JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk (IDX: GIAA), the country’s flag carrier, has signed agreement with energy firm PT Pertamina to operate Pondok Cabe Airport in south Jakarta for short-to-medium distance commercial flights in second quarter of 2016.
The Pondok Cabe airport, owned by Pertamina, occupies a land plot of 110 hectares. The signing head of agreement between two companies was held on Monday witnessed by Minister for State Own Enterprises Rini Soemarno.
According to Garuda President Director Arif Wibowo, the Pondok Cabe airport meets the conditions for a commercial airport that could accommodate aircraft of ATR 72-600 class with a seat capacity of 72 passengers, which are used by its subsidiary, a low cost carrier, Citilink.
He predicted in the first days of its operation, the airport would serve 25 incoming and outgoing flights per day.
“We will be ready to operate the Pondok Cabe airport commercially. With frequency of 25 flights per day, the airport could serve 1,500 passengers per day and the whole year around 500 thousand passengers,” he said.
He said Garuda will use the airport to serve flights connecting Tangerang and eight cities in Indonesia, namely Lubuk Linggau and Palemabng in South Sumatera, Pangkalan Bun and Ketapang cities in Kalimantan, Semarang and Jogyakarta in Central Java, Tanjung Karang town in Lampung, Sumatera, and possibly Cilacap in southwestern part of Central Java.
Arif said, Garuda in cooperation with Pelita Air Service, flight carrier owned by Pertamina, is in a process to secure a license to operate the Pondok Cabe airport commercially from the Transportation Ministry.
President Director of Pertamina Dwi Sutjipto added that in order to reach those target, the company is currently repairing the 1,984 meters long and 45 meters wide runway Pondok Cabe airport and terminal facility.
“Pertamina and Garuda could work in synergy to explore business potentials, including the aircraft maintenance facility of Pelita Air Services (flight carrier ownws by Pertamina),” Dwi said.
He explained that the commercial operation of airports of Pertamina could contribute to additional income to the company of around Rp40 billion-Rp50 billion per year. Pertamina and Garuda would also cooperate in the sales of aviation fuels or jet fuels and bio-fuels to all Garuda aircraft at a competitive price.
Meanwhile, Minister for State Enterprises Rini Soemarno said with the synergy with other state owned company, Pertamina could focus more on its oil and gas business. It no longer needs to burden itself with problems related with non-core business such as airport and aviation. (*)