MAS ties up with Garuda to boost cargo business

MAS ties up with Garuda to boost cargo business

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Air System (MAS) announced a tie-up Friday with
Garuda Indonesia to boost cargo business at the Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA).

The Malaysian carrier, in a statement, said the "smart
partnership" program would allow the two airlines to jointly
offer competitive and effective air cargo transportation in their
networks.

As a first step, it said its cargo division MASkargo would
partner Garuda in capacity sharing, joint freighter service and
special rate arrangement.

The two carriers would also work on plans to coordinate flight
schedules to enhance their synergy of network and fleet, conduct
joint marketing and share resources and technology
infrastructure.

The move would reinforce efforts to promote the KLIA, south of
Kuala Lumpur, as the leading air-cargo transshipment hub in the
region, MAS said in a statement.

Separately, a senior official at Malaysia Airports Holdings,
said Friday the country's three-year-old international airport
could expect new business next year despite gloomy global
aviation prospects.

Azmi Murad, air traffic services general manager, said talks
were being held with several foreign airlines to start services
at KLIA next year.

Although the world aviation industry has been badly hit by the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, he said some
airlines were still keen to operate from Malaysia.

Azmi did not name the companies but said Qatar Airlines from
the Middle East was scheduled to begin inaugural flights from the
KLIA early next month.

"This will bring to 42 the number of airlines operating at
KLIA this year and for a start it will conduct two flights
between Doha and KLIA," he was quoted as saying by the Bernama
news agency.