Soekarno-Hatta Airport do not meet the required level of strength, which is typically needed for the operation of a full capacity, heavy duty commercial airline, such as the B 777-300ER.

Garuda Indonesia President & CEO Emirsyah Satar said that to operate at "full capacity" serving direct flights between Jakarta - London (non-stop) and carrying 314 passengers (8 first class, 38 business class, 268 economy class) and a cargo of 30 tons (maximum take-off weight), the B 777-300ER requires a PCN of 132 tons. Soekarno-Hatta's aging runway is already 28 years old and nearing "fatigue" with a pavement classification number/PCN of only 120 tons.

To enable Garuda Indonesia to still make the flight to London, there would have to be a "restricted take-off weight" of 329,365 kg, which would mean a reduction in the number of passengers by 39 people and a loss of the ability to carry cargo. Garuda Indonesia would also be unable to fly directly to London. Consequently, the implementation of this flight with these conditions in this competitive world of air travel would have a serious effect on the operational and business requirements of this route.

Due to this unexpected delay, Garuda Indonesia will begin the direct service from Jakarta to London in May 2014. Garuda will initially fly non-stop between Jakarta - London five times a week, departing from Jakarta at 00:55 LT, arriving at London (Gatwick) at 08.30 LT, and departing from London at 10.00 LT and arriving in Jakarta at 06:15 LT the next day.

- Garuda Indonesia Welcomes its Second Boeing 777-300ER to Serve the Middle East Route

Meanwhile, today (31/7) Garuda Indonesia also welcomed the arrival of its second state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to its fleet. The airline will operate the second B777-300ER on the Jakarta to Jeddah route, which is especially important for transporting umrah pilgrims to the holy land.

The welcoming ceremony took place in Hanggar 2, at Garuda Maintenance Facilities (GMF) AeroAsia, Cengkareng and was attended by Garuda Indonesia President & CEO, Emirsyah Satar and the Director General of Air Commnication of the Republic of Indonesia, Herry Bakti.

Garuda Indonesia President & CEO Emirsyah Satar said the B777-300ER will be dedicated to serve the Jakarta - Jeddah route in response to the growing demand from customers who are going on the umrah pilgrimage. At present, Garuda Indonesia flies from Jakarta - Jeddah 13 times per week with the first Boeing 777-300ER.

The arrival of the wide-body aircraft is part of the airline's effort to broaden its international network, particularly on long-haul flight routes and is in line with Garuda Indonesia's fleet development program as part of the corporate "Quantum Leap 2011-2015" transformation and expansion program.

The newly received B777-300ER fleet marks two important milestones in the company's development. First, the delivery of the Boeing 777-300ER sets a new standard of quality and value in air travel, especially for direct, long-haul flights, as we continue to expand our destination network globally. Secondly, the inauguration of our "First Class" service that will take our services to an entirely new level of excellence.

The premium "First Class" service combined with the unique "Garuda Indonesia Experience", which emphasizes the warm Indonesian hospitality, offers passengers the "Chef on Board" service and the luxury of ordering from a First Class menu prepared at an altitude of more than 35,000 feet.

The Boeing 777-300ER also comes equipped with "In-Flight Connectivity" which allows passengers to connect to the internet through its WiFi capability. The service is currently in a commercial service trial stage and is only partially available to "First Class" passengers for a limited time period.

The Boeing 777-300ER is the leading aircraft in its class and has been awarded the "Best Aircraft" title for five consecutive years in the "Leading Edge Awards". The aircraft has a seat capacity of 314 passengers; 8 seats in First Class, 38 seats in Business Class, and 268 seats in Economy Class.

This year, Garuda Indonesia will welcome four out of the total order of ten Boeing 777-300ER. The first B777-300ER fleet arrived on 24 June 2013 and began operations on 9 July 2013 serving the Jakarta - Jeddah route. Meanwhile, the next two Boeing 777-300ER are scheduled to arrive at the end of this year. As for the six remaining aircraft, three are scheduled to arrive in 2014 and the final three in 2015.

In 2013, Garuda Indonesia will obtain a total of twenty-four new aircraft. In addition to the four Boeing 777-300ER, Garuda Indonesia will welcome the addition of three Airbus A330, ten Boeing 737-800NG, and seven Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen airplanes. Through the "Quantum Leap" program, Garuda Indonesia and Citilink will operate a total of 194 airplanes by 2015.

Currently, Garuda Indonesia and Citilink operate 112 airplanes which have an average age of 5,8 years, among them fifteen A330/300-200 serve routes to Australia, the Netherlands, China, Korea, and Japan, fifty-five Boeing 737-800 NG serve domestic and regional routes, and seven Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen operate out of Garuda's Makassar and Medan hubs, serving short-haul flights in Indonesia's western and eastern regions.

About PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.

Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia and serves as a full service airline. Garuda Indonesia currently operates 82 aircrafts and serves 33 domestic and 18 international destinations in Asia (Regional Southeast Asia, Middle East, China, Japan and South Korea), Australia, and Europe (The Netherlands). As a result of its concern to safety, Garuda Indonesia received IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) as proves that the airline has fulfilled global best practice in safety and security procedures.

Apart from the main business as full service airline, Garuda Indonesia Group also consists of Strategic Business Unit (SBU) and Subsidiaries. The SBUs are Garuda Cargo and Garuda Medical Center. The subsidiaries are PT Citilink Indonesia as Low Cost Carrier (LCC); PT Aerowisata (hotel, ground transportation, travel agent and catering); PT Abacus Distribution Systems Indonesia (global distribution system); PT Aero System Indonesia/Asyst (provider of IT services for the travel and transportation industry), and PT Garuda Maintenance Facility or known as GMF AeroAsia (aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul).

In February 2011, Garuda Indonesia has taken historic step to become a public company and listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.garuda-indonesia.com.

Source: PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.

Contact:

Pujobroto
VP Corporate Communications
PT GARUDA INDONESIA (PERSERO) Tbk
pujobroto@garuda-indonesia.com

http://www.sys-con.com/node/2750094 

2nd Boeing 777-300ER for Garuda Indonesia (PK-GIC)

sebelum delivery, Boeing 777-300ER kedua untuk Garuda Indonesia, PK-GIC, sempat test flight (mungkin yang terakhir ) tanggal 25 Juli 2013 waktu pasifik dari KPAE - KMWH - KPAE 2X (sumber: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE142 ) 





















sumber: flickr 

photo credit: moonm 

Macet Parah ke Kualanamu, Menhub: Publik Terlalu Antusias

Kemenhub berkoordinasi dengan pihak terkait menyelesaikan macet itu.

VIVAnews - Masyarakat mengeluhkan kemacetan yang parah menuju Bandara Internasional Kualanamu, Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara. Menteri Perhubungan EE Mangindaan tak menampik kondisi jalan menuju bandara yang macet tersebut, di Istana Negara, Senin 29 Juli 2013.

Namun, menurut dia, kemacetan itu bukan disebabkan oleh ketidaksiapan, melainkan karena banyaknya masyarakat yang antusias ingin melihat bandara tersebut.

"Justru yang paling banyak sekarang bukan penumpang atau pengantar. Tapi, masyarakat yang ingin melihat Kualanamu. Karena memang ada daya tarik tersendiri," ujar Mangindaan.

Masyarakat penasaran dengan kemewahan dan kemegahan Bandara Kualanamu yang baru saja diresmikan. Apalagi semuanya menggunakan sistem elektronik. Tidak ada yang manual.

Sehingga, ia menganggap hal itu wajar, karena masyarakat bangga, Kualanamu tak kalah dengan bandara internasional di negara tetangga. Antusias ini tak hanya datang dari warga Sumatera Utara. 

"Orang dari Jakarta saja dengar Kualanamu, mau ke sana semua pergi lihat. Sehingga terjadilah itu, kendaraan yang begitu banyak, memang berakibat kepada prioritas, mana yang harus diprioritaskan bingung kita," katanya.

Namun, Kemenhub telah mengatasi masalah kemacetan yang merugikan para calon penumpang ini. Kemenhub dan Polri sudah berkoordinasi dengan mengerahkan semua bus Damri.

"Dan ketika mau masuk, kami pisahkan, tolong tunjukkan tiket kalau mau berangkat didahulukan," tutur dia.

Mulai Kamis 25 Juli 2013, Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu resmi beroperasi, menggantikan Bandara Polonia Medan. Kualanamu 10 kali lebih luas dari Polonia. 

Menapaki Perjalanan Polonia, Bandara Warisan Belanda

Nama Polonia dicetuskan Baron Michalsky.

VIVAnews - Pukul 24.00 WIB, Rabu 24 Juli 2013, Bandar Udara Polonia, Medan, resmi ditutup untuk penerbangan komersial. Aktivitas perjalanan udara dari dan ke kota Medan dialihkan ke Bandara Kualanamu yang resmi dioperasikan Kamis 25 Juli 2013. 

Menilik sejarahnya, Polonia barangkali merupakan salah satu bandara tertua di Indonesia. Keberadaan bandara ini berawal pada 1872.  Pemerintah Hindia Belanda, penguasa di Indonesia saat itu, memberikan wilayah konsesi untuk perkebunan tembakau di Sumatera Timur kepada Baron Michalsky, warga negara Polandia.

Oleh Baron, daerah itu diberi nama Polonia. Menyerupai nama kampung halamannya, Polandia. Kemudian pada tahun 1879, daerah konsesi yang dijadikannya perkebunan itu berpindah tangan dan berubah menjadi perkebunan milik Deli Mattchappih (Deli Mij).

Sebagai pemilik baru, Deli Mij berniat memberikan sedikit lahan miliknya untuk landasan pacu pesawat terbang. Niat itu terbesit setelah mendengar kabar pionir penerbang berkebangsaan Belanda, Van Der Hoop, akan menerbangkan pesawat jenis Fokker dari Eropa ke wilayah pemerintahan Hindia Belanda.

Namun setelah tahun 1879, berita tentang Van Der Hoop dengan pesawat-pesawatnya tak terdengar. Pada tahun 1943 berhembus kembali kabar pesawat-pesawat Fokker itu akan datang.

Kabar tersebut diterima mendadak dengan waktu terbatas. Persiapan yang dilakukan untuk menampung pesawat pun sangat minim. Meski demikian, Van Der Hoop dan dua rekannya, Van Poelman dan Van Der Broeke, sukses mendaratkan pesawatnya di Polonia.

Setelah berhasil mendaratkan pesawatnya, ketiga penerbang Belanda itu disambut gembira oleh warga Medan waktu itu. Mereka juga disambut oleh Sultan Sulaiman Syariful Alamsyah, selaku pemimpin di Kesultanan Serdang.

Sultan Sulaiman juga lah orang Medan yang pertama kali menaiki pesawat itu dan melihat langsung kota Medan dari udara. Saat itu landasan pacu hanya memiliki panjang 2,9 kilometer. Itulah sebabnya, Asisten Residen Sumatera Hindia Belanda di Batavia mendesak percepatan pembangunan Bandara Polonia untuk serius melayani penerbangan.

Selanjutnya, pada 1928, lapangan terbang Polonia resmi dibuka untuk enam unit pesawat milik Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KNILM), anak perusahaan Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM). Waktu itu, landasan masih terbuat dari tanah yang dikeraskan. Tahun 1930 barulah perusahan Belanda itu membuka penerbangan ke Medan secara berkala.

Tahun 1936, untuk pertama kalianya pemerintah Hindia Belanda melakukan perbaikan bandara. Landasan pacu diperpanjang agar bisa menampung pendaratan pesawat jenis AirBus dan Boeing. Pemetaan kota Medan juga dilakukan dari udara menggunakan pesawat milik KNILM.

Pada masa perang kemerdekaan, Polonia dijadikan pangkalan militer tentara Belanda dan Inggris. Bandara Polonia dan Pelabuhan Belawan sempat mengalami kerusakan parah akibat dibombardir tentara Jepang yang saat itu menyatakan perang dengan Amerika, Belanda dan Inggris.

Penerbangan komersial dimulai pada 1975, saat kerjasama pengelolaan bandara oleh Departemen Pertahanan dan Keamanan, Departemen Keuangan, dan Departemen Perhubungan.

Tahun 1981 dilakukan pembangunan gedung terminal keberangkatan domestik seluas 7.526 meter persegi. Kemudian pada 1985-1994, bandara dikelola Perum Angkasa Pura I. Sejak 1994, bandara dikelola PT Angkasa Pura II.

Kecelakaan mengerikan di Polonia

Bandara Polonia memang terletak di pusat kota Medan. Selain menghambat pembangunan kota, posisi Polonia terbilang sulit lantaran berada dekat dengan Gunung Sibayak. Sulit bagi para pilot untuk mendaratkan pesawatnya.
Itulah kenapa Bandara Polonia menyandang predikat 'BlackStar'. Karena menjadi penyebab tak langsung beberapa kali kecelakaan pesawat di kawasan itu.

Pada 5 September 2005, pesawat Boeing 737-200 jurusan Medan-Jakarta milik Mandala Airlines gagal lepas landas dan jatuh di permukiman warga. Sebanyak 101 orang tewas, termasuk Gubernur Sumut waktu itu, Tengku Rizal Nurdin, dan mantan Gubernur Raja Inal Siregar. Penumpang yang selamat 16 orang. Sebanyak 44 orang yang berada di darat menjadi korban.

Penelitian yang dilakukan Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT) dengan tim investigasi National Transportation Safety Board dari Amerika Serikat menemukan bahwa terdapat kerusakan yang menyebabkan salah satu mesin pesawat tersebut tidak bertenaga.

Namun, masih diselidiki apakah kondisi tersebut telah ada sebelum atau sesudah pesawat terempas dan meledak.

Selain itu, muncul laporan bahwa pesawat tersebut membawa kargo berupa durian yang berbobot 2 ton. Sehingga mencapai batas berat maksimum yang mampu diangkut pesawat.

Setelah peristiwa itu, beberapa kecelakaan pesawat yang kecil sering terjadi. Namun tidak menyebabkan korban jiwa.

Bandara Polonia resmi ditutup untuk penerbangan komersial dan beralih menjadi pangkalan udara TNI Angkatan Udara, Rabu malam, 24 Juli 2013. Bandara komersial Sumatera Utara resmi pindah ke Kuala Namu International Airport (KNIA).

Pantauan VIVAnews, puluhan pekerja bandara masih tampak beraktivitas membersihkan bandara Polonia. Gerai penjualan tiket sudah sepi, begitu juga dengan kafe-kafe, sudah tutup.

"Kami beres-beres mau pindah ke Kualanamu. Kami sudah izin ke TNI AU untuk pindah-pindahkan barang beberapa hari ini ke Kualanamu," kata pegawai toko di bandara. 

Indonesia’s Medan poised for international growth as new airport opens, led by AirAsia and Lion Air

The Kuala Namu International Airport outside Medan opened on 25-Jul-2013, becoming the least congested major airport in Indonesia. Medan currently only has six international routes and is served by only six foreign carriers, five of which come from nearby Malaysia and Singapore. But Kuala Namu has the potential of becoming a major international hub in response to growing demand from the local market, which has a catchment area of over 10 million people, and from transit traffic as infrastructure constraints at Indonesia’s other major airports worsen.

Garuda Indonesia, which opened a domestic hub in Medan earlier this year, has postponed international expansion from the airport. But Garuda will inevitably relook at opening international routes at Medan and using it as an alternative to Jakarta for domestic-to-international and even international-to-international connections.

Meanwhile, other Indonesian and foreign carriers will take advantage of a rarity in Indonesia – a spacious airport that is not operating above capacity. LCCs, which already account for over 70% of domestic and international capacity at the new airport, are particularly well positioned given that Medan does not have the business traffic profile of Jakarta.

Medan’s old airport, Polonia, badly needed replacing

Kuala Namu International Airport (KNO) replaces Medan Polonia Airport (MES), an ageing and cramped facility near downtown Medan that has been used for nearly a century. All airlines and commercial flights moved to Kuala Namu after midnight on 25-Jul-2013, leaving Polonia open only for general aviation traffic.

Polonia had the capacity to handle only about one million passengers per year and there was no space for expansion due to its very central location. Polonia was operating at about eight times its designed capacity, which is not unheard of in Indonesia, where about three-quarters of the top 20 airports are currently operating at above capacity.

Figures from airport operator Angkasa Pura II show that Polonia handled 7.2 million passengers in 2011, an increase of 31% compared to 2009. Traffic at Polonia reportedly grew by about another 9% in 2012 to 7.9 million.

Medan Polonia Airport annual passenger traffic: 2008 to 2012

Note: *2012 figure is unofficial
Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation and Angkasa Pura II

New terminal is already at capacity but there is ample space to grow

Kuala Namu has an initial design capacity of 8.1 million annual passengers. As a result the airport terminal is already operating at capacity.

The fact the airport is opening at near its initial design capacity reflects the long process in the planning and construction of the airport. Construction began in 2006 when traffic levels at Polonia were less than half the current level. But there is ample space for growth and terminals can be added at a relatively rapid pace as the general airport infrastructure is now in place.

Unlike other Indonesian airports including in Bali and Jakarta, runway capacity will not be an issue. Kuala Namu’s 3,750m runway has been built to handle large widebody aircraft. There is ample parking space and the 1,365ha site can easily accommodate additional runways as well as more terminals if required.

Of Indonesia’s seven major airports (above five million annual passengers), Kuala Namu is the most spacious. The country’s three biggest airports, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Ngurah Rai on Bali and Juanda in Surabaya, are all currently operating at two to three times their design capacity, according to Angkasa Pura I and Angkasa Pura II figures. Among the other major airports, Makassar is operating slightly above capacity while Balikpapan and Yogyakarta are operating about five times above capacity.

Kuala Namu stands out among major Indonesian airports

...has a strategic advantage in that it now has the space to grow...

Makassar, Balikpapan and Yogyakarta are all medium sized airports with relatively similar passenger figures to Medan. But Medan has a strategic advantage in that it now has the space to grow.

Airport expansion projects are in the works at virtually all major Indonesian airports but it could be several years before the projects are completed and in many cases the airports will still be operating above capacity. Some of the major airports, including Jakarta, also have limited room for expansion, meaning new airports will need to be built – which can be a long and tedious process as the experience in Medan has shown.

Kuala Namu, which is about 50km from Medan, was initially planned over 20 years ago. The project was first delayed by Indonesia’s financial crisis. In recent years the project has been set back numerous times by construction delays.

The decision to finally open the airport on 25-Jul-2013 was controversial because while the runway and terminal have been ready for a few months and were fully tested, the road infrastructure from Medan is still far from complete. It will be at least 2014 before a new toll road opens as a large stretch remains incomplete due to pending land acquisitions. Other planned roads linking the airport are also not finished, leaving an old original road as the only link to Medan.

The government ultimately decided to proceed with opening Kuala Namu without the roads as a rail line to central Medan is complete and is now operational. It represents the first airport rail line in Indonesia.

Medan is geographically well positioned to attract transit traffic

Medan is the fourth largest city in Indonesia with a population of about 2.3 million. It is the largest city outside the island of Java, where much of Indonesia’s wealth is concentrated as well as the cities of Jakarta and Surabaya. Medan is located on Indonesia’s westernmost island of Sumatra. It is the capital of North Sumatra, a province with over 10 million people.

Medan’s location makes it a natural hub for traffic heading west to South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Medan could potentially serve as the transit point for passengers heading to these regions from the rest of Indonesia as well as Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

Medan is about 300km from the Malaysian cities of Kuala Lumpur and Penang and only about 600km from Singapore, making these destinations a short hop of 1hr or less. Jakarta is farther and takes about 2hr. Medan has traditionally been well served with Malaysia and Singapore, which currently account for about 95% of Kuala Namu’s total international capacity.

Medan international capacity share (% of seats) by country: 22-Jul-2013 to 28-Jul-2013

 
Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation & Innovata

Penang and Kuala Lumpur are Medan’s largest international markets

Penang, which has close cultural ties with Medan as the two cities lie on opposite ends of the Malacca Strait, is the largest destination from Medan with 13 daily return frequencies. AirAsia is the market leader with five daily A320 flights, including four from Indonesia AirAsia and one from its Malaysia-based sister carrier. Rival LCC group Lion has four daily flights in the market, including two from Lion Air with 737-900ERs and two from regional subsidiary Wings Air with ATR 72s.

Garuda launched two daily flights on the route in Jun-2013, marking the carrier’s first international service from Medan. MAS regional subsidiaryFirefly also has one daily flight on the route as does Indonesian full-service carrier Sriwijaya, which primarily operates domestically with Medan-Penang and Jakarta-Singapore its only international routes.

Medan international routes ranked by seat capacity: 22-Jul-2013 to 28-Jul-2013

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation & Innovata

Kuala Lumpur is the second largest destination from Medan with nine daily flights, six of which are operated by market leader AirAsia (including three from Indonesia AirAsia and three from Malaysia AirAsia). Firefly, Lion and MAS each operate one daily flight in the Medan-Kuala Lumpur market. Firefly serves Medan from Kuala Lumpur Subang (SZB) while all the other carriers operate from Kuala Lumpur International (KUL).

Singapore-Medan market sees big expansion as SilkAir expands and AirAsia launches

Singapore is currently linked to Medan with 15 weekly flights from SIA regional subsidiary SilkAir, seven weekly flights from Tigerair Mandala and six weekly flights from Jetstar Asia subsidiary Valuair. But capacity on the Medan-Singapore route is being increased significantly over the next few months, driven by newly awarded traffic rights made possible by the signing of an extended bilateral between Indonesia and Singapore in early 2013.

See related report: Tiger and SIA/SilkAir lead race to expand in Indonesia market

SilkAir is adding three weekly flights to Medan at the end of Jul-2013 and three more flights at the end of Oct-2013, giving it three daily frequencies. Indonesia AirAsia in Jun-2013 unveiled plans to launch two daily flights on the route from 15-Aug-2013.

Tigerair and Jetstar also have been looking to add a second daily flight between Singapore and Medan but have not yet firmed up any plans.

AirAsia is Medan's largest international airline

Indonesia AirAsia also links Medan with Bangkok and Johor Bahru in Malaysia, both of which are exclusive routes. Bangkok is served with one daily flight while Johor Bahru, which was launched in Apr-2013, is now served with three weekly flights.

As a group AirAsia currently accounts for just over 50% of international capacity at Medan. This will grow to about 53% after the Medan-Singapore route is launched on 15-Aug-2013.

Medan international capacity share (% of seats) by carrier: 22-Jul-2013 to 28-Jul-2013

Source: CAPA – Centre for Aviation & Innovata

LCCs currently account for 77% of international capacity at Medan. SriLankan Airlines subsidiary Mihin Lanka became the fifth LCC player in the Medan market on 22-May-2013, joining the AirAsia, Lion, Tigerair and Jetstar groups.

Mihin Lanka route represents tip of the iceberg for Medan-South Asia market

The new Mihin Lanka route, which connects Medan and Colombo (CMB) twice weekly, represents a strategic milestone as it is Medan’s first scheduled route outside Southeast Asia. Mihin Lanka is targeting the large but under-served Medan-India market with the new route. Sumatra has Indonesia’s largest population of Indians. The large number of passengers flying between India and Medan has traditionally backtracked via Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The Mihin Lanka flights are timed to connect in Colombo with flights to throughout India and to the Middle East. Mihin Lanka serves five destinations in India while parent SriLankan serves seven destinations in India, including two that are also served by Mihin Lanka. The two carriers have a codeshare, facilitating transfers between the LCC and FSC.

Kuala Namu is the natural gateway to India for Indonesia given the large Indian population in Sumatra and Medan’s location in westernmost Indonesia...

Kuala Namu is the natural gateway to India for Indonesia given the large Indian population in Sumatra and Medan’s location in westernmost Indonesia. This makes Kuala Namu attractive for direct services to India as passengers heading to India from throughout Indonesia can transit in Medan instead of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Unlike Jakarta, Medan is also within narrowbody range of India.

Indonesia AirAsia and Lion are both looking at launching services to India from Medan. The 4Q2013 launch of India AirAsia could make Medan-India flights even more attractive as well as lead to more Malaysia-India flights. India AirAsia will initially only operate domestically but could funnel passengers coming from Medan throughout India.

Lion initially plans to funnel Sumatra-India passengers via Kuala Lumpur, where its sister Malaysian carrier Malindo is launching services to India. But if Lion notices a substantial market it could launch direct services from Medan to India and conversely using Medan as a hub for the Malaysia-India market, particularly for the Penang-India market.

Garuda holds off for now on international expansion at Medan

Garuda CEO Emirsyah Satar recently told CAPA that the carrier has also reviewed the Medan-Indian market but it is unlikely to enter because the market is very low yielding. Garuda had plans to link Medan with several regional international destinations and the Middle East. But while Garuda proceeded with launching service to Penang on 1-Jun-2013 using its newly acquired fleet of Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets, some of which are based at Medan, it has put on hold plans to open other international routes including to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jeddah.

Garuda initially unveiled plans in Jan-2013 to launch two weekly scheduled 747-400 flights from Medan to Jeddah starting in Aug-2013. Garuda’s initial route development plan for 2013 also included the launch of routes from Medan to Singapore using 737-800s while Medan to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur were labelled as routes under consideration for 2013.

See related report: Garuda Indonesia accelerates international expansion with 10 new routes to be launched in 2013

But Mr Satar said the carrier instead now plans to serve the Medan-Jeddah market with regular charters and has decided not to proceed with Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. He added the carrier prefers for now to explore opportunities for further domestic expansion but Garuda will relook at international opportunities from Medan after operations settle in at the new airport.

“I rather not push it now and see how things are,” Mr Satar explained. “We have limited aircraft. We have options to put [additional capacity] somewhere else instead of pushing it and taking higher risk. I have other alternatives. I prefer to take the less risky.”

Garuda is expanding its 737-800 fleet from 55 to 65 aircraft in 2013. But Garuda uses 737-800s for both domestic and regional international services and in recent years expansion in the domestic market has been the main focus as domestic demand continues to grow sharply.

See related report: Indonesia poised for more rapid domestic growth in 2013, driven by low-cost carriers

Garuda expands domestic operation in Medan

Medan has been part of a major domestic expansion plan at Garuda for 2013, which includes several new routes and seven new destinations for a total of 41. On 15-Apr-2013, Garuda launched four domestic routes from Medan – Batam, Padang, Palembang and Pekanbaru – giving the carrier six domestic routes from Medan.

At about the same time it added a second daily flight to Banda Aceh. Capacity from Medan to Jakarta, which is currently served with nine daily flights, was added in 2012.

Garuda domestic network expansion in 2013

Source: Garuda Indonesia

The four route launches at Medan in Apr-2013 coincided with the opening of an aircraft base. Garuda is currently using Medan-based CRJ1000s to operate two daily flights to Batam, Padang, Palembang and Penang along with one daily flight to Pekanbaru. It is also using CRJ1000s to operate the recently added second flight to Banda Aceh while 737-800s are used for the other Banda Aceh flight and for almost all of its Medan-Jakarta flights. (Occasionally Garuda uses A330s for one of its Medan-Jakarta frequencies.)

Banda Aceh, Padang, Palembang and Pekanbaru are all cities in Sumatra while Batam is located on a small island near Singapore. Having the short-haul routes within Sumatra gives Garuda the opportunity to use Medan to funnel passengers on longer domestic routes, to Penang and in future to potentially other international destinations.

Garuda currently has about 35,000 weekly seats at Medan, which makes it the smallest of its five hubs, which also include Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya and Makassar. Garuda’s Medan operation is only slightly larger than some of its larger non-hubs, including Yogyakarta. This shows the potential for further Garuda growth at Medan.

Lion remains the market leader

Rival Lion has a much larger operation at Medan and competes with Garuda on all of Garuda's Medan routes. The Lion Group (including Wings) currently has about 80,000 weekly seats at Medan, with all but 11,000 in the domestic market, according to CAPA and Innovata data.

Lion’s LCC competitors Indonesia AirAsia, Garuda subsidiary Citilink and Tigerair Mandala have been expanding their domestic operations in Medan over the last year but all remain relatively small. Each carrier operates only two domestic routes from Medan while Lion/Wings operate 11. AirAsia and Tigerair Mandala both serve Medan from Jakarta and Pekanbaru while Citilink serves Medan from Jakarta and Batam, according to Innovata data.

Medan is also served by Sriwijaya, which has five domestic routes from Medan, as well as some smaller regional carriers such as Sky Aviation. Sky recently began serving Medan from four smaller destinations in Sumatra, some of which are also served by Wings.

Overall the Lion Group accounts for about 40% of capacity in the Medan market...

Overall the Lion Group accounts for about 40% of capacity in the Medan market while the AirAsia Group and Garuda Group each have about a 20% share, leaving several other carriers to account for the remaining 20%. (Includes domestic and international capacity; counts Wings under Lion and Citilink under Garuda.)

Medan should see rapid domestic and international growth

Medan should continue to see rapid domestic capacity expansion as it becomes more established as a hub for the western part of the country. New direct services to central and eastern Indonesia are likely to be launched as congestion in Jakarta continues to worsen. Passengers heading from Medan, or other parts of Sumatra, to central and east Indonesia now have to connect in Jakarta. Medan does not currently have any non-stop flights to Bali or any point east of Java and even Surabaya is only connected with two daily frequencies, according to Innovata data.

Medan should also start to attract more foreign carriers from markets beyond nearby Malaysia and Singapore. Cathay Pacific subsidiary Dragonairhas been looking at launching services from Hong Kong, a logical route that would improve connections to mainland China, Korea, Japan and North America.

North Asia routes as well as more Southeast Asia and South Asia routes could also potentially be opened by LCCs. Given that Medan is primarily a price conscious market LCCs will continue to account for the overwhelming majority of capacity.

Lion will likely look to leverage its strong domestic position to grow internationally while AirAsia can leverage its leading international position at Medan and strong brand overseas to launch more new routes. Tigerair Mandala is also keen on expanding in the Medan market, having made Jakarta-Medan its first domestic route and Medan-Singapore its first international route after launching services in Apr-2012.

Garuda, however, will certainly monitor the competition and demand patterns closely as it relooks at the potential of using Medan as an international hub. Kuala Namu International Airport presents an attractive proposition – a growing local market in one of the world’s biggest emerging economies and an alternative to the congestion of Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali. If Garuda does not seize on the opportunity someone else will.

http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/indonesias-medan-poised-for-international-growth-as-new-airport-opens-led-by-airasia-and-lion-air-120686 

Jadi Bandara Internasional, Kuala Namu Belum Dilengkapi Hotel Berbintang

Jakarta - Bandara Kuala Namu akan segera dioperasikan 25 Juli 2013 mendatang. Sayangnya, di bandara yang berstatus internasional ini belum ada fasilitas akomodasi seperti hotel berbintang.

Menurut Dirjen Perhubungan Udara Kementerian Perhubungan Herry Bakti S Gumay mengatakan kondisi berbeda justru terlihat di Bandara Polonia Medan, beberapa hotel berbintang seperti Santika hotel dan Aston sudah berdiri di dekat Bandara Polonia.

"Hotel masih belum ada," ujar Harry saat berdiskusi dengan media soal Bandara Kuala Namu di Kantor Kementerian Perhubungan Jakarta, Senin (22/7/2013).

Namun menurut ada hotel yang khusus disiapkan pengembang untuk para penumpang transit di Bandara Kuala Namu. Letak hotel ini berada di dalam Bandara Kuala Namu Sumatera Utara.

"Untuk Hotel kalau di bandaranya sedang disiapkan satu hotel transit di dalam bandara tepatnya di lantai 2 Bandara Kuala Namu. Hotel di luar memang baru akan dimulai. Yang ada sekarang itu ada kelas Melati ada di Deli Serdang," imbuhnya.

Herry menuturkan dalam waktu yang tak begitu lama, Bandara Kuala Namu akan diramaikan dengan hotel Aston yang megah dan mewah.

"Banyak pengembang yang sudah mulai melihat ini menjadi peluang bisnis. Aston sudah planning untuk membangun hotel di dekat Bandara Kuala Namu," ujar Herry.

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Kualanamu dan Soekarno-Hatta, Segelintir Bandara yang Bukan Milik Militer

ilustrasi Bandara Kuala Namu

Jakarta - Beroperasinya Bandara Kualanamu, di Deli Serdang, Sumatera tak hanya sebagai simbol hadirnya bandara megah berkelas internasional di Sumatera. Kehadiran Bandara Kualanamu juga sebagai tanda bahwa mulai dibangunnya lapangan terbang khusus sipil atau komersial di Indonesia.

Kepala Humas Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) Bambang S. Ervan mengatakan banyak bandara komersial yang beroperasi di Indonesia selama ini milik militer atau dikerjasamakan dengan TNI AU.

"Dulunya sekali hampir kebanyakan bandara-bandara di Indonesia merupakan lapangan terbang militer," kata Bambang kepada detikFinance, Rabu (24/7/2013)

Menurut catatannya, bandara khusus yang sengaja dibuat untuk sipil atau komersial antaralaian Bandara Soekarno-Hatta. Bahkan bandara internasional di Tangerang Banten ini disebut-sebut sebagai yang pertama dibangun untuk sipil. Selain Soekarno-Hatta, yang terbaru adalah Bandara Kualanamu di Deli Serdang.

"Hampir semuanya militer seperti di Jogja (Bandara Adisucipto), Semarang (Ahmad Yani), Solo (Bandara Adisumarmo), Surabaya (Bandara Juanda), Bandung juga bekas militer (Bandara Husein Sastranegara), Malang itu militer juga (Bandara Abdul Rahman Saleh)," kata Bambang.

Seperti diketahui tepat Pukul 00.00 WIB malam ini, Bandara Polonia, Medan Sumatera Utara tak lagi melayani penerbangan komersial pasca beroperasinya Bandara Kuala Namu, di Deli Serdang pada 25 Juli 2013.

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Dahlan: Wagub Sumut Menangis Bandara Polonia Tak Beroperasi Lagi

Foto: Bandara Polonia (Khairul-detikFinance)

Deli Serdang - Mulai hari ini Bandara Polonia Medan tidak lagi melayani penerbangan komersil. Pensiunnya bandara yang sudah puluhan tahun beroperasi ini, ditangisi Wakil Gubernur Sumatera Utara Erry Nuradi.

Hal tersebut seperti diungkapkan Menteri BUMN Dahlan Iskan ditemui di sela acara peresmian Bandara Kualanamu, Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara, Kamis (25/7/2013).

"Tadi saat resmi Polonia tidak beroperasi lagi, Wagub langsung menangis, ya karena puluhan tahun bandara ini melayani masyarakat Medan," ujar Dahlan.

Selain itu, ungkap Dahlan, Wagub Sumut Erry menangis juga karena Polonia mempunyai kisah yang menyesakkan bagi Erry. "Karena di Bandara Polonia, kakak Wagub meninggal karena kecelakaan, ada kenangan tersendiri bagi beliau," jelas Dahlan.

Mulai hari ini, Bandara Polonia sudah tidak beroperasi dan penerbangan sipil seluruhnya dialihkan ke Bandara Kualanamu.

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Dahlan: Banyak yang Prediksi Bandara Kualanamu Bakal Kacau Balau

Jakarta - Menteri Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN) Dahlan Iskan mengaku banyak yang memperkirakan operasional perdana Bandara Kualanamu di Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara, bakal kacau balau, namun semuanya terbantahkan.

"Banyak yang prediksi kalau pengoperasian perdana Kualanamu akan terjadi kacau balau, penumpang kebingungan, pokoknya kacau, bahkan ada yang minta supaya ditunda dulu rencana ini," ujar Dahlan kepada wartawan di Bandara Kualanamu Internasional, Kamis (25/7/2013).

Namun kata Dahlan, semua itu terbantahkan, PT Angkasa Pura II sangat baik mengantisipasi semua masalah sehingga hari ini semuanya berjalan lanccar.

"Awalnya saya juga khawatir, makanya datang kesini, tapi AP II menyiapkan operasional bandara ini sangat baik, saya bangga, saat ini AP II tinggal lebih memperbaiki lagi pelayanannya terutama service, ya wajar kalau operasi pertama kali pelayanannya masih kurang, ini akan terus diperbaiki, diperbaiki kelancarannya, kerapiannya, dan kebersihannya," tegasnya.

"Terutama kelancaran, percuma bandaranya bersih dan rapih tapi tidak berjalan lancar," tandasnya.

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Airport Tax Kualanamu Rp 100.000, Kalau Murah AP Bisa Bangkrut

Deli Serdang - Airport Tax Bandara Kualanamu Internasional diusulkan PT Angksa Pura (AP) II selaku pengelola bandara naik dari Rp 35.000 menjadi Rp 100.000 per orang. Mahal?

Sepertinya begitu. Apalagi dengan pindahnya operasional bandara dari Polonia Medan ke Kualanamu membuat masyarakat Medan harus menambah ongkos transportasi misalnya untuk Kereta Api Rp 80.000 per penumpang.

"Rp 100.000 per orang airport tax-nya sangat sebanding dengan pelayanan yang diberikan, pelayanannya bagus, nyaman, bandaranya moderen," ucap Direktur Utama PT Angksa Pura II Tri S. Sunoko ketika ditemui di sela-sela peresmian operasional Bandara Kualanamu Internasional, Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara, Kamis (25/7/2013).

Kata Tri, jika harga airport tax terlalu murah maka akan membuat AP II selaku pengelola bandara rugi. "Kalau murah? Saya tanya, senang apa lihat AP II bangkrut?," ucapnya.

Pasalnya, airport tax Rp 100.000 per orang tersebut kata Tri sudah diperhitungkan matang-matang dengan melihat investasi yang telah digelontorkan untuk membangun Bandara Kualanamu yang berfasilitas moderen dan lama pengembalian investasinya.

"Itu sudah diperhitungkan matang-matang, investasi yang dikeluarkan, lama pengembalian investasi, awalnya malah Rp 120.000 per orang, tapi kita hanya usulkan Rp 100.000 per orang," tandasnya.

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Ini Dia Pejabat yang Terbang dan Mendarat Pertama Kali di Kualanamu

Deli Serdang - Menteri Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN) Dahlan Iskan dan Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Susantono merupakan dua pejabat negara yang pertama kali mendarati Bandara Kualanamu pada pukul 00.55 WIB.

Pendaratan dilakukan dengan pesawat Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 dalam rangka ferry flight pembukaan operasional Bandara Kualanamu yang mengantikan operasional Bandara Polonia Medan. Pendaratan pertama kali di Kualanamu sendiri berlangsung sangat mulus.

"Runway-nya mulus sekali, saya tanya ke pilot bagaimana runwaynya? dia bilang sangat bagus, dan lebih kerennya lagi lampu-lampu runway ini dari atas terang sekali, memudahkan pilot mendaratkan pesawat," ungkap Wakil Menteri Perhubungan, Bambang Susantono ditemui usai mendarat di Kualanamu, Sumatera Utara, Kamis (25/7/2013).

Lalu siapa pejabat negara yang pertama kali terbang dari bandara ini? Dia adalah Wakil Menteri Perdagangan Bayu Krisnamurti.

Penerbangan perdana dari Kualanamu yaitu Garuda Indonesia GA 181 tujuan Jakarta dengan pesawat Boeing 737-800 pada pukul 05.15 WIB. Saat rombongan mulai bergegas, Bayu tiba-tiba muncul di dalam barisan penumpang.

Bayu pun mendapatkan sambutan hangat ketika hendak masuk ke dalam pesawat yakni dikalungi bunga sebagai simbol penumpang pertama kali terbang dari Kualanamu.

detik.com

Kualanamu Beroperasi 25 Juli Pukul 00.00 WIB

LUBUKPAKAM-Komisi V DPR-RI bersama pemerintah pusat (kementerian terkait) sepakat menghentikan pengoperasian Bandara Polonia, 24 Juli pukul 24.00 WIB. Hal itu dilakukan seiring dengan pelaksanan Soft Opening Bandara Kualanamu Internasional Airport (KNIA).
“Pada 25 Juli pukul 00.00, KNO (Bandara Kualanamu) mulai beroperasi, artinya seluruh penerbangan di bandara sini,” papar Direktur Keuangan PT AP II Dr Laverensius Manurung SE MSI dihadapan anggota Komisi V DPR-RI dan Menteri Perhubungan, serta Menteri PU dan rombongan di terminal keberangkatan KNIA, Kamis (2/4).

Ditambahkanya, meski masih banyak pembenahan yang harus dilakukan menjelang pelaksanan soft opening itu. Laverensius menekankan pihaknya telah melakukan publikasi terhadap lembaga-lembaga penerbangan internasional sebagai syarat pelaksanan soft openingsetiap bandara.

“Bila tertunda lagi, ini akan mempertaruhkan nama bangsa oleh karena itu mari sama-sama kita melakukan upaya mengeliminir kekurangan dari KNIA, khususnya aksesbilitasnya,” tambahnya.

Senada, Ketua Tim Komisi V DPR RI Drs. Laurens Bahang Dama, mendukung upaya PT AP II yang berencana melakukan soft opening KNIA pada 25 Juli mendatang. Oleh karenanya, pihak pihak terkait hendaknya lakukan terus menerus pembahasan serta evaluasi kesiapan pengoperasian KNIA atau KNO (kode penerbangan).

Diakui Laurens, pihaknya masih menemukan adanya kendala soal ganti rugi lahan jalan non-tol (arteri). “Ada sekitar 8 kepala keluarga yang masih bertahan dilahan eks PTPN II di Desa Bangun Sari Kecamatan Tanjungmorawa, kita minta agar Pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera utara mencari jalan keluarnya itu,” tegasnya.

Menteri Perhubungan EE Mangindaan, selain menilai soal pembebasan lahan merupakan perlu pertibangan khusus, pihaknya menilai kendala krusial akses yang akan dihadapi saat pengoperasian KNIA ada timbulnya kemacetan lalu lintas di ruas jalan menuju bandara, untuk saat ini jalan arteri.

“Pasti akan terjadi keramaian, mari meminimalkan masalah, bukan sebaliknya menambah masalah. Soalnya saya tak bisa bayangkan antusias masyarakat baik lokal maupun luar yang akan menyaksikan bandara yang lebih megah dari Soekarno Hatta ini,” ungkap EE Mangindaan.

Mangindaan menyatakan akan melaporkan ke presiden dengan catatan-catatan dari Komisi V. “Pasti akan ada antisipasi terkait keramain saat KNIA beroperasi. Saya akan minta laporan kesiapan, serta hal apa yang belum siap serta bagaimana mengatasinya,” tegasnya yang akan mengecek langsung proses evakuasi perpindahan sarana menyahuti keterangan dari jajaran Kementerian PU dan Dinas PU Bina Marga Sumut tentang masalah lahan jalan arteri yang masih terkendala soal gantirugi sebesar 1,7 persen dari total yang ada.

Sebelumnya, Menteri Pekerjaan Umum (PU) Djoko Kirmanto pada kesempatan itu juga menyatakan jajarannya sebagai infrastruktur pendukung, termasuk masalah akses jalan ke KNIA dan pengendalian banjir. “Lagi-lagi Kementerian PU dituntut untuk mensuport seluruh akses yang terkait ke KNIA. Demikian juga dengan pengendalian banjir, meski di ujung Sungai Pantailabu telah diperbesar untuk meminimalisir pengendalian banjir, namun masih juga terkendala dengan ganti rugi lahan,” katanya.

Sementara dari pihak Dirjen Perkeretaapian, selain dua unit lokomotif yang ada untuk mendukung KNIA, September mendatang akan menambah gerbong sebanyak enam gerbong.”Bakal masuk enam gerbong lagi untuk mendukung KNIA, gerbong itu buatan dalam negeri September,” sebutnya.

Kepala Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi dan Geofisika (BMKG) Dr Ir Sri Woro B Harijono MSc memastikan pihaknya sudah siap 100 persen, dan untuk Basarnas, lahan akan disediakan oleh pihak PT Angkasa Pura II.

Direktur Keuangan PT Angkasa Pura II, Laverensius Manurung, memaparkan pembangunan KNIA terdiri dari sektor privat dan publik. “Keseluruhannya dari dua sektor ini sudah 100 persen, khususnya terkait dengan pengoperasian, namun finishing di luar pengoperasian tinggal 7 persen lagi. Diantaranya masjid, stasiun dan landscape,” sebutnya.

Sementara itu, Gubernur Sumatera Utara, Gatot Pujo Nugroho menyatakan hanya tinggal 9 titik lagi pembebasan tanah untuk Kualanamu. Pembebasan lahan ini harus dipercepat, mengingat Kualanamu akan mulai beroperasi pada 25 Juli mendatang.

“Hanya tinggal 9 titik lagi yang harus kita kebut untuk pembebasan lahan. Padahal, terakhir info yang saya terima, tinggal 20 titik lagi. Sekarang kita terus meningkatkan, agar semua selesai agar Kualanamu dapat berjalan dengan sukses,” ujarnya.

Dijelaskannya, 9 titik ini masih bermasalah karena perbedaan pendapat terkait dengan harga ganti rugi. “Saya harap, masyarakat bisa legowo menerima kesiapan saat ini. Karena Kualanamu ini bukan hanya untuk Sumut, tetapi seluruh warga Sumut, bahkan NKRI,” jelasnya.
Oleh karena itu, dirinya berharap, agar penyelesaian lahan ini bisa dipercepat. “Kita memang tidak memiliki deadline untuk pembebasan lahan ini. Hanya saja, kita akan terus berusaha dan berharap agar status lahan sudah berhasil sebelum tanggal 25 Juli, agar langsung dilakukan pembangunan, sehingga lalu lintas menuju bandara tidak bermasalah lagi,” harapnya.

Read more: http://www.hariansumutpos.com/2013/07/61914/kualanamu-beroperasi-25-juli-pukul-00-00-wib#ixzz2ZCxjg58e