The president director of aerospace manufacturer Dirgantara Indonesia has met with the governor of Indonesia's Riau Islands province to discuss operating N219 turboprops there and the implementation of block seat subsidies by the provincial government.
As reported by the local-language BandungOke news outlet, Gita Amperiawan met Governor Ansar Ahmad and other officials in Tanjung Pinang on November 25 to talk about the potential for commercial operations of Dirgantara-manufactured aircraft in the region and how the provincial government can help make it happen.
The Riau Islands, a chain of more than 2,000 islands located between Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and Borneo, is home to over 2.1 million people, the primary airports including Batam, Tanjung Pinang, Singkep, Tanjung Balai, and Jemaja Island. The 19-seater N219 is seen as well suited for intra-provincial routes such as Tanjung Pinang-Tambelan, Dabo Singkep-Batam, and Letung-Natuna Ranai.
Ahmad supports the initiative and has agreed to establish a mechanism whereby a certain number of seats on each flight are subsidised. This is to ensure airfares remain affordable and flights are viable.
It is not known if an established carrier will operate these proposed flights or if the provincial government wants to set up a new airline. However, the report said the government wanted to sign a letter of intent with Dirgantara Indonesia by the end of the year and have the aircraft in operation by the end of 2026.
ch-aviation has contacted the office of Governor Ansar Ahmad for comment.
