(Singapore 31 March 2023) Indonesia’s newly launched cargo airline Raindo United Services signed a lease agreement for two Boeing converted freighters with AerCap, an NYSE-listed Irish aviation leasing company, in Singapore today.
Both freighters, code-named 737-800BCF, will undergo their passenger-to-freight conversion in China — the first by Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services and the second by Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering. They are expected for delivery by July.
Benny Rustanto, Founder of Raindo United Services, said: “We believe this strategic step will allow us to benefit the community, especially the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) industry in Indonesia.”
Raindo United Services is hailed as a pioneering digital-based cargo airline in Indonesia which obtained a Standard Certificate of Domestic and Foreign Cargo Scheduled Commercial Air Transport on December 13, 2022. It is expected to operate domestic routes to Jakarta, Medan, Balikpapan, Makassar, and Surabaya, as well as international routes to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou, China.
The Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo said in a speech prior to the signing ceremony that the introduction of the new freighters will not only help reduce Indonesia’s overall logistic cost but also benefit the MSMEs.
“One of the main challenges for Indonesia is logistics cost. In ASEAN, logistics of Indonesia is the most expensive,” said the ambassador, noting that the country’s new freighters will diversify the options of air cargo transport, which will in turn decrease the overall logistics cost.
He expressed hope that RUS will engage closely with the MSMEs and work with them as partners so that our MSMEs could be benefited by the enhanced solutions and flexible supply chains that RUS has offered.
Richard Greener, the Head of AerCap Cargo, said: “AerCap has been supporting the Indonesian airline industry for 35 years dating back to 1988… We wish Raindo every success as they launch their air cargo operations and look forward to working with them as these aircraft deliver.”
So far, AerCap has offices in Singapore, Miami, Amsterdam, Shanghai, and Dubai, among other locations around the world. But it doesn’t have an office in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city.
