BENGALURU- Indonesian low-cost airline, AirAsia Indonesia (QZ), is gearing up to enter the Indian market. The airline signals a major expansion in its international network.
According to exclusive sources from AviationA2Z, the airline is actively exploring new routes between Indonesia and key Indian cities.
AirAsia Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s leading low-cost carriers. This move could significantly enhance connectivity between the two countries. The airline shall be catering to the growing demand for affordable travel options.
With India’s booming aviation sector and increasing tourist interest in Indonesia, AirAsia’s expansion aligns perfectly with its strategy to strengthen its presence in key international markets.
Photo: By Laurent ERRERA from L’Union, France – DSC_8387-F-WWBS – MSN 5824, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29837660AirAsia Indonesia Flights to India
The relations between Indonesia and India have been steadily strengthening. These healthy relations have helped in paving the way for enhanced cooperation in various sectors, including aviation. As a result, the two nations recently signed a bilateral amendment aimed at improving air connectivity.
This amendment is expected to significantly boost direct flight operations. The primary aim was to make travel between Indonesia and India more convenient for business and leisure travelers alike.
In the revised agreement, it includes provisions for increased flight frequencies. Airlines can launch new routes from both countries, and it also expanded traffic rights for airlines of both countries. Previously, air travel between Indonesia and India was limited to just 28 weekly flights from each country.
The high travel demand with limited flights led to most passengers relying on connecting flights via third countries like Singapore, Malaysia, or Thailand. In the new agreement, both India and Indonesia agreed to increase the limit on the flights.
Previously, flight operations between the two countries were restricted by a weekly flight limit. However, under the new bilateral amendment, this has been revised to a seat-based capacity system. Airlines from both India and Indonesia can now operate up to 9,000 one-way seats per week.
This translates to approximately 50 weekly one-way flights from each country using narrow-body aircraft with an average capacity of 180 seats per flight. With this new amendment, direct services are expected to be introduced or expanded, improving accessibility to key destinations.
This bilateral expansion might have encouraged the Indonesian carrier to look into the ever-growing India-Indonesia market.
Photo: By Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas or alternatively © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43659458The Indonesia-India market
Indonesia is a popular destination among Indian tourists. Bali is the most sought-after location, which is known for its stunning beaches, vibrant culture, and affordability. Bali has consistently attracted Indian travelers, particularly leisure and honeymooners.
According to tourism data, over 700,000 Indians visited Indonesia in 2023, making India one of Indonesia’s fastest-growing inbound tourism markets.
Apart from Bali, other Indonesian destinations such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Lombok are gaining popularity among Indian travelers. Jakarta, the capital city, serves as an important business hub. At the same time, Yogyakarta is a cultural hotspot known for its historical sites, including Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
Lombok, often considered an alternative to Bali, offers pristine beaches and luxurious resorts that appeal to Indian honeymooners and adventure seekers. One of the key reasons for Indonesia’s growing appeal to Indian travelers is the visa-free entry policy for Indian nationals. This allows Indians to stay for up to 30 days without a visa.
This ease of travel, combined with Indonesia’s affordability compared to Western destinations, makes it a preferred international holiday spot. Additionally, Bollywood’s influence in Indonesia has fostered a cultural connection, with Indian festivals, food, and entertainment enjoying widespread popularity.
Despite this strong demand, direct connectivity between India and Indonesia remains limited. This has been forcing most passengers to rely on connecting flights via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok. This gap in direct flights presents a significant opportunity for airlines, which aim to capitalize on the booming tourism and business exchanges between the two nations.
Photo: IndiGo AirlinesThe present flights between the two nations
Shockingly, there are just a handful of flights between the two countries. Two Indian carriers operate flights between Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to Jakarta and Bali. Bali has the highest number of flights at the moment.
Air India (AI) operates a daily flight between Delhi and Bali. IndiGo (6E) operates daily flights between Mumbai and Jakarta, Bengaluru, and Bali. The present flight connectivity between India and Indonesia remains limited, with only three daily flights, and that’s it. There have been rumors on multiple occasions suggesting Air India is planning a Delhi-Jakarta route.
Another shocking fact is that there are no Indonesian carriers operating flights between India and Indonesia. All these years, no Indonesian carriers have shown any interest, even though 28 weekly flights were allowed to be operated. However, this is going to be changing in the near future.
AviationA2Z’s exclusive sources suggest that Indonesia AirAsia is one of the first airlines looking to capitalize on this opportunity. The airline is potentially looking to launch new flights to India. The agreement could also encourage other Indonesian carriers, such as Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air, to explore the Indian market.
This can further help in fostering increased tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges. Additionally, Indian airlines may gain improved access to Indonesian destinations, further enhancing bilateral ties and connectivity.
Photo: Melvin Loi | FlickrWhat Destinations Can Be Expected?
There have been multiple reports in the past about Indonesia AirAsia considering flights to India. The most recent one came in April 2024, when the airline was reportedly evaluating routes like Jakarta-Chennai and Bali-Kolkata. However, those plans never materialized.
Now, with strong rumors resurfacing about the airline’s renewed interest in launching flights to India, the focus shifts to possible destinations. Given Indonesia AirAsia’s hub structure and the market demand, its new routes will likely prioritize major Indian cities with high passenger traffic to Indonesia.
Potential Indian Destinations:
One important factor in determining possible routes is the airline’s fleet. Indonesia AirAsia currently operates an all-Airbus A320-200 fleet, consisting of 31 aircraft with 69 more on order. The A320-200’s range limitations make non-stop flights to cities like Delhi (DEL) impossible from Jakarta or Bali.
For Mumbai (BOM), the only viable option is Jakarta. The A320-200 lacks the range to operate non-stop between Mumbai and Bali. IndiGo currently serves the Mumbai-Jakarta sector using the A320neo, but Mumbai-Bali remains an unserved yet high-demand route.
A similar situation applies to Kolkata (CCU). Indonesia AirAsia previously explored the idea of a Bali-Kolkata route with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur (KUL). If the airline pursues this stopover strategy, it could also make flights to Delhi and Mumbai feasible. However, a key question remains: Will passengers prefer a low-cost carrier (LCC) for such long journeys with stopovers, given the increased travel time?
That leaves southern Indian airports as the strongest candidates. Bengaluru (BLR), Chennai (MAA), and Hyderabad (HYD) are all potential destinations due to their geographical proximity to Indonesia.
Photo: Air IndiaAmong them, Bengaluru seems the strongest contender. Given its status as Southern India’s primary aviation hub and one of the fastest-growing airports in the country. If Indonesia AirAsia moves forward, Bengaluru might be the first city to see direct flights.
Potential Indonesian Destinations:
On the Indonesian side, the most likely destinations for new flights are:
- Jakarta (CGK) As the capital and Indonesia’s busiest airport, Jakarta is a natural choice.
- Bali (DPS) Bali remains the top choice for Indian tourists, making it an essential destination.
- Medan (KNO) could be the potential destination as well. However, given the importance of Jakarta and Bali to and from India, Medan is unlikely to be in the initial plans. However, Medan could emerge as an option in future expansions.
Photo: By Laurent ERRERA from L’Union, France – DSC_8385-F-WWBT – MSN 5861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29837664Bottom Line
With no Indonesian airline ever having launched direct flights to India, Indonesia AirAsia’s potential entry into this sector marks a historic development.
The carrier could play a key role in bridging the connectivity gap between the two nations, enhancing trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
As bilateral air service agreements have evolved, more routes and increased flight frequencies may happen in the future, benefiting travelers from both countries.
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