Reports today suggest that Qantas is looking to buy its way onto the lucrative Indonesian market through a partial acquisition of low cost carrier AdamAir.
The Jakarta-based airline’s chief executive, Gunawan Suherman, told the Indonesian state news agency Antara last Friday that Qantas wanted a 30 per cent stake in AdamAir. He said he was preparing to sell 20 per cent.
A Qantas spokeswoman declined to say whether it was planning to buy into AdamAir, but confirmed Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon and chief financial officer Peter Gregg had recently talked with AdamAir.
Last year Jetstar Asia absorbed the financially-stricken Valuair, whose most valuable asset appeared to be its air rights into the growing Indonesian market.
Buying a stake in AdamAir would give Qantas access to 20-odd air routes in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets. AdamAir has a fleet of 15 737s. The Indonesian Government has already endorsed Qantas’s link-up with AdamAir.
