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flee

Lion's Batik Air to up the competition in Southeast Asia

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Batik_787_K65681-01.medtb..jpg

PHOTO © Boeing

 

Indonesia's airline market is set to get even more competitive in 2013 when Lion Air's new premium carrier begins operations.

 

Batik Air will launch services in 2013 with Boeing 737-900ERs on domestic and regional routes. Lion has just signed a commitment for five Boeing 787s for its subsidiary, with its president director Rusdi Kirana previously saying the airline hopes to have widebodies by 2015.

 

Much of the recent growth and competition in Indonesia has centred around the short-haul, and in particular, low-cost segments, and Lion's move to get widebodies signals that the upstarts are targeting the legacy carriers in Southeast Asia in the long-haul segment too.

 

Batik is likely to base its aircraft in Manado, a city in the northern region of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, offering possibly easier and faster connections to Northeast Asia and other parts of the Asia-Pacific.

 

"Right now, if I want to go to Tokyo, [i will] have to go from Singapore or Jakarta. This will take the same time as from Manado, and the government is also keen to make this city the gateway to Asia-Pacific," Rusdi told Flightglobal in an earlier interview.

 

Rusdi dismissed concerns about overcapacity in Indonesia because of the fleet expansion plans of Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air. He believes that the Indonesian market has room to operate up to 1,000 aircraft.

 

"If you look at how many people there are in America, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia and compare the ASKs, we have 230 million people, but our ASKs are much, much lower than Singapore's. We have the chance to grow," said Rusdi.

 

While Batik will provide competition to flag carrier Garuda Indonesia in the premium segment, the entry of several long-haul, low-cost carriers in Southeast Asia could put even more pressure on the existing full-service airlines in the region.

 

Malaysia's AirAsia X, Qantas subsidiary Jetstar and Qantas's Singapore-based affiliate Jetstar Asia were the first to start long-haul, low-cost services, and were joined by Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot earlier this month. Next year, Cebu Pacific from the Philippines will also begin long-haul services.

 

That will put pressure on the likes of Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, Philippine Airlines and Garuda Indonesia to rejuvenate their fleets and raise the bar in terms of service levels in order to hold on to their existing passengers in the face of an increasingly competitive market.

 

Source: http://www.flightglo...st-asia-372803/

Edited by flee

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I hope the seating is better than Lion Air who have the most cramped and uncomfortable seats I’ve ever experienced

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This 739ER has its extra exit doors deactivated. I guess Batik Air is a hybrid LCC just like Malindoair ?

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From my reading, Batik Air is a premium airline. They wanted to take on Garuda. Based on my readings as well, the interior will be somewhat identical to Malindo.

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Batik Air's first B739 (PK-LBG) is expected to arrive KUL this morning between 0500-0530LT frm Guam.

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Flee, it was listed on flightaware and I've checked flightradar24.

I believe it went to KUL first, later to CGK at sunrise.

 

lbg3_zps7c69a055.jpg

 

lbg2_zpse100d715.jpg

 

lbg_zps3d2d7d92.jpg

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I tried a brief search on Flightaware and FR24 and it seems that the plane is still at KLIA.

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If i'm not mistaken - Batik Air may eventually shift base to KUL. In the early stages of Malindo, discussions included the basing of the 5 B787 Dreamliners ordered for Batik in KUL - so it would seem that Batik Air delivery visit into KUL is to show perhaps NADI and other investors the model. Also, it may also be indications of the acceptance of future deliveries via KUL for AIROD inspections - another major component of the deal between NADI and Lion Group for MRO services.

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The Batik Air aircraft was spotted in CGK yesterday, parked at the low-cost (?) terminal.

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Thought I read somewhere that tomorrow 25/4 is inaugural flight but route unknown.

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The batik tail looks nice and classy, But i cannot stand the Batik typefont. Looks so amateurish to me.

Yes , UGLY UGLY TYPEFACE , looks cheap and off the shelve typeface .

Typical aesthetics issues .

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Positioning itself as premium but serving prepacked sandwiches??

Guess they are still new. Or its serve as a snack. Similar to MAS snack box for short sector.

 

On Malindo side, they serve the same sandwich. They are low cost, but giving out sandwich and bottle of drinks for free. And passengers are actually not limited to 1. Because i politely ask if it is possible to have 1 more. And the stewardest replied "possible. 1 or 2 more?"

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Batik Air's third B739 (PK-LBM) is expected to arrive KUL today between 1445-1700L.

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Positioning itself as premium but serving prepacked sandwiches??

 

No pre-packed sandwiches but hot meal on its flight to BPN. Looks good based on this Trip Report on Indoflyer.net

 

http://www.indoflyer.net/forum/tm.asp?m=649344

 

There seems to be some details to work out still but if maintained at this level, Batik Air is seriously giving GA a run for its money. It is good to have a good competition to GA in the Indonesian domestic market.

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