SilkAir unveils flights to Pekanbaru

The airline’s eighth point in Indonesia is seen to further boost travel between Singapore and Indonesia.

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, on Monday launched its direct services between Singapore and Pekanbaru, Indonesia. The inaugural flight, MI 252, departed Singapore Changi Airport at 0930 hours and arrived at Sultan Syarif Kassim II International Airport at 0935 hours, where a special launch ceremony was held (all times local).

This new thrice-weekly service between Singapore and the capital city of the Riau province in Sumatra, with over 700 seats per week, will provide a further boost to Pekanbaru’s trade and tourism, to meet growing demand for more international travel to and from the city, according to a SilkAir report.

Customers on this morning’s inaugural flight were presented with special flight souvenirs. To commemorate the occasion, a water cannon salute ceremony was also held to welcome the aircraft on arrival at Pekanbaru.
SilkAir’s Chief Executive, Mr. Marvin Tan, who was on the inaugural flight, joined the local authorities and special guests, including the Governor of Riau Province, Bapak H.M Rusli, in celebrating the occasion.

“We’re delighted to commence services to Pekanbaru, a destination with good potential for growth,” said Mr. Tan. “This will be SilkAir’s eighth point in Indonesia and we believe this new service will provide a further boost to travel between Singapore and Indonesia. We hope our customers will enjoy the SilkAir experience and the convenience of easy onward connections to more than 90 cities in the joint Singapore Airlines-SilkAir global network.”

Pekanbaru’s established role as a base for international oil companies and the pulp and paper industry presents promising prospects for corporate travel and airfreight.

Pekanbaru also offers a number of attractions for those interested in leisure travel, such as the Great Mosque of An-Nur, Alam Mayang Fishing Garden, Sang Nila Utama Museum, and the Sari Valley Artificial Lake. There are also a number of golfing venues in and around the city.

For Indonesian travelers from Pekanbaru, Singapore is a destination with much appeal.

The Lion City packs a big punch with its energetic fusion of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian cultures, cuisine, arts and architecture in a leafy tropical metropolis.

Additionally, Singapore’s two new integrated resorts – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa – are the latest attractions to enthrall and entertain visitors from all over the world.