AirAsia today officiated its newest hub on the island of Lombok in Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province.
AirAsia’s new Lombok hub is part of ongoing efforts to support the Indonesian government and Ministry of Tourism’s initiative to develop Lombok as one of “10 New Balis”.
At the officiating ceremony, AirAsia unveiled a specially designed livery featuring Lombok’s tourism icons, such as the majestic Mount Rinjani and the underwater charm of the Gili islands, which are located to the northwest of Lombok.
The Airbus A320 aircraft with registration code PK-AXU will operate the recently announced flights from Lombok’s Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport to Perth, Australia beginning 9 June 2019, as well as connect domestic destinations such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali in the near future.
Indonesian Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya said, “Thank you, AirAsia, for making Lombok a hub and also supporting the Wonderful Indonesia campaign with this amazing aircraft livery. In developing tourism destinations, I always use the 3As formula: Attractions, Access, Amenities. What AirAsia has done is aligned with this, especially Access.
“AirAsia has made the right choice by picking Lombok as Mandalika has been selected one of the 10 New Balis. Backed by its natural beauty and cultural heritage, the number of international visitors to Lombok has been rapidly growing, and we truly appreciate AirAsia’s cooperation in helping us to develop Indonesian tourism.”
Indonesian Director General of Air Transport Polana B Pramesti said, “The officiating of AirAsia’s Lombok hub is a positive move, especially in growing the number of international visitors. Nonetheless, airlines are required to continue ensuring safety, security, service and compliance to aviation regulations.”
AirAsia Indonesia CEO Dendy Kurniawan said, “We are very pleased to inaugurate our newest hub here in Lombok, a destination with rich tourism charms, and one that holds a special place in many people’s hearts. Today’s announcement will not only enhance international and domestic connectivity, but also create local job opportunities, stimulate tourism growth, and contribute to Lombok’s vitally important visitor economy.”
AirAsia will also launch a number of sustainability initiatives following relief efforts by its philanthropic arm, AirAsia Foundation, which has worked with Yayasan Arkom Indonesia to build temporary shelters and residential areas on the island following a series of earthquakes in 2018.
Kurniawan added: “Data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism shows that AirAsia continues to be the largest contributor of international visitors to the country, accounting for around 3.2 million foreign arrivals or 25% of all international visitors to Indonesia last year. With two aircraft being based in Lombok, today’s announcement affirms AirAsia’s commitment to support tourism here in Indonesia by helping to develop Lombok into one of the 10 New Balis, and we hope our new livery slogan ‘I Love Lombok’ will encourage more people to visit our new home.”
Lombok is AirAsia’s fifth hub in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan and Bali. Since commencing flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Lombok in 2012, AirAsia has carried more than one million international visitors to the island.
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Lombok – Perth Flight Schedule
Effective 9 June 2019
Lombok – Kuala Lumpur Flight Schedule
Effective 8 May 2019
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