DILI, 14 February 2025 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta on Friday, launched Aero Dili’s new route, connecting the capital of Timor-Leste, Dili, to the Chinese city of Xiamen.
President Horta congratulated Aero Dili for the smooth opening of its new route: “The choice of Xiamen Airport for this direct link reflects the strong presence of the Chinese community in Timor-Leste, predominantly originating from Fujian Province.”
“I extend my congratulations to the Aero Dili team, particularly to Aero Dili’s CEO, Mr. Lourenço de Oliveira—a dreamer, a man of vision, a risk-taker, and, above all, a proud Timorese, a true patriot—for his dedication and commitment to making this important initiative a reality,” President Horta said at the inaugural flight ceremony at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (PNLIA) in Dili today.
Aero Dili’s new route will not only facilitate mobility between the two countries but also strengthen the historical, cultural, and economic ties that unite Timor-Leste and China.
Horta expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of China and the Government of Timor-Leste for the signing of the Air Services Agreement last July in Beijing: “We hope that the connection between Dili and Xiamen will encourage Chinese tourists to visit Timor-Leste, generating more economic opportunities, promoting our cultural and natural heritage, and strengthening bilateral cooperation.”
The route will initially operate with two flights per month, gradually increasing to four and, in the future, up to eight flights per month.
The Head of State said that AERODILI and its partners in China are already working on the creation of tourism packages integrating Dili and Bali, further boosting tourism in the region: “Equally important, AERODILI has ambitious plans to transform Dili into a transit hub for passengers connecting to Bali, Darwin, and Melbourne. This objective will be complemented by improvements in airport infrastructure, further enhancing our connectivity.”
Horta advised the Government of Timor-Leste to secure the purchase of at least 30% of the seats on all routes, saying this is because the airline industry is highly competitive and capital-intensive: “In Timor-Leste, jet fuel costs are two to three times higher than in neighboring countries.”
Horta therefore said the government should provide incentives to align jet fuel prices in Timor-Leste with those of neighboring countries.
The Head of State also urged the government to eliminate all local taxes and encourage all relevant authorities, officials, and civil servants to prioritize traveling through AERODILI: “These measures will not only enhance connectivity but also strengthen our position as a viable and attractive aviation hub.”
“May this inaugural flight mark the beginning of a new era of success—one that deepens our bilateral relations and propels Timorese aviation to greater heights,” Horta concluded.
China’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Wang Wenli, thanked the President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, for his promotion, which contributed significantly to the launch of the new Aero Dili route: “I also would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste (AACTL for their hard work and efforts. Lastly, I would like to congratulate Timor-Leste and the Aero Dili.”
Aero Dili’s CEO Oliveira expressed his deepest gratitude to the Chinese Government for allowing Aero Dili to extend its services to Xiamen: “I would like to express my gratitude to President Horta for taking part in the inaugural flight ceremony of Aero Dili between Dili and Xiamen.”
Oliveira stressed that said that in order to ensure the safety of Aero Dili’s flights to Xiamen, Aero Dili will send its flight crews to attend commercial airline-related training overseas: We’re sending more than 20 Timorese flight attendants, three Timorese pilots, and three Timorese airline technicians to attend airline-related training abroad, which is important for Aero Dili’s flight safety.”
Early last month, Aero Dili, received the Registration Certificate for its second Airbus A319 aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste (AACTL).
The Aero Dili’s second Airbus A319 which is being repainted in Bandung, Indonesia, is expected to arrive in Timor-Leste in late February or early March 2025.
Aero Dili is a local airline providing domestic and International flights in Timor-Leste. It is 100% locally owned and wants to provide excellent flight services in the country.
It’s recalled that the first of Aero Dili’s leased aircraft, an Airbus A320 that had been operated by Bangkok Airways, and reconfigured to carry only 162 passengers, arrived in Dili on 20 March 2023
On 12 May 2023, the A320 operated Aero Dili’s first scheduled international flights, between Dili and Denpasar/Bali, Indonesia, and in February 2024 it was used to inaugurate a scheduled service between Dili and Singapore.
Aero Dili was founded on 21 June 2018 by Timorese businessman, Lourenço de Oliveira, a native of Atauro Island.
TATOLI
