Flights between Dili and Singapore, operated by Air Timor, end on March 30 after Singapore Airlines refused to renew the charter contract for the air link. The suspension of operations also affects freight transport.
Air Timor Confirms Final Flight
“We regret this decision. We cannot continue these flights. The last flight will be on March 30,” said Air Timor director Syed Abdul Rahman, who operated the connection with aircraft contracted to SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.
“We have been building these operations for 10 years. And now we have to close this flight,” he added, expressing regret at the end of the connection with Singapore.
Impact on Cargo and Business
The closure affects not only passenger transport but also critical cargo shipments. Goods normally transported on flights from Singapore to the Timorese capital include:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Auto parts
- Aviation supplies
- General cargo
Several companies — including Heineken, the only international factory in the country — wrote to the government requesting intervention to prevent the route from ceasing to operate.
Singapore Airlines’ Justification
Singapore Airlines officially cited a “reintegration” process of SilkAir into the parent company and the expansion of regular services in its own network as the reason for not renewing the charter contract, which expired on March 31.
The decision, however, followed a lengthy period of uncertainty surrounding Air Timor’s operating licence, with the Enterprise Verification Service (SERVE) delaying its decision on the company’s renewal through much of the previous year.
At the end of 2018, Singapore Airlines had confirmed to Air Timor its intention to renew the charter contract for another year — subject only to a price review — but SERVE’s final decision on the new licence was only announced in February, which is widely believed to have influenced Singapore Airlines’ ultimate position.
Regulatory Background
In January, SERVE director Florêncio Sanches had questioned the legality of the Dili–Singapore flights. The head of the Timorese civil aviation regulator later clarified that authorisations would be renewed if all regulatory requirements were met.
“There are regulations and if Air Timor submits the necessary documents as heretofore, the authorisation will be renewed normally,” said Rosalia Ximenes Varela, chair of the Board of Directors of the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste (AACTL).
“Civil Aviation authorises flight operations. Civil Aviation has nothing to do with other issues. If there are issues between the company and other institutions, that is not our responsibility,” she added.
On the day of the announcement, Florêncio Sanches confirmed to Lusa that Air Timor’s licence had been “renewed for another year,” while noting that some matters related to the “shareholder composition” of the company — which had undergone changes — still needed to be clarified.
What Comes Next for Air Timor
Despite the closure of the Singapore route, Air Timor stated its intention to continue operating and is actively exploring alternative solutions.
“We want to keep Air Timor operating and we are looking at alternative solutions, perhaps for other routes. This process, at least, will take between three and six months,” said director Syed Abdul Rahman.