Timor-Leste Air Warz Redux - Building Markets

Timor-Leste Air Warz Redux

by Building Markets
July 22, 2011

Well here at PDT we are turning into something of plane spotters.  We have blogged a bit on the nascent airline business in Timor-Leste December 2010, and February 2011.

The long long awaited Timor Air has apparently arrived – and is about to start flying the Dili-Darwin-Dili route, starting just 72 hours from now.  Booming air travel is often the sign of a growing economy – just as airlines are often the first to feel the pinch in hard times.  In Timor-Leste these days its all about more planes not less.

Air Timor Website (http://www.flytimorair.com/)

After getting the word via Twitter that the Vincent Aviation website had announced a new route in partnership with Timor Air I had a look and its – well – true.  And here is the beauty of competition, seems you can get tickets at 50% the price of Air North. Try $269 versus $500.

Vincent Aviation (http://www.vincentaviation.com.au)

One has to wonder if we will see a replay of the Merpati – Batavia struggle earlier this year.  Batavia gave Merpati a run for its money. However, Merpati, with deeper pockets buried Batavia. Batavia had to go from daily schedules to just twice a week.  But it has kept prices down somewhat.

Mind you many people are in an “I hate Merpati mood these days”.

Three days ago the plane was three hours late, yesterday it did not come at all, and today it was a no show as well, but apparently (according to this tweep) they are going to borrow a Batavia plane….?!

Having said all that the local media is having a field day.  Online media outlet CJITL published a story this afternoon saying “Merpati are liars, passengers ask the Government to cancel Merpati in Timor-Leste.”  They have some very juicy quotes from the national Provedor, and the the head of the Anti-Corruption Commission – among the stranded passengers.  Anyway that is the chattering classes of Dili for you.  Some of my friends in a far away place called Passabe can only watch the high altitude vapor trails.

Three days ago I had the pleasure of flying very late on what can only be described as a Merpati “clunker” from Denpasar to Dili. Take note of the peeling paint all over the front end of this 18th century era B737.

The Clunker

Then if you look very closely you will see the top starboard rear window seems, well how to say it? Cracked up…  I especially like the guy on his mobile phone sitting next to the nose landing gear.  Isn’t there an urban myth about a problem with mobile phone signals and aviation fuel in close proximity?

Safety standards notwithstanding - we fly every day - except for the ones we don't.

In any event we now have Merpati, and Batavia, on the Dili-Denpasar run.

Air Timor has a lock on the Dili-Singapore jaunt.

Meanwhile Timor Air and Air North are poised to knock heads on the Dili-Darwin puddle jump.

Apparently pretty soon Timor-Leste Airways plans to offer flights to SIX destinations (Macau, Jakarta, Surabaya, Perth, Kupang and Denpasar).

As I post this blog Merpati mania continues at the airport.

Tags : Air Timor Batavia Merpati Timor Air. Timor-Leste Airlines

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