Sempati stops flights

JAKARTA (JP): Private airline Sempati Air will suspend flights to seven domestic and international destinations starting next month due to the economic crisis.

Service will be discontinued temporarily on domestic routes to Ambon, Denpasar, Jayapura, Manado, Surakarta and Timika, the airline said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post yesterday.

It will also suspend Singapore on its international flight roster.

The company said it was adversely affected by the crisis because it paid 80 percent of its flight costs in dollars and its load factor had decreased.

It will resume flights to the destinations after the national economy recovers, the company said. (jsk)