Citlink To Open Regular Flight Between Manado And China

Manado, North Sulawesi, July 18 (Antara) - Indonesia`s low cost carrier Citilink said it would open regular flights between Manado and China later this year.

So far the subsidiary of the nation`s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, has served chartered flights for tourists from China to Manado.

In the second half of this year, the airline will carry thousands of Chinese tourists to Manado on chartered flight, Citilink District Sales Manager Tia Nugraha said here on Monday .

Until August, 2016, around 3,000 Chinese tourists are expected to fly to Manado with Citilink on chartered flights.

Some of them including from Hong Kong already arrived in Manado on July 12 with 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

The airline is also studying the possibility of opening direct flight between Manado and Singapore as many people from Manado chose to spend their holidays in Singapore.

The airline is still studying the business profitability of opening the new route, Tia said.

Sriwijaya Air also plans regular flight between Manado and Gungzhou, China later this year.

On Saturday, Sriwijaya Air carried 189 Chinese tourists to Manado in its first flight between Guangzhou, China, and the North Sulawesi capital city on a chartered flight.

The Boeing 737 800 NG of the Indonesian airline arrived in Manado in the morning on Saturday.

An official of the airline said Sriwijaya is considering opening direct flight between a number of other cities in China with Manado, adding demand for flights to Manado is high in demand in China.

Another Indonesian airline, Lion Air, has also made its first flights carrying tourists from China to Manado on chartered flight. ***1***

(AS/o001)

(T.SYS/B/H-ASG/O001) 18-07-2016 11:09:32