Sempati Air responds

Allow us to reply to a letter in The Jakarta Post (Aug. 25) under the title Sempati's Tiring Route sent in by Mr. Basar Aye Sibuea.

We quite understand the disappointment of Mr. Sibuea's wife during the Medan-Banjarmasin flight SG 501 on Aug. 17. Indeed, there should be only one transfer in Surabaya during that flight. However, due to a number of necessary repairs at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta and the great number of passengers for the Surabaya-Banjarmasin flight, passengers from Medan to Banjarmasin had to transfer twice. Repairs on the airplane had caused Mrs. Sibuea's flight to be delayed for about three hours in Surabaya. We took the action on the consideration that passenger safety was a factor of prime importance. Our mission control report says that the airplane left Surabaya at 20.45 and arrived in Banjarmasin at 23.15, both local times.

We apologize to Mr. Sibuea if he disapproves of the way our employees gave information on the airplane's delay. His complaint is a positive input. We have passed it to all Sempati employees at all airports in order that the quality of work and service be stepped up.

RIMA NOVIANTI

PT Sempati Air

Jakarta