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)