JAL doubles RI flights despite security concerns

JAKARTA (JP): Japan Airlines (JAL) is doubling its flights to Indonesia despite growing concern over security in the country.

Starting April 1, JAL will fly 14 times a week to Indonesia, a marked increase over its current seven flights a week to the country.

JAL currently operates a daily Osaka-Denpasar-Jakarta-Osaka route served by DC-10 aircraft, in addition to a daily Narita- Jakarta-Denpasar route served by B747 aircraft.

Shuichi Sakamoto, JAL's marketing manager in Indonesia, said here on Monday the expansion was in anticipation of a future increase in the number of air passengers to and from Indonesia.

"We are expecting at least a 10 percent increase in the number of Japanese visitors to Indonesia this year," he said.

He attributed the estimated increase of visitors from Japan to Indonesia to the expected recovery of Japan's economy in 1999.

"Japan's economy this year will likely be much better than last year, especially due to the government's efforts to develop proper policies to stimulate the economy," he said.

Sakamoto estimated the number of travelers departing from Jakarta and Bali also would increase by about 20 percent this year.

He said the number of passengers from Japan to Indonesia reached 130,000 people last year, almost the same number recorded in 1997.

He believes this year's 10 percent increase in the number of passengers to Indonesia can be achieved despite fears over reports of escalating social unrest in Indonesia.

Many foreign tourists have canceled trips to Indonesia due to religious and ethnic conflicts in several parts of the country. Many people also fear the security situation in the country could deteriorate ahead of and after the general election scheduled for June 7.

He said the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia had issued warnings to Japanese visitors due to the country's unstable security situation.

A second-grade warning was given to Jakarta, meaning that it was recommended only business travelers visit the city. No warning has been issued for Bali, Sakamoto said, adding that a third-grade warning was given to Ambon, meaning the embassy was recommending against all travel to the area.

"At this stage, there is likely no plan for the (Japanese) embassy to change its warnings, so we can still expect Japanese people to come here," he said.

In addition to the expansion of the number of its flights, JAL Indonesia also launched two new tour packages from Jakarta to China and Europe and continued to promote its Jakarta-Las Vegas tour package. The moves were made to anticipate an increase in outbound visitors, said Daniel Surjadi, managing director of JAL Indonesia's subsidiary, PT Taurina Travel Jaya.

He was upbeat the new packages would sell, mainly because of lower prices. "Our trip to Europe is seven days longer than those offered by other carriers, but ours is US$300 cheaper than theirs."

Not for exodus

Both Daniel and Sakamoto denied allegations the increased number of flights and the new tour packages were part of JAL's strategy to anticipate a possible exodus of Indonesians and expatriates wishing to avoid possible riots ahead of the June election.

"The flight increases and the tour packages were certainly not created because of a possible exodus. Though we can't deny the fact that there might be an increase in the number of outbound passengers from Indonesia during the election period," Daniel said.

JAL increased its number of flights to 10 flights a day after massive riots hit Jakarta on May 13, 1997, mainly to serve Japanese expatriates and their families, he said.

Thousands of foreigners and Chinese-Indonesians fled the country after the riots, which killed hundreds of people and led to the resignation of president Soeharto after 32 years in power.

He also denied allegations the tour packages would mainly be used by Indonesians wishing to avoid the election, saying that Indonesian passengers who were traveling abroad during the election could still exercise their right to vote.

"We are not encouraging people here not to vote and leave the country to avoid unwanted trouble. We will help passengers who join our China and Europe tours and who wish to vote visit Indonesian embassies or appointed offices in destination cities," he added. (cst)