Merpati to serve S'pore

JAKARTA (JP): Garuda Indonesia will increase its flights to Los Angeles in the United States next week, while Merpati Nusantara, its subsidiary, will start serving Singapore.

On Monday Merpati will start a direct flight connecting Bandung in West Java with Singapore, using a Fokker 28 aircraft which can accommodate 80 passengers.

Several officials will be on board Merpati's first flight, including Secretary of the Directorate of Air Transportation T.B. Matoulang, two Merpati directors, Ridwan Fatarudin and Budiarto Subroto, and legislator M. Diran.

Indonesia and Singapore signed an air agreement last month, allowing each other to increase flight services between the two countries.

Garuda, in the meantime, will extend its flights to Los Angeles from four to five times a week on Oct. 30.

The national carrier will use only MD-11 aircraft to serve the Jakarta-Los Angeles route, which is now also served by B-747-200 Combi. (hdj)