Landing strips to be leased

Landing strips to be leased

BATAM: Air Hongkong, a Hongkong-based airline company, is set to
rent landing strips at Hang Nadim Airport in Batam so that its
pilots can be trained there.

Dwi Djoko Wiwoho, the spokesman of Batam Industrial
Development Authority -- which oversees the running of the
airport -- said on Saturday that the agreement to lease the
landing strips had been inked in a memorandum of understanding
between Batam Industrial Development Authority and Air Hongkong
on Wednesday last week.

"The agreement will take effect on Nov. 8," said Djoko, adding
that the contract will last for five years, until 2008.

Under the contract, Air Hongkong will be allowed to use the
landing strips for training purposes only. The airline will be
charged 25 percent of the fees paid by commercial airplanes each
time a plane lands. The landing fee for commercial planes is
currently US$1,000.

Hang Nadim airport, which was built in 1990, boasts the
longest landing strip in Asia.

Currently, the airport only serves domestic flight for six
airlines, namely Garuda Indonesian Airways, Bouraq, Jatayu, Lion,
Mandala and Merpati Airlines. -- JP