>A NEW route by Austasia Airlines has made Singapore the third country - after Indonesia and Australia - with commercial flights to Timor Leste.
Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta hailed the four-hour direct flight as one that enhances his country's independence. He said: "With this airline, if and when we have fisheries, flowers, fruits, vegetables, we can also export them directly to Singapore."
The flight cuts the travelling time between Timor Leste and many other destinations by almost a day. There will be two return flights a week, which will increase to three in November.
This article was first published in The New Paper on August 4, 2008.
