Indonesian LCC Super Air Jet is now one year old and sticking to its policy of an Airbus A320-200 aircraft fleet for its domestic operations.
This week, Indonesia's newest low-cost carrier, Super Air Jet, added another Airbus A320 to its fleet. The aircraft was the last of ten that have been leased from CDB Aviation and introduced to service over the last 18 months.
Super Air Jet operates a single aircraft type, the Airbus A320-200, and according to Planespotters.net, it has 27 in-service with six others parked. The data shows that an Airbus A320-200, registration PK-STF was delivered to Super Air Jet on Tuesday following a ferry flight from Abu Dhabi via Chennai to Jakarta.
That aircraft had been first delivered to India's IndiGo in October 2012, registered as VT-IFE and withdrawn from service in July 2021. Since then, it has been stored at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) before this week's ferry flight to Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK). All of the Super Air Jet A320-200s are configured in a one-class 180-seat layout.
Super Air Jet is a domestic low-cost carrier operating on point-to-point routes to 16 destinations. It primarily targets younger or 'new-generation' passengers on flights between islands in Indonesia, such as Batam. It describes itself as a "digital pioneer and implementer of cutting edge technology to elevate the experiences of next generations of flyers in Indonesia."
The muscle behind the startup is Rusdi Kirana, who previously launched Lion Air Indonesia, Thai Lion Air, Malindo Air, Batik Air and Wings Air. Super Air Jet commenced operations in August 2021, within weeks of receiving its Air Operators Certificate from Indonesia's Civil Aviation Authority.
CBD Aviation is a wholly-owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co (CBD Leasing). As well as structuring leases for aviation, CBD Leasing has been involved in ship, commercial vehicle, infrastructure and construction machinery leasing and enjoys a Chinese sovereign credit rating. CBD Aviation head of commercial, Asia-Pacific, Ryan Barrett, said:
"We are pleased to have been part of the launch of Super Air Jet as they eye further growth in their share of Indonesia's domestic market, expanding their low-fare route network and connecting all key regions of the country."
His colleague and CBD Aviation chief marketing officer, Peter Goodman, added that Super Air Jet's (SAJ) growth prospects in Indonesia are very promising.
"Our team's prerogative was to provide the most attractive financing terms and the right scale of leased aircraft to aptly support SAJ's growth trajectory and low-unit cost operating model for the foreseeable future."
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The ferry flight was operated on two legs and covered a total of 4,088 miles (6,580 kilometers). The first leg was from Abu Dhabi AUH to Chennai International Airport (MAA) and then onwards to Jakarta CGK. It was scheduled to start operations today on flight UI766, from CGK to Lombok International Airport (LOP) and return, but according to Flightradar24.com, the flight was canceled.
Their data has the aircraft scheduled to operate two return trips from Jakarta to Medan's Kuala Namu International Airport (KNO) tomorrow. The youngest A320 in SAJ's fleet is 8.5 years, while the oldest is 17.8 years, which today operated a service between Jakarta and Batam Hang Nadim Airport (BTH).
It would be great to hear from anyone who has flown with Super Air Jet about their experience.
Journalist – A professional aviation journalist writing across the industry spectrum. Michael uses his MBA and corporate business experience to go behind the obvious in search of the real story. A strong network of senior aviation contacts mixed with a boyhood passion for airplanes helps him share engaging content with fellow devotees. Based in Melbourne, Australia.