Citilink to double passenger volume in 12 months
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Indonesia’s low cost carrier, Citilink, is expected to double its annual passenger traffic volume to four million next year. The Garuda Indonesia subsidiary has announced major fleet expansion plans, which will increase capacity and extend its network.
Elisa Lumbantoruan, Vice President of Citilink, said the airline expects to carry two million passengers in 2011. Now with 10 new aircraft set to increase fleet size to 16, the number of passengers carried could well double over the next 12 months.
Speaking to the Jakarta Post, Lumbantoruan said the airline would add three more routes next year to capitalise on surging demand for domestic air travel. The new routes will link Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Jakarta and Pekanbaru and Jakarta and Palembang, with three flights per day.
Citilink will also use additional aircraft to enhance frequency on the existing network. Jakarta–Surabaya services will rise from six to nine daily flights, Jakarta–Medan flights will increase from two to six times a day, and Jakarta–Denpasar, Jakarta–Batam and Surabaya–Banjarmasin routes will be serviced three times a day instead of twice.
In addition, the airline has set an on time performance target for 90%, which will require significant improvements to take up from the current figure of 70%. This will be an important cost saver too as the government has approved a law that requires airlines to compensate passengers delayed for over four hours.