Four domestic airlines buy 10 Lufthansa planes

JAKARTA (JP): Four domestic airlines have finally agreed to the purchase 10 of the 32 second-hand B-737-200 aircraft offered by Lufthansa Airlines of Germany after negotiations for almost one year.

Fadl Antemas -- director of operations for the state-owned finance company PT Pann Multi Finance -- said here yesterday that Bouraq and Merpati Nusantara procured three units each, while Sempati and Mandala bought two units under leasing agreements with his company.

Last year, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto offered 32 units of Lufthansa's B-737-200 aircraft to the four local airlines. At that time, Lufthansa offered Rp 19.5 billion (US$9 million) for each unit.

Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad had reportedly agreed to the deal. "But until now, I haven't received any official letter from the minister of finance concerning the purchase of the other 22 planes," Fadl was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.

According to Fadl, the prices of each of the ten planes ranged from $8.7 million to $8.9 million depending on the age of the aircraft.

The four airlines will pay for the aircraft in installments for a period of 12 years, with an interest rate of 9.5 percent per annum.

In the accord signed last week, Lufthansa is required to modify the interiors of the aircraft's cabins, including the seats, and provide spare parts. (rid)