Mandala Airlines resumes international operations
Indonesia’s Mandala Airlines resumed international flights for the first time since its January 2011 grounding.
The airline, which was grounded for more than 12 months due to financial difficulties, relaunched domestic flights on 27 March 2012 with flights between Jakarta and Medan, and has now recommenced international services with a new route connecting Medan and Singapore.
The airline, which is part-owned by Singapore-based Tiger Airways, now flies daily between Singapore and Medan, the capital of North Sumatra. Services depart Medan’s Polonia International Airport at 0720 each day, arriving in Singapore at 0945. The return service leaves Singapore’s Changi airport at 1040, arriving back into Medan at 1100.
“Mandala Airlines is excited to serve the Indonesian community once again, and our current low-cost business model provides consumers more options for safe and reliable air travel at great value fares. Mandala Airlines is committed to providing business and leisure travellers better connectivity on both domestic and international routes at attractive fares, so look out for upcoming announcements,” said the airline’s President Director, Mike Coltman.
Mandala’s new business strategy will see it operate low-cost services to destinations within a five-hour flying radius of Jakarta. Like Tiger, it will operate a fleet of all Airbus A320s.