21 December, 2021 (Jakarta) – After almost two years of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kertajati Airport (KJT) in West Java saw its first cargo flight depart today with leading regional cargo carrier Asia Cargo Airlines heading for Syarif Kasim II airport in Riau with a load of 12 tonnes on a Boeing 737-300F.
Speaking at the official relaunch of Kertajati Airport, Marco Isaak, Group CEO of Asia Cargo Network (which owns Asia Cargo Airlines) said, “With the combination of the overall easing of restrictions and the pent-up market demand, there is no better time to work towards turning Kertajati airport into the logistics hub of Indonesia, just as it was initially designed for.”
“We have been working closely with government agencies over the last few months with this shared vision in mind, and we will be investing over the next 12 months to help Kertajati Airport attain this status,” announced Isaak.
Also attending the official ceremony were the Chairman of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI), H. Bambang Soesatyo, SE., MBA; The Minister of Transportation, Ir. Budi Karya; The Governor of Jawa Barat, Ridwan Kamil, ST., M.Ud; President director of JNE, Mohamad Feriadi; and President Director of Kertajati West Java International Airport (BIJB), Muhamad Singgih.
For this first route, Asia Cargo Airlines will initially transport 15-16 tonnes on one outbound flight per day, five days a week. In the coming weeks, the airline plans to triple the number of flights by mid-January 2022. The airline is also in the process of securing more flight operations domestically before broadening its reach internationally.
In another key announcement, Chairman Bambang Soesatyo, shared plans of a partnership with Blackstone Airlines, the latest venture from the Asia Cargo Network Group. The partnership will be focussed on launching cargo operations in February 2022, and Umrah and Haj flights into Saudi Arabia for passengers later next year.
Blackstone Airlines will also be launching a pilot programme using drones to make deliveries within the Indonesia island chain in the coming months.
Asia Cargo Network, Group CEO, Marco Isaak added, “The Asia Cargo Network group, with our two airlines actively operating in the Southeast Asian region, is now more capable than ever to provide the market with the best services needed for air cargo deliveries. We look forward to furthering the future of the industry in this region.”
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