Merpati threatens to end Palu service

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Domestic airline company Merpati Nusantara has threatened to stop its flights to Palu due to the imposition of various fees at the city's Mutiara airport.

The fees have raised Merpati's operational costs, far exceeding the income from ticket sales and baggage fees, Iwan Sufiantoro, head of Marpati's branch office in Palu, said.

"Each airplane landing before 11 p.m. local time is obliged to pay an additional charge of Rp 2 million (US$215)," he said, adding the additional fees have been imposed on Bouraq and Lion Air as well.

The airport management doubled the fee to Rp 4 million for any airplane landing after 11 p.m., not including an extension fee of up to Rp 400,000 per flight.

Adi Kanrio, head of Palu's Mutiara airport, said the fees were imposed in line with an agreement with all the airlines companies. "The fee imposition is a result of a collective agreement, not merely the airport's policy."

If its imposition burdens the airline companies, there is still a possibility to make a new arrangement, he added. -- Antara