Lion Air's maiden flight to Spore

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Tickets for Lion Air's Jakarta-Singapore flights for November have sold out, which may indicate a desire for the services of the low-cost airline.

The first of what is to be a service that flies from Jakarta to Singapore four times a day departs Tuesday.

Several travel agents contacted by The Jakarta Post over the weekend said all flights were fully booked until the first week of December.

"It may be because of cheap tickets and the holiday season," a travel agency staff member said.

Hasyim Arsal Alhabsi, Lion Air's public relations manager, told The Post over the weekend that the company had deliberately decided to launch the Jakarta-Singapore service during the peak season to anticipate the increasing number of passengers as well as to give a better "psychological effect" for the company.

Lion Air will use 152-seat planes on the route, which will depart from Jakarta at 7:10 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 5:45 p.m daily.

"A return Singapore-Jakarta ticket costs US$90, excluding tax and insurance, for economy class," Hasyim said. Including tax and insurance, tickets cost $121.

He said the price was about 33 percent lower than those offered by other airlines for the same route.

"Different from other low-cost airlines, we will offer hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches or bread during the flight."

Hasyim said Lion Air would offer a business class next month.

Lion Air, first established in 2000, now has 23 aircraft and plans to increase its fleet to 33 in 2004. It is now flying to 32 cities across the country and plans to expand its routes to 56 cities next year.

With its new service, Lion Air will be engaged in head-on competition with established airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia, to capitalize on one of the region's busiest routes.

Both airlines refused to comment on the impact of Lion Air's service.