TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ahead of Christmas and New Year holidays, flag carrier Garuda Indonesia deployed 139 units of aircraft in various types. The corporate's marketing director Pikri Ilham Kurniansyah said his side even operated two wide-body aircraft as an anticipative measure to the surge in passenger number.

According to Pikri, the two big jets are Boeing 777-300 and Airbus 330-900 that could accommodate 393 and 314 passengers, respectively.

“Operating wide-body planes is our strategy. The first benefit is, the airport will not be packed during takeoffs and landings,” said Pikri in State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry, Central Jakarta, November 26.

Pikri mentioned that the strategy was more effective rather than increasing the number of flights. The two jets would serve busiest flight routes, such as from Jakarta to Surabaya, Medan, Manado, Denpasar, and Yogyakarta.

“When the demand is high, we will prepare a big jet, except for small airports, we will set extra flights,” he added.

Pikri forecasted that the busiest flight schedule would last from December 20, 2019, until January 6, 2020. “During the holidays of Christmas and New Year.”

He went on to say that in a bid to enhance the convenience and safety of passengers, Garuda Indonesia would also conduct aircraft maintenance and renew the license of cabin crews. “To avert technical problems,” Pikri said.

EKO WAHYUDI