Singapore says 'still unable' to OK AWAIR flights
Singapore says 'still unable' to OK AWAIR flights
Dow Jones, Singapore
The Singapore air authority early on Friday said it still can't
approve Indonesian low cost carrier PT AWAIR's application to fly
to Singapore as Indonesia's restriction on foreign LCCs remains
in place.
"The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is still unable to
approve AWAIR's proposed Jakarta-Singapore operations as
Indonesia's low cost carrier restriction that affects carriers
like AWAIR, Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia is still in place," a
spokeswoman for the industry regulator said.
"This issue will be further discussed between the authorities
of Singapore and Indonesia in due course," she added.
Another Indonesian airline, Adam Air, however has been given
the green light by CAAS.
"Based on the operating model provided by Adam Air, we do not
consider the airline a low cost carrier. We approved its
application to operate from Jakarta to Singapore on Oct. 5,
2005," the CAAS spokeswoman said.
"Adam Air will operate a daily Jakarta-Singapore service from
Changi Airport Terminal 1 and intends to increase to three daily
services," she added.
AWAIR -- an associate of Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd. -- applied to
ply the Singapore-Jakarta route early this year but failed to get
approval from the CAAS.
The Indonesian LCC hasn't pursued the matter since.
Indonesia at that time banned foreign LCCs from flying to
Jakarta, Bali, Medan and Surabaya in what analysts said was a
move to protect national carrier PT Garuda Indonesia and other
local airlines.
Indonesia's move affected the plans of two Singapore-based
LCCs -- Singapore Airlines associate Tiger Airways and Qantas
Airways' associate Jetstar Asia.
Tiger had applied for landing rights to Jakarta and Medan
while Jetstar Asia had applied to fly to Jakarta and Surabaya.
However, local media reported that the Indonesian government
has denied that it is restricting foreign budget airlines from
flying to the four major cities in the country, asking the
airlines to first make use of the landing rights for other cities
that have already been issued.