Garuda wants daily flights to Kansai

Garuda wants daily flights to Kansai

JAKARTA (JP): The national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is
urging the Japanese government to allow it to expand its flights
from Indonesia to the newly-established Kansai International
Airport in Osaka from three times to seven times weekly.

"We have applied for additional flight rights to the Japanese
government and hope that negotiations on them will be completed
by December," Garuda's commercial and marketing director
Kussuyono told the Antara news agency in Osaka on Monday.

If Japan approves the planned additional flights, Garuda could
start increasing its flights to Kansai early next year, he said.

He was optimistic that the Japanese government would meet
Garuda's demand because the airline has served Osaka for more
than 15 years.

Based on an air agreement signed on Sept. 1, 1993, Garuda
flies to Osaka on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Last year's agreement also allows Garuda to use the Kansai
airport after its opening, Kussuyono said.

The new Kansai airport officially opened last Sunday. Garuda
joined the grand opening ceremony of the Kansai airport by
landing its MD-11 airplane under the GA-782 flight number, he
added.

Besides Osaka, the airliner also serves the Denpasar-Jakarta-
Tokyo route with Boeing-747 every day, the Jakarta-Denpasar-
Nagoya route with DC-10 thrice a week, the Denpasar-Fukuoka route
with DC-10 twice weekly and the Jakarta-Denpasar-Fukuoka route
with DC-10 once a week.

The number of Japanese visiting Indonesia was estimated to
increase to 360,789 last year from 349,693 in 1992 and 290,900 in
1991.(fhp)