East Timor's first commercial airline launched its inaugural flight on Friday serving a route connecting its capital Dili to Kupang, the main city on the Indonesian half of Timor island. Since 2003, Indonesia's Merpati Airlines has been operating several routes from Dili to Indonesian cities while training the crew for East Timor's own airline, Kakoak Air.
On Friday, Kakoak began to operate one plane, a CASA 212, to fly up to 22 passengers to Kupang, the main city in western Timor, twice a week. The flight costs $50 and takes 45 minutes.
East Timor voted to breakaway from Indonesia in 1999 after 24 years of often brutal rule. The tiny territory became an independent state in May 2002 after two-and-a-half-years of UN administration.
However, because East Timor can not yet use its own flag on the plane under International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, Kakoak uses Merpati's colours.
East Timor President Xanana Gusmao and his entourage took a brief flight over Dili before the plane went to Kupang.
"This flight will give East Timorese more freedom to visit their brothers in western Timor," the former freedom fighter said.