Garuda's new chief sets strategies<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The newly-installed president of Garuda
\nIndonesia, Soepandi, said yesterday that he has set major
\nmeasures to improve the performance of the national air carrier.<\/p>\n
\"I have set major programs in facing stiff competition in the
\nairline business, both domestically and internationally,\" he said
\nin his speech in a ceremony for Garuda's 46th anniversary at the
\nJakarta Fairground yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said that the programs include the improvement of Garuda's
\npublic services, human resources, fleet plans, management,
\nprofitability and business strategies.<\/p>\n
\"Garuda's responsibility will be more extensive as the
\ngovernment has targeted Garuda to transport 6.79 million
\npassengers this year, 14 percent higher than 5.91 million
\npassengers in 1994,\" he said, adding that services for the
\ntransportation of haj pilgrims should also be better this year.<\/p>\n
He said that more profit centers will be established by
\nimproving the utilization of a number of Garuda's facilities,
\nincluding warehouses, training centers and aircraft maintenance
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
Soepandi, 58, was sworn in as Garuda's president last week
\nreplacing Wage Mulyono. Soepandi was previously director of
\npersonnel and general affairs.<\/p>\n
He said that cooperation between Garuda and the Dutch airline
\nKLM, based on an alliance agreement signed last month, will be
\napplied soon.<\/p>\n
According to Soepandi, there are 26 items of cooperation being
\nnegotiated between Garuda and KLM.<\/p>\n
Garuda, established in 1949 with a total fleet of 56 aircraft
\nat present, currently hires 14,589 employees, including 3,349
\nmaintenance personnel, 3,034 cabin crew members, 646 pilots, 96
\nflight engineers and 7,464 other employees.<\/p>\n
The airline's profit multiplied from Rp 7.7 billion in 1993 to
\nRp 350 billion last year, of which some Rp 160 billion was
\nderived from the sales of its 17 aging DC-9 aircraft to a foreign
\nfirm.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, who
\nattended yesterday's ceremony, reiterated that Garuda should
\nexpand its business internationally.<\/p>\n
\"Garuda is independently able to arrange its fleet plans,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Last week's replacement of Garuda's president has caused
\nspeculations about the government's unnecessary involvement in
\nthe airline's management. Wage had reportedly requested
\nreplacement before his term of service ended because the
\ngovernment had interfered too much in Garuda's management.<\/p>\n
Wage who also attended yesterday's ceremony, said that there
\nwas no pressure for his resignation. \"I was just stressed,\" he
\nsaid.(icn)<\/p>",
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