AirAsia has officially opened its latest Indonesian hub.
Lombok International Airport becomes AirAsia’s fifth hub in Indonesia, and marked the occasion with a specially designed Airbus A320 emblazoned with Lombok’s famed tourist attractions including Mount Rinjani and the Gili Islands.
AirAsia has been serving Lombok since 2012 when it launched flights from Kuala Lumpur and now plans to ramp up services starting with nonstop flights from Perth next month.
Three flights a week begin from June 9, 2019 and there are high hopes it will be a catalyst for expanded service and more international routes.
Despite being considered as a burgeoning tourism hotspot for several years, it hasn’t taken off quite as expected due to lack of airlift.
AirAsia is also mulling Singapore flights from Lombok as well as domestic routes including Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
"Data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism shows that AirAsia continues to be the largest contributor of international visitors to the country, accounting for around 3.2 million foreign arrivals or 25% of all international visitors to Indonesia last year," said AirAsia Indonesia CEO Dendy Kurniawan.
"It will not only enhance international and domestic connectivity, but also create local job opportunities, stimulate tourism growth, and contribute to Lombok’s vitally important visitor economy."
AirAsia also operates hubs in Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan and Bali.
