Garuda's new chief sets strategies
Garuda's new chief sets strategies
JAKARTA (JP): The newly-installed president of Garuda Indonesia, Soepandi, said yesterday that he has set major measures to improve the performance of the national air carrier.
"I have set major programs in facing stiff competition in the airline business, both domestically and internationally," he said in his speech in a ceremony for Garuda's 46th anniversary at the Jakarta Fairground yesterday.
He said that the programs include the improvement of Garuda's public services, human resources, fleet plans, management, profitability and business strategies.
"Garuda's responsibility will be more extensive as the government has targeted Garuda to transport 6.79 million passengers this year, 14 percent higher than 5.91 million passengers in 1994," he said, adding that services for the transportation of haj pilgrims should also be better this year.
He said that more profit centers will be established by improving the utilization of a number of Garuda's facilities, including warehouses, training centers and aircraft maintenance facilities.
Soepandi, 58, was sworn in as Garuda's president last week replacing Wage Mulyono. Soepandi was previously director of personnel and general affairs.
He said that cooperation between Garuda and the Dutch airline KLM, based on an alliance agreement signed last month, will be applied soon.
According to Soepandi, there are 26 items of cooperation being negotiated between Garuda and KLM.
Garuda, established in 1949 with a total fleet of 56 aircraft at present, currently hires 14,589 employees, including 3,349 maintenance personnel, 3,034 cabin crew members, 646 pilots, 96 flight engineers and 7,464 other employees.
The airline's profit multiplied from Rp 7.7 billion in 1993 to Rp 350 billion last year, of which some Rp 160 billion was derived from the sales of its 17 aging DC-9 aircraft to a foreign firm.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, who attended yesterday's ceremony, reiterated that Garuda should expand its business internationally.
"Garuda is independently able to arrange its fleet plans," he said.
Last week's replacement of Garuda's president has caused speculations about the government's unnecessary involvement in the airline's management. Wage had reportedly requested replacement before his term of service ended because the government had interfered too much in Garuda's management.
Wage who also attended yesterday's ceremony, said that there was no pressure for his resignation. "I was just stressed," he said.(icn)