Sumatra to have its own airline

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A group of provincial administrations in Sumatra have agreed to jointly launch an airline called Sumatra Airlines, which will link all cities on the island.

North Sumatra Governor Rizal Nurdin, who is also the acting coordinator of the nine provincial administrations, said on Tuesday that the airline would operate by the end of this year.

He said that a company based in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, had been assigned to operate the airline, namely Musita Tour and Travel.

The company will need some Rp 50 billion (US$5.3 million) yearly to operate the airline. -- JP