Jeddah service via Batam

PADANG, West Sumatra (JP): Passengers from Padang intending to fly to Saudi Arabia will be able to depart from Batam instead of Jakarta when the national air carrier Garuda Indonesia begins to make transit stops on the island in its Jakarta-Jeddah route starting Oct. 30.

Garuda, currently serving the Jakarta-Jeddah route three times per week, plans to transit in Batam only on Wednesdays.

Garuda's manager in Padang, Indra S. Boedjang, told The Jakarta Post that the air carrier will also increase its Jakarta- Padang daily service to twice per day beginning on Oct. 17.

He said the departures from Padang will be set at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.. Flights from Jakarta will depart at 11:05 a.m. and 4:50 p.m.

Garuda will operate Boeing B-737 and Fokker F-27 aircraft for the first and second services respectively.

Indra said the load factors of the Jakarta-Padang and Padang- Jakarta routes usually range between 70 percent and 80 percent. (01/icn)