Garuda's new Airbus A330-300s will arrive on time

Garuda's new Airbus A330-300s will arrive on time

By Soeryo Winoto

TOULOUSE, France (JP): The people standing around the runway
clapped as the new Airbus A330-300 took off, breaking through the
chilly air at Blagnac airport, about 600 kilometers south of
Paris.

It was the third test flight of one of nine Airbus A330-300s
ordered by Garuda Indonesia. The first delivery is scheduled for
Dec. 18.

The aircraft made it first flight on Nov. 22, the second on
the morning of Nov. 26 and the third that afternoon.

Sean Lee, Airbus Industrie regional communications manager,
said he saw nothing which could delay the delivery as Airbus
Industrie been done everything properly and on time.

"The first delivery, which will end in March next year, will
include six aircraft one of which has undergone flight trial
tests successfully. We believe that everything will be on
schedule," Lee said last month. The other three would be
delivered in 1998, he added.

All Garuda Indonesia officials involved in the purchase, who
were sent to Toulouse, said they were satisfied with the tests.

"So far so good. I hope that everything will be smooth in the
official delivery," Garuda resident representative Bambang
Sugiharto said.

Bambang has been in Toulouse for about three months
representing the Indonesian flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia.

Koesmono Rekky, Manager A/C Maintenance Audit Quality
Assurance Department of Garuda, said the new aircraft was
technically okay.

He expressed satisfaction at the cooperation between Garuda
and Airbus Industrie.

"As a buyer Garuda has the right to complain about anything
found irregular in the aircraft, and Airbus Industrie respects it
very much. I appreciate that," he said.

Airbus Industrie is a multinational European consortium owned
by Aerospatiale of France, Germany's Daimler-Benz Aerospace,
British Aerospace and Spain's CASA.

The main sections of the A330 are manufactured in those
countries and then transported to Toulouse for assembly.

The Airbus A330-300s to be delivered to Indonesia are the
first six of nine Garuda ordered after signing a leasing deal in
Singapore last March, seven years after the first order.

Last April Garuda invited several international financing
firms to facilitate the leasing arrangement after changing all
its purchasing contracts to leasing schemes for financial
reasons.

Despite the leasing arrangement reports Lee said Garuda did
not lease the aircraft. "Garuda purchased the aircraft," he said,
adding that the twin-engined Airbus A330-300s each cost US$125
million.

Patrick Dumont, Senior Analyst Customer Marketing of Airbus
Industrie, said Garuda could maximize its profits by operating
A330-300s.

"A330 features the lowest operating costs of any aircraft yet
designed. The fuel cost advantage in flying A330-300 is US$1.06
million per year, compared to MD-11 and Boeing 747-200," he said.

The A330-300 has a two class cabin layout with 42 executive
class seats and 251 economy seats.

Passengers flying executive class will be able to relax in
luxurious leather seats arranged in three rows of two, with a
generous 48 inches of leg room between rows.

Garuda will use the A330-300s for regional flights to Hong
Kong, Taipei, Japan, Guangzhou and Australia.

Lee said six airlines, excluding Indonesia, operated 50 Airbus
A330-300s in Asia.

"For these new A330-300s Garuda prefers using Trent 700 Rolls-
Royce engines. And it was Garuda that decided to use Rolls-Royce
engines," Lee said explaining Garuda did not want General
Electric engines in the new airbuses.

Bambang Sugiharto said every decision was based on financial
and technological reasons. "We chose Airbus Industrie and Rolls-
Royce for technological reasons", he said.

Garuda Indonesia president Soepandi had earlier said plans to
operate A330-300s were part of Garuda's efforts to improve its
service amid fierce competition.

"The Asia-Pacific is now growing very fast and Garuda will not
miss the booming market and is determined to net passengers from
all parts of the world," Soepandi once said.

Garuda currently has a total of 60 aircraft, which ply 35
international routes and 19 domestic routes.

Other Garuda efforts to improve service and attract more
passengers have been made by Emizola Maas Sikumbang, the newly
installed Garuda General Manager for France.

"We have changed the executive class into business class and
business class into super-tourist class. Executive class is less
popular for European tourists, especially French," Maas Sikumbang
said. "Tourists are treated as business class passengers with
executive class tickets."

Garuda now operates three Boeing 747-400s to and from Paris.
Two depart from Jakarta and one from Denpasar, Bali.

The Boeing 747 has 18 executive class seats, 63 business class
(super tourists) seats and 323 economy class seats.

Another effort to attract European tourists, particularly from
France, is one more flight a week. "We had four flights in the
past, and due to internal consideration we now have only three.
In April next year we will (again) have more flights in line with
the enhancement of the marketing of Garuda in France," Maas
Sikumbang said.