SINGAPORE—Lion Air Group MRO-affiliate Batam Aero Technic (BAT) will be adding six aircraft MRO lines by the end of 2021, bringing the total capacity at Batam Hang Nadim airport to 21. 

The company and investors have ambitions to double its handling capacity to 50, just as the airport was designated by the Indonesian government as a special economic zone (SEZ). 

Speaking at an MRO-Asia Pacific virtual panel, BAT President, Director I Nyoman Rai Pering said pre-pandemic Indonesia had 100 million domestic passengers annually, and Lion Air Group had the biggest market share. 

During the pandemic, BAT realized it required more in-house capabilities and made moves to increase digitalization and improve cost efficiencies. Pering said the lull period was a good time to develop manpower skills—both current and future technicians—to increase the company’s competitiveness. 

Being the default MRO-provider for the Lion Air Group, BAT currently has FAA certification for Boeing 737NG-family aircraft. Pering said the company hopes to attain EASA certification for the Airbus A320 series, either by 2022 or 2023. 

The BAT-SEZ was the first zone on Batam island earmarked by the government and is expected to see investments of up to IDR6.2 trillion ($435.5 million) until 2030 to build supporting MRO facilities. The BAT-SEZ will also hire 9,976 workers by the same time frame. Satellite photos show large swaths of empty land around Batam’s Hang Nadim International Airport (BTH), with BAT currently taking a small portion on the runway’s northern end.