RI opposes Qantas', Ansett's tariff cuts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto
\nsaid here yesterday that he would send a letter to his Australian
\ncounterpart, criticizing the tariff cuts offered by Qantas and
\nAnsett in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The minister said that Indonesia and Australia had a bilateral
\nagreement to avoid a price war in the aviation industry.<\/p>\n
\"I've just learned that the Australian air carriers, Qantas
\nand Ansett, have offered cheaper airfares on their Indonesian
\nroutes.\"<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesia would also express its disapproval with
\nSingapore's SilkAir offering free tickets from Singapore to
\nIndonesia for some passengers.<\/p>\n
\"The airline has introduced a special promotion, presenting
\nfree tickets from Singapore to Manado to passengers flying from
\nEurope to Singapore.\"<\/p>\n
Haryanto said that the gimmick was hurting Indonesian
\nairlines.<\/p>\n
Almost all foreign airlines serving Indonesia had launched
\ngimmicks to attract more passengers by reducing their fares
\nduring the low season -- from August to mid December.<\/p>\n
In November, Qantas and Ansett started offering cheap airfares
\non their Indonesia-Australia flights.<\/p>\n
Ansett's top executive in Indonesia, Con Korfiatis, and
\nQantas' sales manager, Ronny Mampouw, said over the weekend that
\ntheir airlines cut the price of a Jakarta-Sydney-Jakarta ticket
\nfrom about US$600 or $700 to only $350 effective only for last
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Haryanto stressed yesterday that he only objected to Ansett,
\nQantas and SiklAir cutting their rates in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I don't mind other airlines reducing their fares.\"<\/p>\n
Haryanto said yesterday that the Indonesia National Air
\nCarriers Association (INACA) had the right to raise domestic
\neconomy-class airfares.<\/p>\n
\"I just warned them that an increase (in fares) must be done
\ngradually.\"<\/p>\n
The government has recently approved an airfare hike, ranging
\nbetween 7 percent and 10 percent, as proposed by INACA. The new
\nairfares were introduced on Oct. 27.<\/p>\n
Sources said that another hike would take place on Dec. 15,
\nwith an average increase of about 10 percent.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has six airlines including Bouraq Airlines,
\nDirgantara Air, Garuda Mandala Airlines, Merpati Nusantara and
\nSempati Air. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-opposes-qantas-ansetts-tariff-cuts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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