Merpati to operate new jet

Merpati to operate new jet

JAKARTA (JP): Merpati Nusantara Airlines, a subsidiary of the
national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, will operate a newly-
delivered Airbus A-310-300 jet to serve the increasing passenger
traffic to Melbourne during the Idul Fitri holidays.

Merpati president, Budiarto Subroto, said here yesterday that
the jet would start flying to Melbourne tomorrow, departing
Jakarta at 10 p.m. and arriving in Melbourne at 8:30 a.m.

Merpati launched last September its thrice-weekly Melbourne
service, as part of a campaign to bolster its image.

"Just within hours of our notification, we have been told by
our agents that 75 percent of the new service capacity has been
booked," Budiarto said.

Merpati is currently popular just as a "local champion" in
domestic feeder outes.

Merpati, which operates various types of aircraft such as A-
310-300s, Boeing B-737-200s, Fokker F-28s, F-27s, ATPs, Casa-
212s, Twin Otters and CN-235s, will receive later this month two
more used jets, A-300-600 and A-310-300, which will be operated
in new routes including Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok and Jeddah.
(icn)