Pondok Cabe, 12 May 2026 - The Pondok Cabe Airport Hangar facility, a strategic asset of PT Pertamina (Persero) managed by PT Pelita Air Service (Pelita Air), has entered a new chapter in supporting the advancement of Indonesia’s national aviation industry. The historic facility, which has supported Pelita Air’s operations for more than five decades, has now officially commenced operations as a turboprop aircraft maintenance base for GMF AeroAsia, Indonesia’s largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) company.
This strategic collaboration was inaugurated through the ceremony titled “Inauguration of the Cooperation for the Utilization of Pelita Air’s Hangar Facility and the Opening of GMF Aircraft Maintenance Facility at Pondok Cabe” held on 12 May 2026. The event was attended by the Head of Airworthiness Certification Team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia, Boedhi Raharjo Suharto; Operation Director of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, Dani Haikal Iriawan; Chief Executive Officer of PT GMF AeroAsia Tbk, Andi Fahrurrozi; and President Director of PT Pelita Air Service, Dendy Kurniawan.
During the event, Pelita Air President Director Dendy Kurniawan emphasized that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment among industry stakeholders to strengthen the resilience and independence of Indonesia’s domestic aviation sector.
“We recognize that the aviation industry is facing increasingly complex challenges. Operational dynamics and cost fluctuations require us to become more agile and adaptive. This demands greater openness among industry players to share capabilities and optimize collective potential. Such collaboration will serve as a strong foundation for enhancing the competitiveness of our aviation industry in the future,” said Dendy.
Beyond its technical contribution, Dendy also expressed hope that the optimization of the hangar facility would create a broader multiplier effect for the surrounding economic ecosystem. The presence of the aircraft maintenance facility is expected to stimulate supporting industries and generate sustainable positive impacts for the surrounding community.
“We hope that the presence of this collaborative facility at Pondok Cabe will help stimulate local economic activity and create sustainable positive impacts for industrial operations and communities surrounding the airport area, while further strengthening Pondok Cabe’s position as one of Indonesia’s strategic aviation technical excellence centers,” he added.
This collaboration marks Pelita Air’s tangible step in transforming a historical aviation asset into a productive economic value driver. By combining Pelita Air’s strategic infrastructure with GMF AeroAsia’s technical expertise, the partnership establishes a new benchmark for aviation industry synergy in building a more efficient, resilient, and future-ready aviation ecosystem.
