Merpati puzzled over F-28s from Garuda
Merpati puzzled over F-28s from Garuda
JAKARTA (JP): Merpati Nusantara Airlines, which filed an order for eight aging Fokker-28 aircraft from its principal company Garuda Indonesia, is puzzled by an offer for the leasing of the same planes from three private firms.
Merpati's president, Ridwan Fatarudin, told reporters Thursday that the three companies are offering the eight aircraft under a package consisting of leasing, refurbishment and maintenance.
"We have never received a reply from Garuda about our purchase proposal but we are wondering why it is that three private firms are offering us the lease of the same planes," he said.
Ridwan did not disclose the names of the three firms but a Merpati executive said they are KFS Aviation Incorporated of Japan, PT Arthaska Nusaphala and PT Sakanusa Dirgantara.
"Anyway, we can lease the eight planes as long as the leasing fee for each of them is set at US$56,000 to $60,000 per month," he said, adding that he determined the fee level on the basis of the low price of the aging planes -- about $2.7 million to $3 million each.
He explained that Merpati, currently operating 17 Fokker-28s, needs eight more similar aircraft, so that the airline can guarantee the operation of 22 planes to serve its routes, while two others are serviced and the other one is left ready to replace any plane which, for what ever reasons, cannot operate.
The planned operation of additional Fokker-28s is necessary to compensate the airline's excessive spending caused by the recent purchase of three Fokker-100s at a steep price, he said.
Merpati was recently forced to buy the three Fokker-100s for $26 million each. The three planes were actually part of 12 planes, priced at $32 million each, ordered by Garuda Indonesia, the national flag carrier, but the airline canceled the order and ordered Merpati to take them. Merpati finally took three of them after their prices were lowered to $26 million each.
Ridwan yesterday denied rumors that a certain party has pressured Merpati to lease the eight Fokker-28s from the three private firms. "There is no external pressure on us and we want to lease them to lower our operational costs as a compensation to the excessive spending on Fokker-100s," he said.
He said he will resume negotiations with the executives of the three companies next week.
"We expect to finalize negotiations in March," he said. (icn)