Wednesday, 30 March 2022 saw the inaugural flight of Asia Cargo Network Group‘s newly launched RGA-Black Stone Airlines from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Jakarta to El Tari International Airport (KOE) before proceeding to Komodo International Airport (LBJ).
The launch event was regarded as a significant milestone for the local aviation industry, establishing RGA-Black Stone Airlines as the newest key player within the Indonesian air cargo market to service domestic and international routes.
Key figures in the Indonesian air cargo industry and entrepreneurial sectors were present at the event gala. The Board Leader from the Asia Cargo Network group and founding partner of Black Stone Airlines Marco Isaak, together with the Head of the People’s Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia Bambang Soesatyo, and the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Indonesia DGCA Novie Riyanto officiated the launch of the inaugural flight.
“RGA-Black Stone Airlines looks to plug gaps in the Indonesian domestic market by providing solutions for local air cargo transportation needs. Using aviation market intelligence tools and through group experience in our existing cargo networks, we aim to improve niche transportation routes that are currently untapped by the local cargo airlines, while establishing new routes regionally with other countries in the near future,” according to Zack Isaak, President Director of RGA-Black Stone Airline.
The carrier is already planning its expansion of utilizing Airbus A330 passenger aircraft for flight routes to Saudi Arabia doing Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages in the third quarter of 2022. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, it is expected that more than 50,000 people will embark on Hajj, while some 1.5 million on Umrah pilgrimages from Indonesia this year.
The Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage flight programs are just one of several plans RGA-Black Stone Airlines has in store for the Indonesian aviation space, with proposals to enter the Chinese market currently being discussed.
RGA-Black Stone Airlines also intends to roll out a pilot program of drone delivery services, through which cargo is delivered via drone operating systems.
“We see new opportunities in the way we deliver cargo, and the drone methodology is certainly something that we believe will become mainstream in the future. We intend to grow the potential of this market and achieve premium cargo capabilities, especially with high worth and time-sensitive goods including medical equipment and emergency items,” added Isaak.
Using drones for transportation by air is gaining popularity around the world, with the drone logistics and transportation market size being projected to increase exponentially in the near future.
“We are proud to introduce RGA-Black Stone Airlines as our latest expansion effort to strengthen the Indonesian cargo network and bolster air deliveries locally and internationally. These are exciting times, and Asia Cargo Network looks forward to increasing its market control of the cargo industry within Indonesia and the region,” said Marco Isaak, Group CEO and founder of Asia Cargo Network Group.