SilkAir to inaugurate services to Pekanbaru

The airline launches its eighth Indonesian destination to further boost travel between the two countries.

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will add the 34th destination to its route network with the launch of thrice-weekly flights between Singapore and the Indonesian city of Pekanbaru in February 2011.

Pekanbaru will be the airline’s eighth Indonesian destination after Balikpapan, Lombok, Manado, Medan, Palembang, Solo and Surabaya. The capital of Riau in Sumatra, Pekanbaru will be another major gateway into Indonesia from Singapore.

Subject to regulatory approvals, SilkAir will operate morning services between Singapore and Pekanbaru on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning 28 February 2011.

“We are very excited to announce the addition of Pekanbaru to the SilkAir network. We see good prospects for continued growth in air traffic between Singapore and Indonesia and believe that the launch of our eighth Indonesian destination will further boost travel between the two countries,” said Mr Marvin Tan, SilkAir’s Chief Executive in a SingAir report.

Pekanbaru’s established role as a base for international oil companies and the pulp and paper industry presents promising prospects for corporate travel and airfreight. For customers from Pekanbaru, the new service will offer direct flights to Singapore and the convenience of onward connections to more than 90 international cities in the joint Singapore Airlines-SilkAir network.

Pekanbaru also offers a number of cultural and leisure attractions, such as the Great Mosque of An-Nur, Riau Cultural Park, the Sang Nila Utama Museum and numerous traditional markets including Pasar Bawah and Pasar Tengeh.