- Premier Roger Cook has met with Indonesian airline partners as WA looks to strengthen aviation ties to boost the WA economy and support jobs
- Indonesia has the greatest number of flights from Perth, 60 per week
- Meetings are part of the WA Government's Indonesia Connect Roadshow
Strengthening relationships and exploring new aviation opportunities was high on the agenda as Premier Roger Cook met with Indonesian airlines in Jakarta today.
Kicking off with a meeting with Gaurda Indonesia, WA Government representatives also met with AirAsia and other carriers to discuss Perth's aviation connections with the country.
Garuda is the national carrier of Indonesia and also operates the low-cost subsidiary Citilink, which recommenced services from Denpasar in 2022 and commenced new services between Jakarta and Perth in July.
AirAsia Indonesia commenced a new four times weekly direct service between Jakarta and Perth in June, with plans to increase the frequency of this service in the future.
Batik Air Indonesia also announced a daily flight from Jakarta to Perth commencing 21 September, further strengthening WA's connections with the region.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia was WA's seventh largest international market with over 38,000 visitors spending an estimated $81 million in the State.
Currently, 60 flights travel between Perth and Indonesia on a weekly basis operated by AirAsia, Batik Air, Citilink and Jetstar.
The Cook Government is currently leading WA's largest overseas trade mission with 130 delegates on its Indonesia Connect Roadshow.
The Roadshow, led by Premier Cook, is made up of 130 WA business, industry, media and Government representatives, providing a platform to promote the State as a recognised and trusted partner for the region.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"Western Australia has a strong connection with Indonesia, and through our solid relationships with international airlines, such as Garuda and AirAsia, we can foster mutually beneficial tourism opportunities.
"Perth has a reputation as being the Western Gateway to Australia and our city enjoys a number of direct connections with Indonesia through Jakarta and Bali.
"Meetings with our valued airline partners provide a unique chance to explore opportunities as we get closer to pre-pandemic levels of international travel.
"Indonesia is a vital tourism and trade partner for WA, and I look forward to continuing our discussions with our aviation partners."
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
"While we currently have 60 flights travelling between Perth and Indonesia on a weekly basis, we're always looking to further strengthen our relationship with our closest international neighbour and explore new aviation opportunities.
"With a population of 273 million people, Indonesia is an important market for our State, so I really welcome Premier Cook's meetings with Indonesian airlines today as part of the Indonesia Connect Roadshow.
"I'd also like to acknowledge and thank our existing partners in AirAsia, Batik Air, Citilink and Jetstar for their ongoing support and commitment to Western Australia, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with these airlines."
