Senai International Airport is currently connected to 12 domestic and five international routes.
MORE Indonesians are expected to visit Johor following the introduction of the Jakarta-Johor Baru route by Indonesia-based TransNusa Airline.
Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd (SATSSB) chief executive officer Kennedy Ayu said the service by the airline would give air travellers more choices.
“We hope the new route will attract more Indonesians to seek medical treatment at private hospitals, especially in Johor Baru,’’ he said when met at Senai International Airport to welcome the airline’s maiden flight from Jakarta.
Rahani: Many Indonesians are seeking services across the region.Kennedy said Johor also had the potential to attract Indonesian golfers, as the state had over 20 golf courses.
“For those who love shopping, we have Johor Premium Outlets offering off-season branded and designer apparel at discounted prices.”
He highlighted that the airline chose Johor Baru as its second international destination after Kuala Lumpur.
TransNusa Airline operates one daily round trip from Jakarta, departing at 12.30pm (Indonesian time) and arriving in Johor Baru at 3.15pm.
The flight from Johor Baru takes off at 3.45pm and lands at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta at 4.20pm (Indonesian time).
Kennedy said Senai International Airport was also connected to Jakarta and Surabaya via AirAsia.
The airport is currently connected to 12 domestic and five international routes.
It also has flights to Guangzhou in China, Bangkok in Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Columbia Asia regional manager Rahani Yaakob said many middle-income Indonesians were seeking medical treatment and services across the region.
“The introduction of the Jakarta-Johor Baru route by the new airline will further boost Johor’s health tourism.”
Rahani said all parties including SATSSB, Johor Tourism, hotel associations and relevant service providers needed to work together to promote the state as a preferred health tourism hub.
She oversees Columbia Asia Hospital Tebrau and Columbia Asia Hospital Iskandar Puteri.
She said Columbia Asia would focus on attracting more patients from Indonesia’s Batam Island, Karimun Island and Tanjung Pinang in the Riau Islands to come to the company’s Tebrau hospital as beds in the Iskandar Puteri facility were currently fully utilised.
