Welcome to Himalaya Airlines, Airbus A320-200!

Water salute for the first aircraft of Himalaya Airlines! 

On Wednesday, 9 March 2016, Himalaya Airlines welcomed its first Airbus A320-200 aircraft. This aircraft also become the first aircraft of Himalaya Airlines. The new aircraft, with the registration number 9N-ALM, landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal at 2:25 pm today. The aircraft was delivered from Chengdu, China and configurated with 158 seats (8 business seats and 150 economy seats). The airline will operate international flights for the first time in April 2016 with Doha in Qatar and New Delhi in India.

Garuda Indonesia Will Fly From Jakarta to Silangit

PK-GRF, one of Garuda Indonesia’s Bombardier CRJ1000 aircraft

Garuda Indonesia, the flag-carrier airline of Indonesia announced if they would fly from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Silangit Airport in Silangit. The first flight of Jakarta-Silangit route was scheduled on 23 March 2016. This route will be operated by Garuda Indonesia's regional fleet, Bombardier CRJ1000 three times in a week.

The reason of Garuda Indonesia to open this route is to develop tourism in Silangit, especially Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world, and one of the tourism object in Indonesia.

Two Years of Hope for All of Them that Perished on MH370

9M-MRO, the missing plane at Frankfurt am Main International Airport

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 is now nearly two years after 9M-MRO, the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft that operated flight 370 disappeared over South China Sea with 239 souls on board on 8 March 2014, last year. The flight was believed to crash somewhere in South China Sea. After the disappearance of MH370, search for the aircraft were held. But, the satellite data indicated after disappeared from radar screen on 01:22 Malaysian Time, the plane was kept flying toward Southern Indian Ocean and believed crash somewhere in the Southern Indian Ocean.

Search was held in Southern Indian Ocean after that. But, two years of search did not return any results. No debris found in Southern Indian Ocean. The only evidence from flight 370 is the flaperon that found in La Réunion Island on 30 July 2015. Then, on 2 March 2016, a possible debris was found off the coast of Mozambique. The debris may be from Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Now, the debris is on the way to Australia for analysis. 

After two years disappeared, there is still a hope for the aircraft to be found. Now, Rest in Peace for all those who perished onboard Malaysia Airlines flight 370, and God will give strenght and hope to all the families, relatives, and friends of the passengers and crews of flight 370.

Indonesian President, Joko Widodo Orders Garuda Indonesia to Fly to Silangit Airport

Silangit Airport

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo requested Garuda Indonesia to open a new route to Lake Toba tourism site by flying to the Silangit airport in North Tapanuli Regency.

"By the end of March 2016, I have forced three of Garuda flights to go to [Lake] Toba," Jokowi said during a meeting at the Niagara Hotel in Prapat, Simalungun Regency on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. The President also said that he has decided to restore and improve the Silangit Airport.

"I have decided that the [airport] terminal will be restored, the runway to be expanded and extended to accommodate Boeing [airplanes]," Jokowi said following an inspection of the airport. Jokowi also said that the airport’s improvement must be started by the end of 2016 at the latest.

“We have to work fast because we want to rebrand [Lake Toba]. Conduct more promotion, restart everything for a rebranding. Hopefully, [Lake Toba] will attract domestic and foreign tourist,” Jokowi said.