Garuda begins new cargo service route

JAKARTA (JP): National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is plying its Boeing B-737-200C cargo jet on the Jakarta-Batam route to facilitate businesspeople.

Garuda's manager in Batam, Iskandar Basro, said yesterday that the service, now on trial until October, would be cheaper for businesspeople than sending their goods through Singapore.

Exporters previously had no choice but to transport their goods through Singapore's Changi airport to their final destination, he said.

"Cargo handling in Batam reached 110 tons in 1996. The figure is likely to increase this year because there are several international flights in Batam: to Manila, London and Jeddah," Antara quoted Basro as saying.

Garuda is currently negotiating with several overseas airlines including China Airlines, Korea Airlines and Air France to cooperate in air cargo handling. Proposed routes include Paris- Batam-Jakarta and Seoul-Batam-Jakarta, Antara reported.

The Hang Nadim Airport on Batam Island, Riau, an international airport for both scheduled and chartered passenger and cargo flights, will compete with Changi Airport as an international transport hub.

Batam, about 20 kilometers southeast of Singapore, has been developed since the early 1970s as an industrial and tourist zone.

The Hang Nadim airport is on the island's east coast. It is overseen by the Batam Industrial Development Authority which is chaired by State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

Garuda launched its first cargo jet last October in a bid to cash in on the booming Asian airfreight business. The airline plans to operate at least two cargo jets, at least one to serve major cities in eastern Indonesia, including Surabaya, Denpasar, Ujungpandang, Manado, Biak and Jayapura. (icn)