More Denpasar-Kupang flights

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The state-owned PT Merpati Airlines plans to increase its flights from Denpasar (Bali) to Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara) from four times a week to seven times a week next year.

District Manager of Kupang Merpati Airlines N.G. Rofinus told reporters here on Friday that the market prospects have been improving, when asked about the reasons for increasing the number of flights.

According to Rofinus, the average occupancy rate of the 52- seat F-27 plane serving the Denpasar-Kupang route is 60 percent.

"Most of the passengers are businessmen," he said, adding that the price of a Denpasar-Kupang ticket is Rp 832,000 (US$99), Rp 789,000 for a Denpasar-Maumere ticket and Rp 384,000 for the Kupang-Maumere route.

Before the economic crisis Merpati served the Kupang-Maumere- Denpasar route daily and the Kupang-Maumere-Makassar route twice a week.

Rofinus said that Merpati offered a 20 percent discount on the ticket price in connection with the company's 38th anniversary which fell on Sept. 6. (yac/sur)