Telkom and Garuda to aid Air Show '96

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom and national flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia yesterday agreed to participate in the 1996 Indonesia Air Show (IAS '96) by providing facilities for the week-long event in June.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Bambang Riady Oemar, the head of Telkom's Jakarta office, and Hadinoto Sudigno, the head of Garuda's workshop division, in a ceremony attended by Telkom's president, Setyanto P. Santosa, IAS '96 Executive Director Thareq K. Habibie and Garuda's technical director, Bambang Wahyudi.

Garuda will be the official carrier for IAS '96 and will provide air and land transportation as well as aircraft maintenance facilities during the show. Garuda's subsidiary, PT Aerowisata, will provide catering services for participants.

Garuda's overseas promotion for IAS '96 will include discounts on tickets for participants who choose to fly with the airline.

Meanwhile, the cooperation will require Telkom to set up telecommunication booths and business centers for media personnel at the Soekarno-Hatta international airport. The cooperation with Telkom started in March and will extend until July.

Telkom will provide card, credit card and coin operated phones as well as facsimile machines, teleprinters and modems during the air show.

IAS '96, to be held from June 22 to June 30, will be open to professionals from June 23 to June 27 and to the public from June 28 to June 30.

The show, which is held in conjunction with Indonesia's 50th anniversary of independence and the declaration of 1996 as the country's maritime and aerospace year, will be attended by some 300 domestic and international participants. President Soeharto is scheduled to open the show, where a number of internationally- acclaimed aerobatic teams will conduct demonstrations.

IAS '96 will take place on 130 hectares of land at the international airport. This will be the second show of its kind in Jakarta, the first one being held in 1986. (pwn)