REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TIMIKA -- Airfast has been allowed to resume flights from and to Timika in Papua, the district office of the transport, communications and informatics service said.

Head of the service John Rettob said the Transport Ministry had signed the flight approval, allowing the airline to resume operation on Monday.

The ministry punished the airline temporarily banning it from operation on January 26 this year for allegedly falsifying flight approval documents.

The airline uses MD-82 aircraft mainly for the transport of the employees of U.S. mining company PT Freeport Indonesia, which has large copper and gold mines in Papua.

During the time of being banned, the airline has to charter the aircraft of Sriwijaya Air for the transport of the employees of PT Freeport and its sub-contractors.

From 26 January to 28 February, Sriwijaya Air operated two Boeing 737-800 aircraft for the transport of the employees between Timika and Makassar and Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the Lion Air Group, the country's largest airline company, is studying the possibility of opening new route to Timika.

John Rettob said here on Wednesday the Lion Air Group planned to serve flight to Timika using the aircraft of its subsidiaries Batik Air and Wings Air. Batik Air representative already visited Timika to see preparations such as in ground handling, ticket sales and office facility , he said.

"In principle, the Minika district administration is welcome the plan that would better facilitate transport of people from Mimika to other areas in the country, he said.

He said Batik Air plans to use two units if aircraft for the Timika-Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta airport route via Makassar, and between Jakartsa's Halim Perdanakusuma airport and Timika everyday.

Wing Air plans to start serving a route between Jayapura and Timika via Wamena using ATR aircraft everyday.

The same aircraft would serve flight between Jayapura and Tual in Southeast Malukua, via Wamena and Timia three days in a week.

"Wing Air has been ready to start operation serving the routes," John said.

So far, in addition to Airfast, only Garuda and Sriwijaya Air have served flights to Timika for transit in flights between Papua and other provinces in the country.

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