Brief profile of new players

Airmark: Operates two 26-seat CASA-212 aircraft on two routes: Denpasar-Mataram and Denpasar-Sumbawa. Airmark also plans to serve two additional routes, namely Bandung-Jakarta-Tanjung Karang and Bandung-Semarang.

Awair: Flies from Jakarta to five domestic destinations, namely Balikpapan, Denpasar, Medan, Makassar and Surabaya, and to Singapore, using three Airbus A-310-300 aircraft. It's been licensed to ply 27 domestic and 28 international routes. This year it will operate A-300s to expand its services to various domestic destinations as well as to Japan, South Korea, Australia and Europe.

Bayu Indonesia Air: Previously operating as a charter airline, Bayu Indonesia is owned by the former chairman of the Indonesian National Air Carrier Association (INACA), Soelarto Hadisoemarto. With considerable experience in the air cargo business, Bayu Indonesia Air now links Jakarta, Medan and Penang with its Boeing B737-200 jet. It plans to serve 20 domestic and seven international destinations using an additional eight aircraft.

Deraya: Deraya mostly serves commuter flights in Kalimantan and Sulawesi. The airline recently began a thrice daily Jakarta- Bandung service with two 30-seat Short3-30 aircraft.

Deraya, part of the Boedihardjo Group, which deals with transportation, is experienced in serving domestic routes. With a fleet of 25 aircraft, Deraya's commuter flights include routes of Pontianak-Ketapang, Pontianak-Pangkalan Bun, Ketapang-Pangkalan Bun, Semarang-Pangkalan Bun, Semarang-Ketapang and Semarang- Pontianak.

Indonesian Airlines Avi Patria: Licensed to serve 46 domestic routes. Its maiden flight on the Jakarta-Surabaya route will commence this year. The airline will operate two B737-200s leased from Air France. It is working with British Airways for passenger safety management and Garuda for aircraft maintenance.

Lion Airlines: Currently serves routes of Pekanbaru-Singapore, Jakarta-Pontianak, Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur-Surabaya by operating four B-737-200s and Russian YAK42D aircraft.

Pelita Air Service: The company, controlled by the state oil company Pertamina, connects Jakarta with Yogyakarta, Makassar, Bengkulu, Pangkal Pinang, Pontianak and Kendari. Pelita Air also operates a Yogyakarta-Surabaya-Makassar-Kendari route. Running a charter service for years, it operates four Fokker F-28 and one F-70 aircraft in its regular service.

Star Air: This airlines will begin its Jakarta-Surabaya, Jakarta-Makassar and Jakarta-Medan route in May, by operating two Boeing 737-200 aircraft. Star Air, established in May last year, is partly owned by Dwipusaka Abadi, a holding company of tour and travel agents Anta Tour, Vaya Tour and Ramada Bintang Bali Hotel. It expects to serve international flights including to China, Hong Kong, the United States and Europe by operating B-767-200 and B-747-400 jets within the first five years of operation.