SOME AIRLINE COMPANIES IN MEDAN REDUCE INT`L FLIGHT FREQUENCIES

Medan, Indonesia, Jan 20 (ANTARA) - Some airline companies in Medan, North Sumatra, had to reduce their international flights following a sharp decline in their occupancy rate.
Information received at the Polonia airport of Medan, on Tuesday, said that at least four airline companies, hit hard by the global financial crisis, cancelled their flights to Singapore and Malaysia.
Those airline companies are Silk Air covering the Medan-Singapore route with departure at 8.30 a.m local time, and the Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) covering the Medan-Kuala Lumpur route with departure at 9.20 a.m local time, Kartika Airlines and Lion Air respectively coverin the Medan-Penang route with departure at 7.40 a.m, and and 9.30 a.m local time.
On account of the low occupancy rate, Lion Air had to combine passengers for the morning departure with those slated to fly at 12.30 local time to Penang, said Johan, an official of the travel agency at the Polonia airport, Medan, said.
In the meantime, international airline companies said that the impact of the global crisis has affected the airline companies' operations since late in November last year with an average occupancy rate of 50 to 60 percent pm each of their international flights.
The number of passengers will increase during Islamic holidays and New Year as peak seasons. But now the occupancy rate has sharply dropped, causing some airline companies to reduce their international flight frequencies.