Conglomerate Rusdi Kirana's Wings Air Is Still At A Loss After Protests Against Tariff Violations In Maluku

Wings Air plane. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The management of the Lion Air Group belonging to the conglomerate Rusdi Kirana, issued a statement that Wings Air's operations with ATR aircraft or propeller types are still at a loss, after the airline's management was reported to have violated the upper limit fare by the Mathilda Batlayeri Saumlaki Airport Authority in the Archipelago Regency. Tanimbar, Maluku Province.

"Utilization or utilization rate of the operation of the ATR 72 propeller or propeller type aircraft operated by Wings Air is not only not optimal, but also the avtur price is more expensive than the avtur price at big airports. This is because it serves pioneer flights. or small airports at the sub-district level, so that operations are at a loss. For the operation of the ATR aircraft type, it is not like a jet," said Corporate Communications Strategic of Lion Air Group Danang Mandala Prihantoro, in a press statement, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, August 10.

He explained that flight services, especially Wings Air, whose entire fleet is operated by the ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 (propeller) types to reach destination cities at the sub-district and district level on inter-island routes to the outer islands, recorded an average of 200 flight frequencies. every day.

The operation is still experiencing losses due to the non-optimal utilization of the ATR 72 aircraft due to serving pioneering areas, in addition to the avtur fuel price being more expensive than the avtur price at major airports.

Even though they are still at a loss, Wings Air with ATR aircraft will continue to serve the flight network with consideration of efforts to contribute to government programs in line with the regional and national economic recovery phase. Wings Air helps to create interconnected transportation between sub-districts, between districts and between districts and big cities.

"Wings Air flights with ATR 72 aircraft are connected to Lion Air Group flight services, which are operated using narrow body and wide body aircraft at large airports as the main hub," he said.

In addition, he stated that Wings Air flights support the smoothness of community mobility and logistics in a fast, safe and secure manner. ATR 72 aircraft accommodate direct flights (point to point) precisely or according to airport infrastructure in areas up to the sub-district level.

Previously, the Head of the Airport Operator Unit (UPBU) Mathilda Batlayeri Saumlaki, Akhmad Romi, stated that he had reported the management of the Wings Air airline because of the alleged violation of the upper limit for ticket increases exceeding the provisions for flights on the Ambon route to Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands Regency, Maluku.

"We submitted a report to the authority's office in Manado, and the head office in Jakarta Cq. Air Transport Directorate," said Akhmad Romi in Saumlaki, Friday (5/8).

He explained that the management of Wings Air from the Lion Air Group had committed a violation because it increased ticket fares beyond the Decree of the Minister of Transportation or KM Number 68 of 2022 concerning the Amount of Additional Charges (Fuel Surcharge) for Economy Class Passengers for Domestic Scheduled Commercial Air Transport.

According to the provisions, propeller-type aircraft are only allowed to increase the ticket price to a maximum of 20 percent of the previous total price. However, he said that Wings Air raised the price of airline tickets past the maximum ticket price.

"Indeed, currently there is a unilateral increase by Wings Air for the Ambon-Saumlaki flight route, which is around Rp. 2,300,000 to Rp. 2,400,000. This is indeed a violation of KM rule number 68 of 2022," he said.

The ticket price for the Ambon-Saumlaki route was originally around Rp. 700,000 to Rp. 1,174,000. Wings Air is the only direct flight from Ambon to Saumlaki, which is the outermost area in Maluku Province.

Therefore, he said that as the organizer of Saumlaki Akhmad Airport, he had submitted a report that there had been a violation of the upper limit fare.