Jakarta. Batik Air, a subsidiary of the Lion Air Group, one of the largest airline companies in Indonesia, is expanding its routes to Vietnam by adding Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on May 26, 2023.

This move comes as demand for flights between Indonesia and Vietnam is growing. Batik Air aims to cater to tourists and business travelers from six Indonesian cities, including Medan, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, and Makassar.

Batik Air Malaysia, another subsidiary of the Lion Air Group, is also part of the expansion plan. Passengers can take advantage of connecting flights from Kuala Lumpur to Vietnam. 

The addition of Vietnam to Batik Air's list of destinations highlights the airline's commitment to expanding its network and catering to the needs of its customers. Batik Air's expansion to Vietnam is also part of a larger trend in the aviation industry, with many airlines looking to capitalize on the growing demand for travel in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to Danang Mandala Prihantoro, Batik Air's spokesman, "As the number of tourists visiting Vietnam from Indonesia and vice versa is increasing, the demand for flights between the two countries is also higher. Batik Air is optimistic about meeting the demand."

The Vietnam National Tourism Administration data showed an increase in tourists from Indonesia to Vietnam in 2022, with 26,000 visitors recorded, up from 21,000 in 2021. However, the figure is still much lower compared to 2019, when 106,000 Indonesian tourists visited Vietnam.

On the other hand, over 62,000 Vietnamese visited Indonesia in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions eased, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Before the pandemic, over 92,000 Vietnamese visited the archipelago each year. 

Vietnam is the fourth-largest contributor of tourists to Indonesia among the Southeast Asian countries after Malaysia, at the top with over one million visitors, followed by Singapore, with over 666,000 visitors, and the Philippines, with over 65,000 visitors.

Batik Air will use the latest Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to serve the new routes. The 737-800N is a famous narrow-body aircraft that can carry up to 189 passengers and is often used for short and medium-haul flights.