DILI, 17 October 2019 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s aviation regulator has given Royal Air Bhutan the green light to begin operating a Dili-Singapore service by the end of the month.
The twice-weekly service would be Timor’s first direct flight to Singapore since March, when the Silk Air-Air Timor codeshare service fell over.
The President of Civil National Authority of Timor-Leste (AACTL) Ana Rosália Ximenes Varela, confirmed Thursday the Himalayan airline had received official approval, after negotiating a charter agreement with Air Timor.
“We see they have completed all the requirements implemented by the AACTL; thus we decided to give Royal Air Bhutan the flight approval,” Ana Rosalia said.
Ex-president José Ramos-Horta voicing enthusiastic support after the announcement.
“We can not give the flight approval if we find incomplete documents during the verification [process], but they can still come with the documents for the business licence from SERVE, and then will give them the flight approval,” she said, referring to the Timor’s business regulator.
The AACTL President said the Bhutanese national carrier will initially operate the service twice a week on Thursday and Sunday, for a trial period of three months. The first flight is on October 31.
“The Authority from the Royal Air Bhutan has come and discussed with us the flight process, and they also saw the condition of our airport before they agreed to [conduct] operations,” said the ACCTL president.
The AACTL President said it was not yet clear what the cost to passengers would be, citing the charter arrangements, but that Air Bhutan would inform the regulator in due course.
She said AACTL representatives are due to meet with their Bhutanese counterparts in Singapore on November 7, to verify the company’s documentation.
Florêncio Sanches, Executive Director SERVE confirmed the agency had received registration papers from Royal Air Bhutan to commence operations in the country. Although he said Timor’s business law allows foreign carriers to “cooperate with other companies such as Air Timor…without registering their company in Timor-Leste,” he added.
He said SERVE was enthusiastic about increased competition in the skies above Timor.
First published in Tetum as: AACTL Atribui “Flight Approval” ba Royal Air Bhutan Semo Dili-Singapura
Jornalist: Natalino Costa
Editors: Maria Auxiliadora; Robert Baird
Translation: Nelia Borges
