Garuda, Mandala sign maintenance agreement

JAKARTA (JP): The national air carrier Garuda Indonesia has signed an agreement with Mandala Airlines, a private scheduled airline, on aircraft maintenance.

Under the agreement, signed Wednesday by Garuda's president Soepandi and Mandala's president Subagio, the two airlines will also cooperate in computerized reservation and personnel trainings.

Soepandi said that the agreement will hopefully improve the profitability of the Garuda Maintenance Facility, the maintenance division of Garuda.

Garuda Maintenance Facility has so far been providing aircraft maintenance services to World Airways, Air Liberte Latur, Air Lebanon, Kuwait Air and Middle East Airways as well as domestic airlines -- Pelita Air Service, Indonesia Air Transport, Bouraq Indonesia, Sempati and Merpati Nusantara,

Garuda Maintenance Facility has been recognized by the Federal Air Aviation of the United States and the Civil Air Aviation of Singapore.

Some of Garuda Maintenance Facility's standardized activities include radio aviation repairing, the modifying and testing of General Electric, Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney engines, and the overhauling of General Electric's CFM56-3 engines. (icn)