Regional Airline Silk Air linking state Singapore with Bandung

Regional airline Silk Air commenced a route linking city-state Singapore with Bandung on Tuesday, as two Malaysian airlines brought their flight routes to the West Java provincial capital to an end.

Silk Air’s maiden flight, with 70 passengers on board, including the Singapore Ambassador to Indonesia, Ashok Mirpuri, and Silk Air chief executive Marvin Tan arrived at Husein Sastranegara International Airport at 4:23 p.m.

Tan said that Bandung was Silk Air’s ninth destination in Indonesia, after the subsidiary of Singapore Airlines opened its eighth route linking Changi with Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau, in February.

“This is our strong commitment to the air travel industry in Bandung, and to strengthen the links between two countries in tourism and business connections. Factory outlets are always wonderful for Singaporeans, as good as natural attractions, like Tangkuban Parahu,” Tan said after landing.

Meanwhile, airport head of operations, Soetrisno, said that Silk Air had added another choice for passengers traveling the Bandung-Singapore route, in addition to Air Asia and Batavia Air.

Tan said that Silk Air gave a different experience to customers, since they could enjoy fully serviced, premium air travel in economy or business classes.

Passengers can fly to 37 cities in 11 countries throughout Asia and Europe, as Silk Air is connected to the network of Singapore Airlines, he added.


However, Tan did not not set a target in terms of customer levels, saying “the higher, the better”.

“We have to work very hard to get our customers to depend on our value. Talking about pricing, we have to be competitive. It depends on how the market grows,” he said.

Initially, Silk Air will fly three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Starting on Oct. 30, the airline will fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Soetrisno said that the airlines abandoning the Bandung route were flag carrier Malaysia Airlines and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Firefly.

Malaysia Airlines started servicing the route in July, but abandoned the Bandung-Kuala Lumpur route on Oct. 4, while Firefly started the Bandung-Johor Bahru route in August and stopped operation on Oct. 2.

Soetrisno said that both airlines had a average load factor of 50 to 60 percent.

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American Airlines to Deepen Seat Cuts on Economy, Pilots

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American Airlines joined its bigger U.S. peers with deeper seating cuts and said it would ground 11 jets in 2012 as it faces a weak economy, more pilot retirements and higher fuel costs.

The fourth-quarter capacity reduction of 3 percent means that 2011 costs for flying each seat a mile will increase “modestly” beyond the forecast of as much as 10.1 percent provided on Sept. 21, Fort Worth, Texas-based American said yesterday in a statement, without elaborating.

United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) and Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), the world’s biggest carriers, moved earlier to shrink available seating through this year and next on concerns the economy will sap travel demand. American, the third-largest U.S. carrier, also is grappling with pilot retirements that have been running at least 10 times the normal rate in the past two months.

“The adverse effect on previous unit-cost guidance will be significant,” Robert W. Mann, president of consultant R.W. Mann & Co., said in an e-mail. The effect on revenue can’t be estimated without details of the planned scheduled changes, he said.

American’s reductions, coming amid reports of strong business travel and unit revenue, represent “sizable capacity cuts to AMR’s fall and winter schedules” and suggest that a shortage of pilots is a primary driver, said Mann, of Port Washington, New York.
Trimming Capacity

American said less than a month ago that it would trim fourth-quarter capacity by 0.5 percent as it continued to review plans for 2012. Those cuts reduced flying by varying amounts on lower-demand travel days and included a 13 percent drop in Saturday seating, American Airlines Treasurer Beverly Goulet said on Sept. 13.

The airline had 111 pilot retirements in September and 129 this month as workers sought to protect the value of their pension plans, a portion of which is linked to stock market movement.

American “doesn’t anticipate” leaving any markets as a result of the reductions, said Sean Collins, a spokesman. It will rely primarily on cutting flights based on days of the week, trimming frequencies or moving to smaller planes, he said.

“We are taking these additional steps in light of the uncertain economic environment, ongoing high fuel costs and to ensure we run a reliable schedule for our customers given additional pilot retirements we anticipate throughout the fourth quarter,” Chief Commercial Officer Virasb Vahidi said in the statement. He said advance bookings are “generally in line” with 2010.
Third-Quarter Charge

American also said it will take a $29 million noncash charge in the third quarter for contracts linked to fuel purchases and $22 million related to foreign exchange.

The airline will retire 11 of its 124 Boeing Co. 757s. The twin-engine, single-aisle planes are often flown on transcontinental routes and to non-U.S. destinations such as Mexico. Boeing built the last 757 in 2004.

With the new seating cuts, full-year seating on American’s mainline jets still will rise 0.4 percent. That’s less than the original 3.5 percent growth set for 2011, according to the company. When regional carrier American Eagle is included, full- year capacity will be up 1.2 percent, lower than the initial plan of more than 4 percent.
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Men Killed After Eating Cuisine Jetstar Airlines

Jetstar international airlines now a spotlight. Cause, there is one of the passengers who suddenly choked and died after eating airline food.

News.com.au reported on Sunday (09/04/2011), the man named Robert Rippingale (31) who was riding with a Jetstar flight from Singapore-Auckland route.

At that time, she'd just eat the meat served stewardess while watching a movie on the screen with her ​​lover.

"I think he laughed out loud, it turns out after I saw his face she could not speak and his eyes widened," said the lover Rippingale, Vanessa Preechakul (27).

"Her lips also turned purple," she said again.

"Before we sat down, had been kissing and holding hands. What happened after that, he suddenly choked," he continued.

Jetstar spokesman Andrew McGinnes said the cause of death of the man from New Zealand is not yet certain. Currently, forensic experts are investigating.

Even so, McGinnes acknowledge with deep sorrow for the families and thanked the doctors who tried to help Rippingale.

"This is a difficult and sad. Our sympathies to families of passengers," he said.

source : detik.com

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Merpati Nusantara Opening Of The Short Distance Flight From Halim Perdana Kusuma Jakarta Airport,

With the opening of Perdanakusuma Jakarta Halim Airport for general aviation throughout the short distance, before the month of Ramadan (Fasting) airline Merpati Nusantara, took the opportunity to transport the public who wish to going home at the upcoming Idul Fitri.

But in the future, based military aviation airport and the presidential plane, it can be used for aircraft with a capacity of over 110 passengers.

President Director of PT Merpati Nusantara Airliines (Persero) Sardjono Jhony Tjitrokusumo in Jakarta to explain, it re-opened the inaugural flight from Jakarta Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to Tanjung Karang, Lampung and Palembang.

He added, after the company received additional new aircraft type MA-60 PK-MZD capacity of 56 passengers, Pigeons fly back to Bandar Lampung and Palembang.

Deputy Director of Pigeons, Adhi Gunawan added service commuter service is deemed to be the right choice for people who need air transportation, because any short-haul flights only 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, Director General of Civil Aviation Ministry, Herry Bakti S Gumay told reporters revealed, Merpati Nusantara innovation that made it pretty good. According to him, in the presence of short-haul flights will be able to accommodate community needs air transportation.
  

Meanwhile, Managing Director Business Unit Startegic MA 60, Sutan Banuara asserted, during the short-haul flights promotion Merpati, it targets the ticket price of about Rp199 thousand. And he hoped, with the new service, the public can enjoy a comfortable flight.

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Starting in 2012, PT Garuda Indonesia will terminate the contract of hire 43 foreign pilots

Starting in 2012, PT Garuda Indonesia will terminate the contract of hire 43 foreign pilots. Airlines that have not been doing an IPO (initial public offering) was assessed to give facilities to foreign pilots due to excessive salaries twice as large when compared with local pilots salary.

Capt. Ari Sapari Directurv Operations confirmed that salaries and facilities received foreign pilots are better when compared with local pilots. That, according to him, it should be because they are not permanent employee status. The foreign pilots were given over to temporary facilities in accordance with the contract.
Ari explained, housing facilities in Jakarta commonly given by the airline anywhere in the world to foreign pilots. He gave an example, when working at Korean Airlines, he also gets more facilities when compared with the original Korean pilots. http://www.radar-bekasi.com/

According to Ari, the salary received by the foreign pilots were lower when compared to the salaries of regional and international standards. With a salary that is not too high, he expressed lucky to hire foreign pilots.

Ari adds, Garuda is compelled to hire foreign pilots began earlier this year. Therefore, the supply of pilots in Indonesia is not comparable with the request. Finally, Garuda must scramble graduate new pilots to other airlines. Meanwhile, the aircraft continued expansion.

One of the Garuda pilot, Ais Sampesule, disclose, to reach a senior captain, it would take 15-20 years. Garuda gave to the captain of the basic salary of Rp 33 million and Rp 10 million flying allowance. Meanwhile, the captain of foreign pilots were given a basic salary USD 9000 plus accommodation costs U.S. $ 1,200.

Garuda pilot Lawyers Association (APG) Said Damanik rate, the facilities given to foreign pilots because their income was over two times greater than the local pilots.

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Investigating Purchase MA-60 aircraft from China

Members of the House of Representatives Commission VI of the PKS faction Ecky Awal Muharram urged the government to conduct investigations related to the purchase of MA-60 aircraft owned airline Merpati Airlines.

Ecky said in the Parliament Building on Tuesday, parties should explore the process of purchasing the MA-60 agreed through compromise, because China has threatened to cancel the 10,000 MW project financing if Merpati cancel the contract.


"It must be checked for relevant parties in the controversy over the purchase of MA-60. However Pigeon's State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and their funding comes from public money," he said.


On Saturday (7 / 5) Merpati Airlines aircraft type MA-60 crashed in the Gulf of Kaimana, West Papua. This accident is the second case that struck the aircraft type MA-60 in Indonesia and the fifth in the world.


This case raises questions about the buying process MA-60, whereas this type of aircraft do not have the certification "Europe Aviation Safety Agency" (EASA) in Europe and "the Federal Aviation Administration" (FAA) United States, but only the Chinese aviation certification authority.


In view of Ecky, have revealed another side of the buying process MA-60 is funding which uses "sub Loan Agreement (SLA) or a redirection of government loans to the Pigeon.


The mechanism, the loan agreement made by the Government of Indonesia with China Exim Bank in 15 years and further from the government, the debt passed on to Pigeon. "In other words, government is the guarantor of Merpati's debt," said a member of this Parliament.


Source : yahoo

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