| Subject: Timor's first commercial airline
launches inaugural flight
Courier Mail
Commercial airline launched From correspondents in Dili 19mar05
EAST TIMOR's first commercial airline launched its inaugural flight
today serving a route connecting its capital, Dili, to Kupang, the main
city on the Indonesian half of Timor island.
Since 2003, Indonesia's Merpati Airlines has been operating several
routes from Dili to Indonesian cities while training the crew for East
Timor's own airline, Kakoak Air.
Today, Kakoak began to operate one plane, a CASA 212, to fly up to 22
passengers to Kupang, the main city in western Timor, twice a week. The
flight costs $US50 ($63) and takes 45 minutes.
East Timor voted to break away from Indonesia in 1999 after 24 years of
often brutal rule. The tiny territory became an independent state in May
2002 after two-and-a-half years of UN administration.
However, because East Timor cannot yet use its own flag on the plane
under International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, Kakoak uses
Merpati's colours.
East Timor President Xanana Gusmao and his entourage took a brief
flight over Dili before the plane went to Kupang.
"This flight will give East Timorese more freedom to visit their
brothers in western Timor," the former freedom fighter said.
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