Malindo Air, located in Malaysia, has rebranded as Batik Air. Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority has given the low-profile mid-market airline the go-ahead to rebrand, complete with a new air operator's license under the Batik Air name, to take effect today, Thursday, April 28. The Lion Air Company, which owns Batik Air, is eager to develop a consistent brand for its full-service carriers inside the larger airline group.
If the name Batik Air seems familiar, it's because an Indonesian airline, also owned by Lion Air Group, operates under that moniker. Batik Air, located in Jakarta Soekarno Hatta Airport, is a full-service airline that serves the Indonesian archipelago with a fleet of narrowbody Airbus and Boeing planes.
The Lion Air Group owns and runs a number of airlines in Southeast Asia, notably Lion Air, Indonesia's largest privately owned airline. Aside from Lion Air, the Group owns or has a stake in Batik Air in Jakarta, Thai Lion Air, Wings Air, Malindo Air, Lion Air Australia, and Lion Air Langkawi.
The numerous Lion Air guises are similar to the different AirAsia guises in that they are a mix of paper airlines, shelf firms, and genuine airlines. Passengers aboard can seldom determine the difference between the different types that are flying since there is no discernible change. However, both Batik Air and Malindo Air were the Lion Air Group's more upscale services, and the Group thinks that market is best serviced by a single Lion Air Group brand rather than two. Batik Air will now be permitted to utilize bustling Kuala Lumpur International Airport as a transfer hub, providing the same services as more premium carriers, such as smooth transfers.
"With the rebranding exercise and border reopenings taking place in the region, we are very excited for the opportunities presented to us for the potential growth of our airline, and with the new brand, we will be able to offer fresh and new services," said Malindo Air CEO Captain Mushafiz Bin Mustafa Bakri.
Malindo Air joins Batik Air's current fleet of 53 jets, bringing an additional 15 planes to the brand. Twelve of the fifteen aircraft, though, are ATR turboprops. The most noticeable distinction for travelers may be Batik Air branded ATR aircraft operating regional routes where the Batik Air brand has never flown before. According to a statement made by Malindo Air on Thursday, the rebranding will take place in stages, and Batik Air will communicate with its passengers and partners as the process unfolds.
The ideas to rebrand are not new, but Malaysian bureaucracy has stymied the process. The Lion Air Group wishes to raise awareness of its full-service offering, and Batik Air competes with local heritage carriers like as Garuda Indonesia and Malaysia Airlines, both of whom have large domestic and regional networks.
