TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Air carrier Citilink on Wednesday reported it had received an award by the IDX Channel innovation award for the firm’s strategic response that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic which switched the firm’s focus to logistics.

The carrier’s development in the cargo business, according to its president, had turned into Citilink’s main source of income in the early phases of the pandemic as it contributed to 45 percent of its revenue - a stark difference from the initial 9 percent.

“As the number of passengers had reduced amidst the pandemic along with the rise of e-commerce industry and Indonesia’s logistical market, Citilink took to ‘travelogistics’ in the cargo business sector,” said Citilink president director Juliandra in a written statement on Wednesday.

The cargo business or freight development the air carrier committed to also includes converting passenger aircrafts into freighters, which offers chartered cargo services to a plethora of destinations. They also increased its cargo business capacity by functioning regular passenger aircrafts to carry logistics.

“We will expand the cargo business to Indonesia’s eastern regions in the future,” said the Citilink president.

Read also: Citilink Sterilizes Fleet Since January to Combat Coronavirus

ANTARA