More flights to E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): The Air Force has increased its flights to East Timor in line with increasing demands for air transportation facilities on the eve of Monday's ballot.

"Besides regular flights, the Air Force has implemented additional flights to transport military and civilian officials to the province," Commodore Bachrum, chief spokesman for the Air Force, told The Jakarta Post here on Saturday.

He said the additional flights were needed because state-owned airline Merpati had not added extra flights to the province. Merpati now serves the Jakarta-Dili route every day except Wednesday and Friday.

Regular Air Force flights use a Hercules C-16 cargo aircraft.

Bachrum said that the frequency of additional flights depends on the Military Headquarters.

"The Air Force aircraft should be standing by any time they are needed," he said. He said an Air Force Fokker-28 was instructed by TNI Headquarters on Friday to transport military officials and 20 local journalists.

Bachrum predicted that more additional flights would be made to Dili after the ballot to bring back military and civilian officials and local journalists.

Due to a lack of air transportation facilities, the Navy recently deployed a warship to transport more than 350 Indonesian observers to Dili. (rms)