Wings Air, Owned By Conglomerate Rusdi Kirana, Denies Stopping Balikpapan-Tanjung Selor Flight Operations

Wings Air plane. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Wings Air (flight code IW) a member of the Lion Air Group has denied the termination of the flight operations for the Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) - Tanjung Selor (Bulungan, North Kalimantan) route and vice versa.

Corporate Communications Strategic of Wings Air, Danang Mandala Prihantoro said flights still operate on a scheduled basis (regular flights) every day, 7 times a week.

"It is not true that Wings Air has canceled all flight services on the intended route. Flight operational services are adjusted to market demand or the 'seat load factor' (passenger occupancy rate)," he said, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 23.

The flight service in question is from Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan (BPN) to Tanjung Harapan Airport in Tanjung Selor, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan (TJS).

Wings Air, he said, always evaluates the market based on the development of the situation and conditions with the aim of carrying out flight operations properly.

Flights on the BPN - TJS route are operated with ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 (propeller / propeller) aircraft with a capacity of 72 economy class.

Wings Air, the airline owned by the conglomerate Rusdi Kirana, serves scheduled passenger flights on one island to connect between cities, between districts to the sub-district level, including in East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan.

Previously, the news of Wings Air not operating was conveyed by the Head of Tanjung Harapan Airport, Sofyan Palanro, who stated that a few days ago there were no flights.

"Information we received, they are still waiting for the rotation of the aircraft fleet. We cannot confirm when they will re-enter," he said.

Sofyan also estimates that the shortage of avtur fuel is the reason Wings Air stops operating.

Responding to this, Andi Nasuha, Head of the Air Transportation Division of the North Kalimantan Provincial Transportation Service, also promised to immediately confirm it.