Merpati prepares extra flights

JAKARTA: Indonesia's second largest flight carrier, PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Merpati) has prepared extra flights for November in anticipation of increasing demands during the Idul Fitri Islamic holiday.

The airline has prepared 35 extra flights serving 17 routes with a total of 3,560 seats, the General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Imam Turidy, said in a press statement on Thursday.

The 17 flights, mostly at night, will depart from 11 cities, including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Pontianak, Surabaya, Batam and Padang.

To make reservations easier, Merpati will provide a 24-hour call center and a "call & fly" home delivery ticket service, said Imam.

Earlier, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia also announced that they would add 65,028 seats to their service during Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year due to surging demands.

Indonesians traditionally go back to their hometowns to visit their families and relatives during Idul Fitri. -- JP