The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 04/29/2012 5:30 PM
Ailing state owned PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Merpati) is set
to fly higher after receiving three new Boeing 737 series aircraft this
month and opening new routes, an executive said.
“This is part of
our programs to revitalize our company, strengthen our network, and
serve our customers better,” Merpati corporate secretary Imam Turidy
told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The three B737 series
aircraft are expected to enable the company to generate more revenues
from operating new routes in June from Jakarta, Bandung in West Java and
Tarakan in East Kalimantan to Balikpapan in East Kalimantan.
Merpati
currently serves daily Balikpapan–Makassar (South Sulawesi) and
Balikpapan–Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) routes with B737 series units.
“Balikpapan
is the busiest business city on the island [of Kalimantan] and flight
demand to and from this city always increases year by year. This is a
good market for Merpati,” Imam said.
According to State-owned
Enterprises Ministry figures, the airline suffered a net loss of Rp
778.6 billion (US$84.9 million) in 2011 on huge debt after gaining Rp
1.61 trillion in revenues.
The airline received a Rp 561 billion
bridging loan last year from the State Asset Management Company (PPA) to
help it pay off its debt, which amounted to Rp 8.2 billion to state oil
and gas company PT Pertamina for fuel purchases from Aug. 26 to Oct.
16, 2011.
According to Imam, Merpati will have eight new B737
units by the end of the year, making up a total of 17 units that the
company would operate.
The airline currently has 29 aircraft
operating on a daily basis, including nine Boeing 737 series, three
DHC-6, two Casa C-212, one Fokker-100 and 14 MA-60.
Imam said
Merpati aimed to transport 5 million passengers this year, two fold more
than the 2.41 million in the number of passengers served in 2011, due
to Indonesia’s growing economy.
“Economic growth makes people
travel a lot more, for both business and leisure. This certainly will
bring positive impacts for the airline industry,” he said.
According
to recent data from the Transportation Ministry, Indonesia saw a 17
percent increase in the number of airline passengers last year from
58.39 million in 2010 to 68.19 million in 2011.
Ministry spokesman
Bambang Ervan said that the ministry was still sticking to their target
of a 15 percent increase in the number of airline passengers this year
despite rising oil prices and global political unrest. (nfo/mtq)
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
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