JAKARTA: Riau Airlines on Tuesday began flights between the Riau

JAKARTA: Riau Airlines on Tuesday began flights between the Riau
provincial capital Pekanbaru and Singapore, company officials
said.

A Fokker 50 aircraft will fly the route on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays. Riau Airlines, which began operating in December
2002, is owned by the provincial administration and operates two
Fokker 50s.

It currently serves three routes linking Pekanbaru with
islands in the province, including the Natuna islands in the
South China Sea.

The setting up of airlines by regional governments is a new
trend that has emerged since the decentralzation policy was
introduced two years ago. Resource rich provinces such as Papua
and the Riau Islands have been the pioneers.

Riau has major oil and gas reserves and a number of
multinational corporations have operated for years in the
province, given the province abundant wealth to spur its
development. -- AFP