Mandala serves Bengkulu

JAKARTA (JP): PT Mandala Airlines, which is owned by Indonesia's Armed Forces, inaugurated yesterday its maiden flight from Jakarta to Bengkulu in southern Sumatra.

The airline will use Fokker 28 aircraft on the new route twice a week.

The Jakarta-Bengkulu route was previously served only by Merpati Nusantara Airlines, which also flies from Bengkulu to neighboring city Palembang, three times a week.

Mandala said it plans to expand the Jakarta-Bengkulu route to Padang in West Sumatra to promote tourism activities in the region. (hen)