Merpati, Garuda join wings: Merpati chief

JAKARTA. Ailing state-owned PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Merpati) is going to work with the national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, a senior official says.

Newly appointed president director Rudy Setyopurnomo said Friday that both airlines would work together in flight services, aircraft maintenance and human resource development.

"We will not compete with Garuda anymore; we will work together with them to help improve Merpati's business, as well as the country's domestic network. That's our strategy," he said.

He said that they would play their part as Garuda's feeder, enabling passengers to go to remote or tourist destinations that Garuda did not serve.

"This will benefit the passengers and the business itself. We will start this [feeder service] next month," said Rudi.

He said that he was optimistic this strategy would help Merpati recover.

"I guarantee that within six months the operational loss will decrease significantly," he said.

The troubled airline currently has 29 aircraft operating on a daily basis, including nine Boeing 737s, three DHC-6s, two Casa C-212s, 14 MA-60s and one Fokker-100.

The airline received a Rp 561 billion (US$60.58 million) loan from the State Asset Management Company (PPA) on Dec. 30, 2011, to help off it pay its debts.

The airline’s debt to state oil and gas company PT Pertamina for fuel purchased between Aug. 26 and Oct. 16, 2011, amounts to Rp 8.2 billion. The airline also owes Pertamina Rp 212 billion for fuel supplied in 2006 to 2007 and Rp 44 billion for the period between 2007 and Aug. 25, 2011, amounting to a total of 264.2 billion.

In the aircraft maintenance field, Rudi said that Merpati Maintenance Facility (MMF) would work on projects that Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) AeroAsia were unable to handle.

"MMF has just recently received the European Aviation Safety Association certificate. It means that we are able to fix aircraft," he said.

In human resource development, he said Merpati pilots who usually flew propeller-powered aircraft would have a chance to fly Garuda's jets after they received training.

Rudi also said that Garuda planned to give them a turbo-propeller aircraft ATR 72-500 in the near future to support their role as feeder.

However, he refused to comment on how many ATRs they would receive and when the aircraft would be delivered.

In a separate interview, Garuda's marketing director Elisa Lumbantoruan welcomed the joint cooperation with Merpati.

"We are open to collaborate with Merpati," Elisa said. (The Jakarta Post)