Jakarta. Indonesia-based airline Batik Air inaugurated a direct flight from Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra to the Indian city of Chennai on Saturday, seizing the opportunity presented by the ongoing recovery of the civil aviation industry after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new route is an extension of the existing domestic flight connecting the provincial capital Medan with Bali, according to Ahmad Rivai, the CEO of state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura Aviasi.

"The introduction of the Bali-Medan-Chennai route is set to unlock the immense tourism potential of North Sumatra, renowned for its attractions such as Toba Lake, Nias Island, and Bahorok," he stated.

Bahorok is particularly known for its orangutan conservation program, making it a significant draw for tourists.

Batik Air has been actively expanding its international network since the government eased pandemic-related travel restrictions. 

In April, the subsidiary of Lion Air commenced flights to Incheon and Seoul, South Korea. This was followed by the launch of new routes to Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from six different Indonesian cities the following month.

Ahmad said that the Chennai flight marks a historic milestone as Indonesia's first direct air link to the South Asian region.