Lion Air runs charter flights from Batam to Busan, Incheon

Indonesia's largest low-cost carrier Lion Air has launched new charter flights from Batam to two Korean cities, Busan and Incheon, as part of its attempts to expand its charter business. To run the service, scheduled once every four days, it uses Boeing 737 Max 8, which can carry 175 passengers. The airline made its maiden flight from Batam’s Hang Nadim International Airport to Busan on Dec. 23, while it kicked off its first flight from the same airport to Incheon on Dec. 24. Lion Air Group spokesperson Ramaditya Handoko said that to help lure Korean tourists to Indonesia, the company had collaborated with two Korean travel agencies, namely Global Aviation Alliance Co. Ltd. and Sky Angkor Air. “We plan to operate the charter flights until March 2018 and if possible extend the period of service, or even make it a regular one,” he recently said. Ramaditya added that Lion Air was also considering opening a new charter route to other Korean cities, such as Seoul.<br/>