BBN Airlines Indonesia started operating daily flights between Jakarta and Surabaya with its AOC approval in March and increased its operations to be the 14th passenger airline in the country.

With the launch of daily flights between Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport and Surabaya BBN Airlines Indonesia has entered the scheduled passenger sector. The airline launched its operations with flights 7B763 and 7B764 using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft called PK-BBH.

Avia Solutions Group's subsidiary acquired its air operator's certificate from the civil aviation authority (Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Udara - DJPU) in March. Until recently BBN Airlines acted as a contractor to other operators by delivering aircraft and crew alongside maintenance and insurance services.

Starting September 30 and October 2 respectively BBN Airlines aims to introduce daily flights from Jakarta to Balikpapan and daily flights from Jakarta to Denpasar. Boeing 737-800s in service with the airline were once employed by India’s SpiceJet. All three aircraft referred to as PK-BBF PK-BBG and PK-BBH was carried from Delhi to Jakarta on September 10.

Martynas Grigas said that the airline needed three planes equipped for passengers to secure the required Indonesian airline operating certificate (AOC). Originally aiming for ACMI services with these aircraft Grigas now shows a broader strategic focus to grab a share of the emerging local market despite this change.

Ch-aviation reveals that BBN Airlines Indonesia holds the 14th rank as a scheduled passenger carrier in the nation. Grigas points out the opportunities for ACMI services in Australia and Southeast Asia while the airline obtains a foreign air operator's certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia as well as from the Philippines and Singapore.

As scheduled flights start operating BBN Airlines Indonesia wants to increase connectivity in Indonesia and take a piece of the developing aviation industry in the area. With increased domestic travel needs in view and promising potential for the newcomer within the aviation industry in Indonesia this expansion is justified.