Merpati to lease Airbuses

JAKARTA (JP): PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines plans to start operating three Airbus 300-600 aircraft next month, according to managing director Budiarto Subroto.

The airline, which is the subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, will lease two of the aircraft from a French company and the third from a Kuwaiti company, he was quoted yesterday by Republika daily as saying.

Subroto did not disclose the identities of the leasing companies nor the monthly leasing fees for the aircraft.

He said the three aircraft would serve the growing Asia- Pacific market, including Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan. (02)