Garuda's new Airbus A330-300s will arrive on time<\/p>\n
By Soeryo Winoto<\/p>\n
TOULOUSE, France (JP): The people standing around the runway
\nclapped as the new Airbus A330-300 took off, breaking through the
\nchilly air at Blagnac airport, about 600 kilometers south of
\nParis.<\/p>\n
It was the third test flight of one of nine Airbus A330-300s
\nordered by Garuda Indonesia. The first delivery is scheduled for
\nDec. 18.<\/p>\n
The aircraft made it first flight on Nov. 22, the second on
\nthe morning of Nov. 26 and the third that afternoon.<\/p>\n
Sean Lee, Airbus Industrie regional communications manager,
\nsaid he saw nothing which could delay the delivery as Airbus
\nIndustrie been done everything properly and on time.<\/p>\n
\"The first delivery, which will end in March next year, will
\ninclude six aircraft one of which has undergone flight trial
\ntests successfully. We believe that everything will be on
\nschedule,\" Lee said last month. The other three would be
\ndelivered in 1998, he added.<\/p>\n
All Garuda Indonesia officials involved in the purchase, who
\nwere sent to Toulouse, said they were satisfied with the tests.<\/p>\n
\"So far so good. I hope that everything will be smooth in the
\nofficial delivery,\" Garuda resident representative Bambang
\nSugiharto said.<\/p>\n
Bambang has been in Toulouse for about three months
\nrepresenting the Indonesian flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Koesmono Rekky, Manager A\/C Maintenance Audit Quality
\nAssurance Department of Garuda, said the new aircraft was
\ntechnically okay.<\/p>\n
He expressed satisfaction at the cooperation between Garuda
\nand Airbus Industrie.<\/p>\n
\"As a buyer Garuda has the right to complain about anything
\nfound irregular in the aircraft, and Airbus Industrie respects it
\nvery much. I appreciate that,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Airbus Industrie is a multinational European consortium owned
\nby Aerospatiale of France, Germany's Daimler-Benz Aerospace,
\nBritish Aerospace and Spain's CASA.<\/p>\n
The main sections of the A330 are manufactured in those
\ncountries and then transported to Toulouse for assembly.<\/p>\n
The Airbus A330-300s to be delivered to Indonesia are the
\nfirst six of nine Garuda ordered after signing a leasing deal in
\nSingapore last March, seven years after the first order.<\/p>\n
Last April Garuda invited several international financing
\nfirms to facilitate the leasing arrangement after changing all
\nits purchasing contracts to leasing schemes for financial
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
Despite the leasing arrangement reports Lee said Garuda did
\nnot lease the aircraft. \"Garuda purchased the aircraft,\" he said,
\nadding that the twin-engined Airbus A330-300s each cost US$125
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
Patrick Dumont, Senior Analyst Customer Marketing of Airbus
\nIndustrie, said Garuda could maximize its profits by operating
\nA330-300s.<\/p>\n
\"A330 features the lowest operating costs of any aircraft yet
\ndesigned. The fuel cost advantage in flying A330-300 is US$1.06
\nmillion per year, compared to MD-11 and Boeing 747-200,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The A330-300 has a two class cabin layout with 42 executive
\nclass seats and 251 economy seats.<\/p>\n
Passengers flying executive class will be able to relax in
\nluxurious leather seats arranged in three rows of two, with a
\ngenerous 48 inches of leg room between rows.<\/p>\n
Garuda will use the A330-300s for regional flights to Hong
\nKong, Taipei, Japan, Guangzhou and Australia.<\/p>\n
Lee said six airlines, excluding Indonesia, operated 50 Airbus
\nA330-300s in Asia.<\/p>\n
\"For these new A330-300s Garuda prefers using Trent 700 Rolls-
\nRoyce engines. And it was Garuda that decided to use Rolls-Royce
\nengines,\" Lee said explaining Garuda did not want General
\nElectric engines in the new airbuses.<\/p>\n
Bambang Sugiharto said every decision was based on financial
\nand technological reasons. \"We chose Airbus Industrie and Rolls-
\nRoyce for technological reasons\", he said.<\/p>\n
Garuda Indonesia president Soepandi had earlier said plans to
\noperate A330-300s were part of Garuda's efforts to improve its
\nservice amid fierce competition.<\/p>\n
\"The Asia-Pacific is now growing very fast and Garuda will not
\nmiss the booming market and is determined to net passengers from
\nall parts of the world,\" Soepandi once said.<\/p>\n
Garuda currently has a total of 60 aircraft, which ply 35
\ninternational routes and 19 domestic routes.<\/p>\n
Other Garuda efforts to improve service and attract more
\npassengers have been made by Emizola Maas Sikumbang, the newly
\ninstalled Garuda General Manager for France.<\/p>\n
\"We have changed the executive class into business class and
\nbusiness class into super-tourist class. Executive class is less
\npopular for European tourists, especially French,\" Maas Sikumbang
\nsaid. \"Tourists are treated as business class passengers with
\nexecutive class tickets.\"<\/p>\n
Garuda now operates three Boeing 747-400s to and from Paris.
\nTwo depart from Jakarta and one from Denpasar, Bali.<\/p>\n
The Boeing 747 has 18 executive class seats, 63 business class
\n(super tourists) seats and 323 economy class seats.<\/p>\n
Another effort to attract European tourists, particularly from
\nFrance, is one more flight a week. \"We had four flights in the
\npast, and due to internal consideration we now have only three.
\nIn April next year we will (again) have more flights in line with
\nthe enhancement of the marketing of Garuda in France,\" Maas
\nSikumbang said.<\/p>",
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