Kuala Namu International Airport Hits a New Roadblock

While Indonesia’s first integrated airport is set to be operational in Sumatra in March next year, the government is grappling with a problem: it needs to acquire enough land for a 300-meter road to link Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, with the Kuala Namu International Airport. 

This was the latest hurdle surrounding the project — a railway station, toll road and airport in one location — that would become Indonesia’s second-largest airport after Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. 

The land acquisition underscores the typical problems in the development of infrastructure projects such as roads, airports and seaports in Indonesia. 

The government opted to forge ahead with the development of a regular road after postponing the construction of a toll road linking the airport and Medan due to another land acquisition problem. 

But now, development of the regular road has hit a roadblock. 

Wijaya Seta, head of the National Road Implementation Center (BBPJN) Region I at the Public Works Ministry, said that a committee is negotiating the price for the short section of land. 

“We are constructing two lanes of road for each direction. It is expected to finish in March 2013,” Wijaya said in a statement on Monday. 

Nursyirwan, a legislator at House of Representatives Commission V, which oversees transportation, public works, housing and rural development, said that he hoped the ministry, regional government and the airport operator could improve coordination to complete the project. 

“Each institution knows what their duties are,” Nursyiwan said. 

Kuala Namu International Airport is part of the government’s ambitious infrastructure development program to help create jobs, reduce poverty and maintain the nation’s rapid growth. 

The airport, which began development last year, will cost Rp 5.5 trillion ($571 million). The central government contributed Rp 3.5 trillion while Angkasa Pura II, the state airport operator, contributed the remainder of the cost. The airport will replace Polonia International Airport, whose location in the heart of Medan limits runway lengths, making takeoffs and landings difficult. 

The passenger capacity of Polonia International Airport is less than 1 million a year, while the new airport will be able to handle 8 million passengers annually. 

A 62.4-kilometer road connecting Medan with Tebing Tinggi, passing through Kuala Namu International Airport, is being tendered by the government.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/kuala-namu-international-airport-hits-a-new-roadblock/560905 

Persiapan Kereta Bandara Kualanamu

Published on Friday, 07 December 2012 15:37

PT. Railink, anak perusahaan KAI dan Angkasa Pura II, kini semakin mempersiapkan diri menjelang peresmian operasional Kereta Bandara yang direncanakan pada bulan Maret 2013.  Baru-baru ini Tim Railink bersama tim Divre 1 SUMUT NAD bersinergi dalam persiapan tersebut,  mulai dari persiapaan sarana Kereta Api, uji coba lintasan rel kereta yang baru dari Stasiun Aras Kabu ke Bandara Kualanamu hingga perekrutan dan training SDM Layanan (Customer Service On Station dan Customer Service On Train).

Tim Customer Service Railink yang baru direkrut dan menjalani Customer Service Orientation Training akhir November lalu, akan siap melayani di bulan Desember mendatang. 

tim Railink dan Divre 1 Sumut saat melakukan uji coba kereta api yang akan digunakan sementara dan lintasan baru Aras Kabu – Kualanamu, Kamis (29/11)

Skybridge yang terletak di stasiun CAT  (City Air Terminal) menghubungkan Ruang Kedatangan dengan Ruang Keberangkatan

 Rel kereta bandara telah selesai dibangun hingga Bandara Kualanamu dan pembangunan Stasiun Kereta Bandara di Kualanmu juga sudah dimulai.

http://www.kereta-api.co.id/informasi-media/berita-ka/544-persiapan-kereta-bandara-kualanamu.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

RI, Australia plan to further boost flight services next year

The governments of Indonesia and Australia are set to renew a bilateral air service agreement in February 2013, allowing carriers from both nations to increase the frequency of connections between the two countries.

The Transportation Ministry’s air transportation director general, Herry Bhakti Gumay, said the agreement would provide an additional 25,000 seats per week for flights between Indonesian and Australian destinations starting next year. 

“This agreement is going to have a huge impact for both Indonesia and Australia in the future, not only in the aviation industry, but also in tourism and trade sectors as we provide more slots for airlines,” Herry said in Jakarta on Tuesday at the ceremony held to mark the signing of the Indonesia–Australia memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the transport sector. 

“This additional service is an 80 percent increase from our existing capacity, giving a lot of room for airlines [from Indonesia and Australia] to tap into the opportunity,” he said.

Currently, air slots between the two countries stood at 31,250 seats per week, and were mostly used by national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, Australian Qantas Airways, Jetstar and Pacific Blue, in addition to several chartered carriers, he said. 

He predicted that tourism was going to be the sector that enjoyed the largest benefits from the new agreement. 

“Australians love exotic destinations like Bali and East Nusa Tenggara. Next year, we are going to host Sail Komodo, and I do believe more Australians are going to visit our country for that event,” he said. 

According to recent data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 752,959 tourists from Down Under visited Indonesia in the first 10 months of 2012, up from 739,044 in the same period last year.

In addition, he said that more Indonesian carriers, such as Batik Air, a subsidiary of the country’s largest low-cost airline Lion Air, and Citilink Indonesia, plan to fly to Australia.

Garuda Indonesia has recently announced that it will fly to Brisbane in 2013. Apart from Australia, Indonesia is going to renew bilateral air service agreements with Middle Eastern countries as well as with Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea immediately. 

The new air service agreement with Singapore, for example, was expected to be signed in the end of December, he said.

Moreover, Australian Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Anthony Albanese said that the MoU signed on Tuesday was a testament to the strength of both nations’ relationship. He said Indonesia was one of Australia’s closest and most important neighbors, with transportation serving as a key enabler of economic growth and development between the two countries and the Asia-Pacific region.



http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/12/12/ri-australia-plan-further-boost-flight-services-next-year.html

Lion Air’s affiliates Batik Air and Malindo gear up for maiden services

Lion Air, Indonesia’s largest low-cost carrier will soon receive 36 new aircraft to support the operation of the company’s two new airlines, the full service Batik Air and mid-service Malindo scheduled to begin operations next year.

JAKARTA- Lion Air director Edward Sirait declared recently to the English-written daily Jakarta Post that the selected aircraft would be 30 Boeing 737-900 Extended Range (ER) with seating capacity of 177 seats in two classes, or 189 in a single-class layout. For regional flights, six ATR-72 have been selected. 

“Most of the aircraft will be operated by Malindo Airways which will commence operations in March next year to cater for the growing Southeast Asian market,” Edward Sirait declared in Jakarta on Wednesday. 

Lion Air will own a 49 percent stake of the new airline with the remaining 51 percent owned by Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries. The airline will be based in Malaysia. 

Meanwhile, another subsidiary Batik Air flying 10 Boeing 737-900 ER planes, expects to start commercial flights in May. The new full service carrier will use six Boeing jets, connecting Jakarta to major cities in the archipelago such as Medan, Denpasar, Manado and cities throughout ASEAN. 

Batik has recently obtained its flight permit and approval to fly as many as 66 domestic and 20 international routes. Currently, the carrier is processing its Air Operator Certificate. 

In the future, Batik will use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a wide-bodied jet suitable for long-haul international routes.

“By operating Batik and Malindo, our position in Southeast Asia region will be strong and we are ready to face the ASEAN Open Sky in 2015,” Edward said.

Parent company Lion Air and feeder Wings Air will only add six Boeing 737-900 ER and four ATR-72 aircraft to their operations next year. 

“We are not adding many new aircraft to Lion and Wings because we are focusing our business on expanding Batik and Malindo in 2013, but we will connect more major cities with Lion and Wings next year,” he added. Among routes they plan to open next year are Medan–Denpasar and Balikpapan–Denpasar. 

Lion is also set to connect Balikpapan, East Kalimantan with Semarang, Central Java in the middle of December, while Wings Air is increasing flight frequency on five existing routes: Yogyakarta–Surabaya, Surabaya–Banyuwangi, Denpasar–Bima, Denpasar–Waingapu, and Denpasar–Lombok. 

On the Surabaya–Banyuwangi and Denpasar–Bima routes, Wings Air will start daily flights in mid December up from the current three times a week. 

http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/51157/lion-air-rsquo-s-affiliates-batik-air 

Bandara Karawang Tampung 100 Juta Penumpang

Bandara akan dilengkapi beragam fasilitas seperti jalan tol & kereta.

VIVAnews - Pemerintah akan mengembangkan infrastruktur layanan penerbangan atau bandara di Karawang, Jawa Barat. Tak tanggung-tanggung, bandara Karawang ini akan didesain untuk mendukung kapasitas Bandara Soekarno-Hatta di Cengkareng, Tangerang.

Dirjen Perhubungan Udara Kementerian Perhubungan, Herry Bakti, mengungkapkan, bandara Karawang diharapkan mampu menampung sekitar 100 juta penumpang per tahun.

"Sama dengan Soetta, mungkin tahap pertama 30 juta penumpang, setelah itu bisa sampai 100 juta," kata Herry di Jakarta Convention Center, Senayan, Jakarta, Rabu 29 Agustus 2012.

Menurut Herry, saat ini, pembangunan bandara di Karawang masih dalam tahap pengkajian. Kendati demikian, ia meyakini pada 2015 segera dibangun pemerintah.

Tak hanya itu, dia menambahkan, ke depan, setelah bandara itu rampung dibangun, akan diperuntukkan bagi penerbangan domestik dan internasional. Selain itu, bandara akan dilengkapi beragam fasilitas seperti jalan tol dan kereta bandara. 

Bandara Alternatif Dibangun di Pinggir Pantai?

Pemerintah belum memutuskan lokasi untuk pembangunan bandara pembantu.

VIVAnews – Kementerian Perhubungan belum memutuskan lokasi untuk pembangunan bandara pembantu Soekarno-Hatta di Karawang, Jawa Barat.

Kendati demikian, bandara yang ditujukan sebagai alternatif untuk mengatasi padatnya bandara di Cengkareng ini sudah dipastikan akan dibangun di sekitar daerah Karawang.

Menteri Perhubungan, EE Mangindaan, mengatakan bahwa pihaknya tidak akan menggunakan area persawahan dan hutan yang ada di daerah Jawa Barat tersebut.

"Yang jelas, kami tidak mau itu mengganggu dan menimbulkan masalah terhadap pangan," ujar Mangindaan ketika ditemui di gedung DPR, Jakarta, Selasa 4 Desember 2012.

Seperti diketahui, Karawang merupakan daerah pertanian padi yang cukup luas di Jawa Barat. Atas dasar itu, kementerian mengungkapkan untuk mencari alternatif lain guna meletakkan bandara yang rencananya mulai dibangun pada 2015 tersebut.

"Kalau sulit mendapatkan tanah, nanti kami pindahkan saja ke pinggir pantai dan melakukan reklamasi," jelasnya.

Saat ini, menurut Mangindaan, kementerian masih membahas permasalahan ini dan diperkirakan baru selesai pada 2014, bertepatan dengan selesainya pembangunan terminal tiga bandara Soekarno-Hatta.

Pembangunan bandara di Karawang ini sebelumnya ditentang oleh Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi), karena Undang-Undang Nomor 26 Tahun 2007 tentang Penataan Ruang yang mengamanatkan kawasan lindung adalah minimal 30 persen dari total wilayah Kabupaten Karawang.

Sementara itu, berdasarkan data Dinas Kehutanan Jawa Barat, luas hutan negara sebagai kawasan lindung yang tersedia hanya sekitar 15.865 hektare atau sekitar 9,05 persen dari total luasan wilayah Kabupaten Karawang.

Padahal, seharusnya kawasan lindung yang tersedia minimal 52.598 hektare. Alih-alih mempunyai cukup kawasan lindung, Kabupaten Karawang saat ini malah masih kekurangan sekitar 38 ribu hektare kawasan lindung.

Child born on Qatar Airways flight

Qatari national went into labor mid-flight

Karachi: A Qatar Airways plane landed at Karachi airport after a child was born on the flight while flying over the Pakistan air zone, aviation sources said. The Qatar Airways flight number 833 was flying from Seoul to Qatar when a woman, who is a Qatari national, felt severe labour pains. Local aviation sources said that emergency landing became imminent and it was permitted to land at Quide-e- Azam International Airport so that maternity care could be taken of the mother and child.

They said the woman and child were doing fine and were shifted to a hospital after they were disembarked from the flight.

Pemerintah Siapkan Tujuh Lokasi Bandara Baru

VIVAnews - Kementerian Perhubungan mengaku telah menyiapkan tujuh lokasi alternatif untuk pembangunan bandara baru. Bandara ini nantinya akan berfungsi sebagai penopang Bandara Soekarno-Hatta yang sudah mulai padat seiring dengan perkembangan industri penerbangan Tanah Air.

Wakil Menteri Perhubungan, Bambang Susantono, mengatakan, pihaknya saat ini sedang melakukan studi lokasi mengenai lokasi bandara alternatif yang rencananya mulai dibangun pada 2015.

"Sampai saat ini sudah ada tujuh lokasi alternatif yang kami pelajari," ujar Bambang kepada VIVAnews di Jakarta, Senin 10 Desember 2012.

Bambang enggan membeberkan detail tujuh lokasi tersebut. Namun, dari ketujuh lokasi tersebut, tiga di antaranya terletak di Karawang, sedangkan empat lokasi berada di daerah pinggiran Jakarta.

Bambang tidak menampik salah satu rencana bandara baru berada di tepi pantai dengan cara reklamasi. "Kalau sudah tidak ada lagi pilihan, maka opsi itu akan kami ambil," kata mantan ketua Masyarakat Transportasi Indonesia (MTI) itu.

Sebelumnya, Menteri Perhubungan, EE Mangindaan, menjelaskan pemerintah tidak akan menggunakan area persawahan dan hutan yang ada di Jawa Barat, sehingga salah satu alternatifnya adalah di pinggir pantai dengan cara reklamasi.

Jet Airways could convert 787-8s on order to -9s

Indian carrier Jet Airways could convert its orders for the Boeing 787-8s to the larger -9 variant.

The carrier's 10 -8s on order are scheduled to be delivered starting 2014, Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' senior vice-president of Asia-Pacific and India sales, tells Flightglobal.

The carrier is, however, considering converting the order to the larger -9s, he says.

"If they do that, there will be a delay. The -9s, however, have better economics for them, so now they are looking at their portfolio," adds Keskar.

Besides the 10 -8s on firm order, Jet also has options for an additional 10 aircraft of the same type.

Over the years, several carriers including Air China, Vietnam Airlines and All Nippon Airways have converted orders for the -8s to the -9s.

The -9 is due to enter flight test in 2013, followed by entry into service in early 2014.

Happy 12-12-12

Happy triple twelve (12-12-12). have a great & nice day!

BA to have 469-seat A380s and 214-seat 787-8s

British Airways has revealed that its Airbus A380s will have a four-class layout with 469 seats, comprising 212 on the upper deck and 257 on the lower.

It has also disclosed that its Boeing 787-8s will be fitted with 214 seats in three classes.

But the carrier has yet to identify the routes on which the jets will be deployed. The initial destinations will be unveiled in spring 2013.

View full size seat plan

The A380s will have 14 first-class seats and 44 business-class seats on the main deck, plus 199 seats in the economy cabin.

It will feature a premium-economy section, but no first-class cabin, on the upper deck which will be configured with 53 business-class, 55 premium-economy and 104 economy seats.

Four 787s will be delivered to the carrier next year, the first arriving in May. BA will introduce its first A380 in July, with two more delivered in August and October.

View full size seat plan

It will also take two more Boeing 777-300ERs during September-October 2013.

BA will equip its new aircraft with a Thales in-flight entertainment system, while in-seat power will be available in all cabins.

Twelve A380s are on order for the airline as well as 24 787s, of which eight will be -8s. BA has yet to disclose the planned layout of the 16 larger 787-9s. "They could have three- or four-cabin configurations," it says.

Maret 2013, Bandara Internasional Kualanamu Medan Beroperasi

Desember ini, proyek fisik sudah selesai. Bisa beroperasi Maret

VIVAnews - PT Angkasa Pura mempercayakan penyelesaian pembangunan Bandara Kualanamu dan Bandara Juanda kepada PT Waskita Karya. Bandara Kualanamu yang akan menggantikan Bandara Polonia, Medan, ini ditargetkan bisa beroperasi pada Maret 2013.

PT Waskita Karya dipercayakan sebagai kontraktor dalam pengerjaan proyek pembangunan Bandara Internasional Kualanamu Medan dengan nilai kontrak sebesar Rp394 miliar dan Bandara Internasional Juanda Surabaya sebesar Rp388 miliar. Waskita Karya optimistis pengerjaan Bandara Internasional Kualanamu Medan selesai Desember 2012 sehingga dapat dioperasikan pada tahun 2013. Begitu pula dengan pembangunan terminal selatan Bandara Juanda tersebut, Waskita karya menargetkan akan menyelesaikan proyek ini pada November 2013.

Untuk diketahui, saat ini proses pembangunan Bandara Kualanamu telah mencapai 84% sedangkan untuk penyelesaian Bandara Internasional Juanda telah mencapai 46% dari target sebelumnya 17%.

“Kami yakin bahwa proyek pembangunan yang dilakukan untuk Bandara Kualanamu dan Bandara Juanda akan selesai sesuai atau bahkan lebih cepat dari target yang telah ditentukan sebelumnya," kata Direktur Utama Waskita Karya, M. Choliq. "Saya sangat puas akan kinerja yang dihasilkan oleh tim kami dan tentunya kami berharap kedua proyek ini akan selesai lebih cepat agar masyarakat dapat segera menikmati manfaatnya."

Di Kualanamu, Waskita Karya melakukan Pekerjaan Tanah Tahap III, Perbaikan Tanah dan Aeronautical Pavement Runway (Paket-4) sepanjang 3.750 meter. Dalam  proyek pembangunan Bandar Udara Internasional Juanda, salah satu kontraktor terbesar milik negara ini dipercayakan oleh PT Angkasa Pura I untuk melakukan proyek design and buildterminal selatan Bandara Internasional Juanda Surabaya. 

Kedua proyek pembangunan bandara internasional ini dalam rangka meningkatkan kualitas pelayanan di seluruh bandara. PT. Angkasa Pura II menargetkan Bandara Internasional Kualanamu sebagai bandara transit internasional agar dapat memberikan kemudahan kepada masyarakat yang ingin melakukan penerbangan luar negeri. Lebih lanjut, bandara internasional ini diharapkan akan membawa dampak ekonomi yang besar bagi daerah karena meningkatnya arus pergerakan penumpang di daerah ini.

“Saya optimistis Bandara Kualanamu ini dapat beroperasi tepat waktu pada Maret 2013," kata Gatot Pujo Nugroho, Pelaksana Tugas Gubernur Sumatera Utara. "Bayangkan kalau ini sudah beroperasi, warga sekitar juga akan menikmati dampak kemajuannya, oleh karena itu mari sama–sama wujudkan agar Bandara Kualanamu dapat beroperasi tepat waktu dan tanpa kendala," kata Gatot.

Sedangkan proyek pengembangan Bandara Internasional Juanda Surabaya sendiri diakui oleh Direktur PT. Angkasa Pura, Tommy Soetomo, sebagai solusi terhadap kepadatan Bandara Internasional Juanda yang telah melebihi kapasitas sesungguhnya. Pertumbuhan jumlah penumpang angkutan udara di Bandara Internasional Juanda merupakan faktor pemicu kepadatan yang terjadi. 

Peningkatan arus penumpang menjadi 12 juta pada bulan 2012. Hal ini mengakibatkan kapasitas Bandara Internasional Juanda yang hanya mencapai 6,5 juta per tahun tidak mampu menampung peningkatan arus penumpang yang terjadi. “Bandara Juanda yang kita kenal sekarang hanya mampu untuk menampung 6,5 juta penumpang per tahun, sedangkan jumlah penumpang per tahunnya mencapai 11 hingga 12 juta orang, oleh karena itu kami harapkan pembangunan bandara Juanda terminal selatan ini bisa tepat waktu dan tepat budget,” kata Tommy Soetomo, Direktur PT. Angkasa Pura.

Malaysia Airlines to Fly Direct Kota Kinabalu – Shanghai

Subang, 07 December 2012 : Fly direct from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai on Malaysia Airlines twice weekly from 11 December 2012.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH394 will depart Kota Kinabalu on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8.20pm and arrive Shanghai at 12.45am the next day.
The inbound flight MH395 will depart Shanghai on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1.45am and arrive Kota Kinabalu at 6.25am.
In addition to the exciting news on Shanghai, Malaysia Airlines has increased direct connectivity between Kota Kinabalu and Hong Kong with two more weekly flights since 1 December 2012 and will soon re-introduce international connectivity from the Sabah capital to Perth on 9 December 2012 and to Osaka on 20 December 2012.
According to Malaysia Airlines Regional Senior Vice President for Malaysia/ASEAN, Muzamil Mohammad, “The introduction of more international direct flights to and from Kota Kinabalu meets the growing demand for premium connectivity to and from Sabah. Kota Kinabalu is an ideal gateway for air travel to and from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, North Asia, Indonesia, and Australia.”
Malaysia Airlines will be putting the new 2-class configured Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 144 economy class seats and 16 business class seats will be used to operate the Kota Kinabalu – Shanghai return service.
Malaysia Airlines’ all inclusive return fares Kota Kinabalu – Shanghai start from as low as RM1199 on Economy Class and RM3185 on Business Class for travel from 11 December 2012 to 30 September 2013.
The ‘all inclusive’ fares are available from now until 17 December 2012 through Malaysia Airlines’ website www.malaysiaairlines.com, MHmobile, flymas.mobi, nationwide ticket offices, 24-hour toll-free Call Centre at 1300 88 3000 and all appointed travel agents.
MASholidays, the travel arm of Malaysia Airlines, is also offering a 4 days/3 night Free and Easy package from Kota Kinabalu from as low as RM966 per person to Shanghai, RM1310 per person to Hong Kong and 7days/6nights to Perth starting at RM2455 per person. Customers are encouraged to contact MASholidays online at http://holiday.malaysiaairlines.com or call Malaysia Airlines’ Reservations at 1-300-88-3000, or MASholidays at 03 7863 4000 for further details.

CEB launches flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok

The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE:CEB) expands its regional network from Cebu, with the launch of direct twice weekly services to both Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
CEB will begin operating a Tuesday, Saturday service from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur on December 8, 2012. The maiden flight will leave Cebu at 4:45pm, and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 8:10pm. The return flight will depart Cebu at 8:55pm, and will arrive at 12:20am the next day.
On December 9, 2012, CEB will launch its Thursday, Sunday service from Cebu to Bangkok. The flight will depart Cebu at 4:50pm, and arrive in Bangkok at 7:20pm. The return flight leaves Bangkok at 8:10pm and arrives in Cebu at 12:40am the next day.
CEB already operates approximately 25 weekly flights from Cebu to Seoul (Incheon), Pusan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“Cebuanos can now book our trademark lowest fares for a weekend of adventure in Kuala Lumpur or shopping in Bangkok. We are confident these direct flights will also contribute to Cebu’s booming tourism and travel industry, which remain one of our priorities. We will continue to grow our Cebu hub to encourage even more Juans to fly,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.
She added that passengers can now take any of CEB’s 20 direct domestic flights to Cebu, and connect to South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand.
Sending off CEB’s first passengers from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur are Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Chief of Staff Artemio Orozco, and representatives from the Embassy of Malaysia, Department of Tourism, Lapu Lapu City, and travel and tourism associations in Cebu.
The next day, Thailand Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai and government and tourism partners will send off CEB’s maiden flight from Cebu to Bangkok.
“Congratulations to Cebu Pacific on its inaugural flight between Cebu and Bangkok!” said Ambassador Prasasvinitchai.
“We hope this will further strengthen the relationship between two great nations, and create prosperity to both countries, especially in tourism,” said Embassy of Malaysia Tourism Attaché and Tourism Malaysia-Manila Director Masrina Mohd Bakri.

QATAR AIRWAYS PLANS MAJOR EXPANSION IN POLAND FOLLOWING ROUTE LAUNCH TO WARSAW

Warsaw, POLAND – Qatar Airways has spoken of its long-term commitment to its newest market of Poland with last Wednesday’s route launch to the capital Warsaw and opening of a new European Customer Contact Centre in the city of Wroclaw early next year.
The expansion represents a significant move for Qatar Airways into an untapped market with Poland becoming the airline’s latest European country to establish a foothold in.
The Doha-based airline rounded off a busy 2012 year of expansion on December 5 with its 12th and final route launch of the year when it began operating non-stop scheduled flights from the State of Qatar to Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport.
Becoming Qatar Airways’ 32nd European gateway, the addition of Warsaw takes the airline’s global network to 122 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.
Looking forward to another busy year in 2013, Qatar Airways is planning further steps into the Polish market, busy preparing for the opening of a brand new European Contact Centre in Wroclaw that is set to initially create over 100 jobs.
The new multi-lingual Customer Contact Centre will handle all the airline’s European customer inquiries from key European markets by phone, fax and email. It will initially serve Poland, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Austria, with more countries to be added.
The fit-out and all technical installations necessary for the office located in the new Epsilon Building will be completed soon for a planned February 2013 opening.
The management team of the new Qatar Airways Customer Contact Centre in Wroclaw has been recruited and is in the process of hiring staff, specifically seeking applicants with excellent customer service skills and fluency in European languages.
Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “With the launch of our new flights to Warsaw and opening of our new customer contact centre in Wroclaw early next year, Qatar Airways is extremely delighted to support the local economy and give the people of Poland an exciting opportunity to travel with us and work us, initially creating over 100 new jobs.
“We are creating a great business venture contributing to both the country of Poland and our airline’s development.
“I sincerely thank our partners in Poland who have been instrumental in the airline’s expansion into this country. I am confident that the demand for services to and from here will steadily grow, allowing us further increase the airline’s frequencies on the Warsaw – Doha route over time,” added Al Baker.
“We are very pleased to provide travellers with a connection to the world from Warsaw, one of Europe’s fastest developing cities. Poles will gain great connections via our Doha hub to diverse cities such as Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Dubai, Johannesburg and Melbourne and will have the opportunity to experience our renowned five-star service.”
The Warsaw – Doha route is being operated four-times-a-week with a modern Airbus A320, featuring 144 seats in a two-class configuration of 12 in Business Class and 132 in Economy. The aircraft offers seatback TV screens providing passengers with the next generation interactive onboard entertainment system and a choice of more than 800 audio and video on demand options, together with an SMS text messaging service from each seat.
Warsaw becomes the third destination after Zagreb and Belgrade to be added to Qatar Airways’ flight schedules in Central Eastern Europe this year.
Al Baker spelled out more destinations were being looked at across Europe, but the immediate focus was to build up the network in the Middle East, Asia and North America. The airline plans to serve 170 destinations with 170 aircraft within three years. It currently operates a modern fleet of 114 aircraft.
Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes during the first half of 2013, namely to Gassim, Saudi Arabia (7 January 2013); Najaf, Iraq (January 23); Phnom Penh, Cambodia (February 20); Chengdu, China (March 19); Chicago, USA (April 10); and Salalah, Oman (May 22).
Since the beginning of 2012, Qatar Airways has launched flights to 12 new destinations – Baku (Azerbaijan); Tbilisi (Georgia); Kigali (Rwanda); Zagreb (Croatia), Erbil (Iraq), Baghdad (Iraq), Perth (Australia), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania); Yangon (Myanmar), Maputo (Mozambique), Belgrade (Serbia) and now, Warsaw (Poland).

Peach to Add Further Seven A320-200 Aircraft to Fleet Increasing Fleet Size to 17 Aircraft from Current 10 by Second Half of 2015

Osaka, December 5, 2012 – Peach Aviation Limited (CEO: Shinichi Inoue), Japan’s first dedicated low cost carrier (LCC), announced today that it has signed a letter of intent to introduce new Airbus A320-200 aircraft to its fleet with operating leases starting in the second half of 2013.
Peach already announced that it will be operating total of 10 A320-200 jet airliners by the summer of 2013. The company reached the decision to introduce the additional aircraft based on its business plan, which is in effect from the second half of 2013 to 2015.
The planning for further aircraft procurement, beyond 2015 and based on the business plan, will start at the beginning of fiscal 2013. Peach will also consider introducing the A320neo model beyond 2015, in line with its proactive route development and future business expansion.
■ Letter of Intent 7 aircraft (operating lease)
■ Delivery between second half of 2013 and second half of 2015
■ Airbus A320-200 specifications
Length 37.6 m, width 34.1 m, height 11.8 m
Engines: CFM56-5B Numberofseats: 180
With the slogan of ‘’Making air travel more fun and bringing Asia closer together’’ Peach aims to expand its network in order to become the preferred airline between Japan and Asia, whilst at the same time cultivating relationships, connecting people and improving relations between fellow Asian cultures.

Peach Announces Schedule for International Flights through August 2013

Osaka, December 6, 2012 – Peach Aviation Limited, Japan’s first dedicated low cost carrier (LCC), announced today plans for the international flight schedule for the summer 2013 period (March 31– August 31, 2013).
■ International Flight Schedule (effective March 31 through August 31, 2013)
Peach will operate three round-trip flights daily on its Osaka (Kansai) – Seoul (Incheon) route; one round-trip flight on its Osaka (Kansai) – Hong Kong route; and two round-trip flights on its Osaka (Kansai) – Taipei (Taoyuan) route. These plans are subject to approval by the relevant authorities.
Tickets are subject to the following conditions:
・ The above airfare is for one seat on a one-way flight at the “Happy Peach” rate.
・ A fuel surcharge will not be charged.
・ In addition to the airfare above, there will be additional charges such as payment handling fees and airport tax.
・ In addition to the airfare above, there will be additional charges for checked baggage and for seat selection.
・ Tickets purchased through the Peach call center or airport ticket counter will be subject to a booking fee.
・ Fares will change depending on seat availability, and the valid amount will be applied at the time of purchase.
・ Ticket prices and conditions may be changed at any time without notice.
・ These plans are subject to approval by the relevant authorities.
With the slogan of ‘’Making air travel more fun and bringing Asia closer together’’ Peach aims to expand its network in order to become the preferred airline between Japan and Asia, whilst at the same time cultivating relationships, connecting people and improving relations between fellow Asian cultures.

AIG Announces Agreement to Sell up to 90 Percent of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC)

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) and an investor group led by Mr. Weng Xianding, the Chairman of New China Trust Co. Ltd., announced today that they have entered into an agreement under which AIG will sell up to a 90% stake in International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a non-core asset, to the investor group in a transaction that values ILFC at approximately US$5.28 billion.
The investor group comprised of New China Trust Co. Ltd., China Aviation Industrial Fund and P3 Investments Ltd. has agreed to acquire 80.1% of ILFC for approximately US$4.23 billion, with an option to acquire an additional 9.9% stake. Upon receipt of required Chinese regulatory approvals and exercise of the option, the investor group is expected to be expanded to include New China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. and an investment arm of ICBC International.
The transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013, marks another success in the disposition of AIG’s non-core assets. At closing of the transaction, AIG will retain at least a 10% ownership stake in ILFC, allowing it to continue to participate in the growth of ILFC’s unique franchise, including the benefits that the investor group will bring to the company.
“This transaction creates a solid and strategic partnership for ILFC,” said Robert H. Benmosche, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIG. “While ILFC is an extremely strong business platform and AIG will retain a minority stake as a passive investor, the aircraft leasing business is not core to our insurance operations. Upon completion, the transaction will have a positive impact on AIG’s liquidity and credit profile and will enable us to continue to focus on our core insurance businesses.”
The transaction is subject to required regulatory approvals, including all applicable U.S. and Chinese regulatory reviews and approvals, and other customary closing conditions. When the transaction meets the criteria for “held for sale” accounting treatment, AIG expects to record a non-operating loss of approximately US$4.4 billion, which includes a non-cash charge of approximately $1.8 billion associated with the utilization of tax net operating loss carry forwards from this transaction.
Mr. Weng Xianding, Chairman of New China Trust Co. Ltd said, “Our group shares a commitment to ILFC’s experienced management team, its operating philosophy, and its presence in the United States. This transaction allows ILFC to continue to serve its worldwide partners in the aviation industry with world-class service while accelerating its growth in important markets, including Asia.”
ILFC is a leading independent aircraft lessor with a global customer base of approximately 200 airlines in 80 countries. ILFC’s portfolio consists of over 1,000 owned or managed aircraft, as well as commitments to purchase 229 new high-demand, fuel-efficient aircraft and rights to purchase an additional 50 such aircraft.
Under the new owners, ILFC will retain operational independence and continue to be headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. ILFC’s Chief Executive Officer Henri Courpron and President Frederick S. Cromer will continue to operate and manage the business. ILFC currently employs approximately 560 people, including more than 450 people based in the U.S., and expects to hire additional U.S.-based staff to replace AIG-supported operations. ILFC will remain incorporated in the U.S. following the closing of this transaction and will continue to be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Upon closing, a distinguished new Board of Directors for ILFC will be appointed. A majority of the new Board will include leading independent U.S. and European aerospace and financial industry experts, including Mr. Benmosche from AIG. The balance of the Board will be comprised of representatives of the investor group. The Board will continue to uphold “best practice” governance standards and practices.
“This is an exciting new chapter for ILFC that will position the company for robust future growth,” Mr. Courpron said. “With existing management remaining in place, the transition will be seamless, allowing ILFC to maintain its focus on delivering the best mix of modern aircraft to meet our customers’ needs around the world. In addition to a large aircraft delivery pipeline, ILFC has a dedicated management team with extensive airline, manufacturer, and leasing experience. We look forward to working with the investor group to explore new opportunities for our business. Last year, ILFC opened new offices in Beijing and Singapore dedicated to regional customer support as the region’s aviation growth and demand is well established and expected to increase significantly.”
Credit Suisse is acting as financial advisor to the investor group in connection with this transaction, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is acting as legal advisor to the investor group.

AerData’s fleet database AtlasData now incorporates Airfax aircraft availability

Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 10 December 2012 – AerData, the provider of software and services for the aviation industry announces that the fleet database AtlasData, is now available with Airfax aircraft availability data. AtlasData is an intuitive and powerful online tool to track, summarize and analyze the world’s fleet and its value, where the valuation expertise is implemented in co-operation with the aircraft appraiser, Avitas.
Commenting on the announcement, Paul van Tol, Managing Director AerData said; “We are proud to incorporate aircraft availability data from Airfax. This integration enables ease of use in searching and querying business opportunities and creating custom filters for analysis purposes. AtlasData is becoming the single marketplace where parties can find their fleet, value and availability data in one view.”
Jim Williams, Publisher, Airfax said; “It’s an exciting time for Airfax, and we are delighted to integrate our aircraft availability data into AtlasData. We are currently tracking approximately 1,000 commercial aircraft that are available for sale or for lease throughout the world, and details of all of these aircraft, including aircraft serial numbers and contact information, will be available in AtlasData as an optional aircraft availability module.”

Sabena technics gets maintenance and VIP completion capabilities on A380

Sabena technics announced today it has received A380 base maintenance rating from the EASA.
The new capability applies to its Bordeaux, France facility that now holds base maintenance rating on every flying Airbus aircraft (including Beluga) as a result.
“2012 was a busy year for our quality department, with no less than four new aircraft capability developments”, commented Rodolphe Marchais, Chairman and CEO of Sabena technics.
The new rating will also allow Sabena technics to perform structural parts repairs in the field or in its workshops for worldwide operators, and to perform aircraft modifications and upgrades.
“Bordeaux is also home to our VIP completion center, so we are now ready to offer our cabin modification and completion services on A380 aircraft,” added Rodolphe Marchais.
Sabena technics was well positioned to start offering A380 maintenance because one of the Bordeaux facility’s six hangars was large enough to host an A380. The MRO market has not yet caught up with the rapid increase of the worldwide A380 fleet, resulting in high demand for available slots over the next two years.
“Our dedicated A380 hangar is already fully booked until the third quarter of 2014 and we are now ready to take orders for 2015 and beyond, for which we expect the demand for 2, 4 and 6 year checks to bring a sustained level of business,” explained Jean-Luc Fournel, COO Customers of Sabena technics.
Asked whether his company feared competition from MROs from Asia and other low-cost areas, Jean-Luc Fournel replied: “In the recent years, we have seen our customer base for A330 and A340 maintenance grow steadily, including customers from the Middle East, South America and North Africa shifting from other providers to Sabena technics. In the end, operators of wide-body aircraft look at the overall value of the service and we believe there is a sustainable market in Western Europe for high quality, specialist services on this type of aircraft.”

GE Capital Aviation Services Delivers Three New Airbus A320s to Japan’s Peach Aviation

HONG KONG, December 10, 2012 – GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, announced it delivered three new leased Airbus A320 aircraft to Japanese low-cost carrier Peach Aviation to expand the airline’s fleet. Peach was founded in February 2011.
The aircraft come from GECAS’ existing order book with Airbus. Since 2011, GECAS has delivered six new leased aircraft to Peach.

Boeing, Turkish Airlines Finalize Order for 15 777-300ERs

ISTANBUL, Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Turkish Airlines have finalized a firm order for 15 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes worth $4.7 billion at list prices. The agreement, first announced in October as a commitment, also includes options for five additional 777-300ERs and is the largest order by value in Turkish Airlines’ history.
Turkish Airlines’ fleet currently includes 12 777-300ERs, the first of which Boeing delivered in October 2010. Over the past two years, these airplanes have formed the backbone of Turkish Airlines’ long-haul operations. This latest order will enable the Turkish flag-carrier to continue to serve new destinations worldwide.
“This latest order from Turkish Airlines is testament to the key role the 777 has played in the carrier’s long-haul route expansion,” said Todd Nelp, vice president of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “In recent years, Turkish Airlines has been incredibly successful in providing its passengers with outstanding service to a growing range of international destinations. The exceptional performance of the 777-300ER, with its excellent fuel economics, reliability and passenger comfort, has been a cornerstone for Turkish Airlines’ continued growth.”
The 777-300ER seats up to 386 passengers in a three-class configuration and has a maximum range of 7,930 nautical miles (14,685 km).
Turkish Airlines currently operates a fleet that includes nearly 100 Boeing airplanes and serves more than 200 destinations across 90 countries worldwide.

CTS Engines Signs Long-Term Test Agreement with OEM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—CTS Engines, the leading independent engine MRO in the U.S., announced today that it had signed an agreement with a major jet engine original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) to provide test capacity for the development testing of its engines. The $13mm, four-year deal is expected to commence in January 2014 and has options for additional years. Tests will take place at CTS Engines’s Bee Line Highway test facility, located in Jupiter, Florida, which is expected to be opened in mid-2013. The new contract is expected to bring approximately 20 new technical and support jobs to Palm Beach County.
“At 155,000 lbsf, CTS’s first test stand, once completed, will be the highest thrust rated commercial test stand in the world,” said Jim McMillen, CTS’s Chairman. “With this facility, CTS will be able to test the largest commercial engines currently in production, as well as those developed in the future with even higher thrust ratings. We are pleased that this agreement solidifies our close working relationship with the OEM community, which has grown steadily over the past two years.”
CTS Engines is the world’s leading independent mature engine MRO. The company provides maintenance, repair, overhaul, and testing services to owners and operators of early stage commercial jet engines worldwide. Globally, the company offers outstanding field service support on nearly every major engine platform in operation. Since 2002, CTS Engines has built its reputation on the ability to provide its customers with a better solution for engine maintenance. Please see www.ctsengines.com for more information.

GE Capital Aviation Services Delivers Four New Leased Boeing 737-800s to Lion Air

SINGAPORE, December 7, 2012 – GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, announced it delivered four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft to Indonesia’s Lion Air as part of a purchase and leaseback transaction.
The aircraft come from the airline’s existing order book with Boeing and were delivered in September and October to expand and modernize the airline’s fleet. GECAS has delivered a total of 12 new leased aircraft to Lion in 2012.
PT Lion Mentari Airlines and affiliated airlines are Indonesia’s largest private airline group with a fleet of more than 100 aircraft in service and an order backlog of more than 300 new aircraft. Lion and its affiliates provide passenger service to more than 75 destinations.

UNDERPASS DI BAWAH REL KA SEGERA DIBANGUN

Pemerintah Kota (Pemko) Medan segera membangun underpass di perlintasan kereta api sebagai upaya untuk mengantisipasi kemacetan bila nanti kereta api ke Bandara Kuala Namu beroperasi.

Pembangunan itu ditargetkan akan selesai selama enam bulan. “Kalau nanti kereta api (tujuan Bandara Kuala Namu) sudah lewat secara rutin setiap setengah jam, tentu jalan yang menjadi perlintasan kereta api akan gawat.Jadi,harus ada underpass. Saat ini Detail Enginering Design (DED)-nya sudah siap kami tawarkan dan sudah dikerjakan oleh Balai Besar Jalan Wilayah Sumatera I,” ujar Wali Kota Medan Rahudman Harahap di Medan, akhir pekan lalu.

Untuk jalan perlintasan kereta api yang berada di dalam kota akan dikerjakan Pemerintah Kota (Pemko) Medan, tapi untuk jalan lainnya akan diusulkan ke Pemerintah Pusat juga ke Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) Sumatera Utara (Sumut).“Kan tidak mungkin dana pemko cukup untuk mengampung itu semua, makanya nanti akan kita usulkan menggunakan anggaran APBN dan APBD Sumut,”imbuhnya.

Dengan adanya underpass nantinya, maka tidak akan menghambat warga Medan dalam beraktivitas. Sebab, dengan intensitas jalur kereta api yang tinggi dipastikan akan berdampak terhadap kemacetan lalu lintas di Medan, sehingga underpass ini menjadi solusi yang harus segera dilakukan. Kepala Dinas Pekerjaan Umum (PU) Bina Marga Medan Gunawan Lubis mengatakan, untuk tahap awal pembangunan underpass ini dianggarkan senilai Rp200 juta dan pengerjaannya akan dimulai tahun ini.

“Pengerjaannya akan kita mulai tahun ini, sekarang kan DED-nya sudah selesai untuk perencanaan. Untuk sky bridgedan lapangan parkir juga sudah dilakukan pengerjaannya, dan itu segera akan kita bangun,”katanya. Underpass yang akan dibangun itu akan melintasi jalan- jalan yang dilalui kereta api dimulai dari Jalan Palang Merah, Pandu, Sutomo, Sisingamangaraja, Thamrin dan Mandala By Pass. Pembangunan underpassini akan meminimalisir kemacetan di Kota Medan.Tentunya setiap perlintasan kereta api tidak akan lagi terhalang dan lalu lintas di Medan tidak macet.

Untuk pengerjaan underpass ini akan dilakukan secara simultan. Untuk jalan nasional, anggarannya akan diusulkan ke Kementerian PU, dan untuk jalan provinsi ke Pemprov Sumut.

http://www.pemkomedan.go.id/news_detail.php?id=13559 

BANDAR UDARA: Pemindahan Polonia Ke Kuala Namu Dilakukan Pada Januari 2013

MEDAN: Pemindahan Bandara Polonia Medan ke bandara baru di Kuala Namu, Kabupaten Deliserdang, Sumatra Utara akan dilakukan pada Januari 2013.

Hal itu sesuai dengan hasil rapat bersama Pemerintah Provinsi Sumatra Utara dengan Setwapres pada 20 November 2012.

Plt Gubernur Sumut Gatot Pujo Nugroho menjelaskan pemindahan Bandara Polonia dilakukan secara bertahap. Hingga kini pembangunan bandara baru di Kuala Namu secara keseluruhan  mencapai 88,914 % pada November 2012.

"Test operation bandara baru di Kuala Namu dilaksanakan pada Maret 2013," kata Gatot Pujo Nugroho saat menyampaikan Nota Jawaban Gubernur Sumatra Utara terhadap Nota Keuangan dan R-APBD Sumut 2013, Senin (3/12).

Namun, hingga kini nama untuk bandara baru di Kuala Namu belum ditetapkan. Padahal, nama tersebut sangat dibutuhkan untuk disosialisasikan dan pendaftaran/registrasi bandara internasional.

Untuk akses jalan menuju bandara baru di Kuala Namu, kata Gatot, dibangun jalur jalan tol/non tol yang masih belum selesai, terbukti hanya 47 % pembebasan tanah atas lahan yang dapat terealisasi.

Pemprov Sumut sangat mendukung pencapaian pembangunan akses jalan non tol menuju bandara di Kuala Namu. "Sampai saat ini progres pembebasan tanah mencapai 93,4 %," katanya.

Pada 2012, sebut Gatot, jalan askes bandara baru di Kuala Namu [non tol] sudah fungsional 2 jalur. "Dan pada 2013 melalui APBD telah diprogramkan pertambahan 2 jalur, sehingga di 2013 jalan non tol menuju bandara di kuala Namu menjadi 2 jalur 4 lajur," ujar kata Gatot.

Khusus mengenai jalan tol, menurut Gatot, pada 13 November 2013 telah dimulai pelaksanaannya, ditandai dengan ground breaking oleh Menteri PU dan Gubernur Sumatra Utara, schedule pelaksanaan selama 900 hari.

"Hingga saat ini, pembebasan tanah jalan tol Medan-Kuala Namu telah mencapai 53 %. Paralel pelaksanaan pembebasam 47 % lagi dengan pekerjaan fisik," kata Gatot Pujo Nugroho.

Sedangkan untuk pembangunan jalan tol Medan-Binjai dan jalan tol Medan-Tebing Tinggi dilakukan untuk mempercepat arus lalu lintas ekonomi dan jasa serta untuk mengurangi kepadatan dan kemacetan lalu lintas jalan.

Penanganan jalan tom Medan-Tebing Tinggi, kata Gatot, pada Section I Medan-Kuala Namu telah ditandatangani kontrak dengan investor China. "Khusus untuk jalan tol Medan-Kuala Namu, pada 13 November telah dimulai pelaksanaannya," ujarnya.

Adapun Section II ruas Kuala Namu-Tebing Tinggi, ungkap Gatot, dalam tahap pembebasan tanah yang telah mencapai progres 57 %. "Untuk jalan tol Medan-Binjai masih dalam tahap negoisasi pelaksanaan pekerjaan," kata Gatot.