Indonesian start-up Pacific Royale Airways plans to begin operations in March and compete in the full-service segment.
It will be based in Jakarta, with hubs in Surabaya, Medan and Batam, said the airline. It will operate initially in the domestic market, and then expand to the regional and international markets, said its chairman and founder Tarun Trikha.
The company will start with a fleet of two Airbus A320s to serve trunk routes and two Fokker F50s for feeder services. Within the first year, it plans to have five F50s, four A320s and one Airbus A330-300.
The F50s will be purchased, while the Airbus aircraft will be leased.
"We wish to provide our passengers with a differentiation in services from on-ground, in-flight to post-flight that makes us different from existing airlines," said Trikha, an Indian national who owns 49% of the airline.
Indonesian businessman Goenarni Gunawan owns the remaining 51% of Pacific Royale, which its owners say will find a niche in a market dominated by Garuda in the full-service segment.
"Our mission at Pacific Royale Airways is to enter Indonesia's market to address the public concerns in flight safety, punctuality and good services," said the airline's CEO Samudra Sukardi, a former Garuda senior executive.
Garuda's subsidiary GMF AeroAsia will provide line maintenance and overhaul services, while the airline has also signed up in-flight entertainment provider Lumexis for its A320s.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
