Airline reports fewer Indonesian passengers

JAKARTA (JP): The United Arab Emirates' carrier, Emirates, has seen fewer passengers on its Indonesian service due to the currency upheaval in the Asian region.

The company manager in Indonesia, John Rotikan, said here yesterday that the number of passengers flying the Jakarta-Dubai via Singapore route dropped 20 percent in October and November.

"It will continue next month," he said.

The monetary crisis, which has reduced the value of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar by over 35 percent since early July, has affected various sectors, including the travel and tourist industry.

"Indonesians previously could travel overseas with some Rp 3 million which included airport tax, an air ticket, outbound tax and taxi fares. But now they need to spend at least Rp 4.5 million for the same services."

Rotikan said the situation in the travel and tourist sector would stabilize after the March general session of the People's Consultative Assembly, which will elect new president and vice president.

Emirates operates four flights a week between Dubai and Jakarta with its fleet of Boeing B777s and Airbus A300s.

Rotikan said Emirates' Indonesian service reached 70 percent of passenger capacity in 1996.

The airline started operating in October 1985 and last year it carried three million passengers and 159,000 tons of cargo.

It operates 22 aircraft which service 43 destinations, excluding the United States. The company earned 3.17 billion dirham (US$880.5 million) in revenue last year.

To improve its service, Emirates launched new uniforms for its crew which were designed by eminent couturier Paco Rabanne. (icn)