TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State airline Garuda Indonesia will increase the number of its fleet to 70 units by the end of 2023. Currently, the flag carrier is operating just 33 units of aircraft.

"We will try to recover our total flight capacity. Currently, 33 of the 142 aircraft are operating," Garuda Indonesia's director of human capital Aryaperwira Adileksana said in a meeting with the DPR's Commission in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 28.

The number of Garuda planes has dwindled because during the Covid-19 pandemic it reduced routes and flight frequencies. In addition, during the restructuring process, Garuda's aircraft were returned to lessors.

Not only for its main airline, the Garuda Group will increase the number of Citilink's fleet, the subsidiary that currently only operates 34 aircraft, down from 51.

"Garuda will fulfill its business plan, and we will increase the number of Citilink aircraft to 49 units," Aryaperwira said.

The aircraft procurement plan is the result of discussions between Garuda and its lessors. In the process of postponing its debt payment obligations (PKPU), Garuda proposed a settlement and a plan to restructure; to fly planes to profitable routes.

Garuda also plans to stop flying the Bombardier CRJ-1000 and ATR, citing unsuitability with the airline's business characteristics. Aryaperwira said Garuda would return all Bombardier aircraft to their manufacturers. As for ATR, Garuda will divert it to Citilink, which flies short domestic routes.

TEMPO.CO

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