State Minister to Summon Garuda, Sriwijaya Air Amidst Feud

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi confirmed that he plans to summon managements of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and Sriwijaya Air Group amidst the heated business relations between the two firms.

Minister Budi Karya openly encouraged the two firms to avert from a messy breakup as this situation has disrupted several flight schedules from Sriwijaya Air. 

“Don’t separate, both must be united,” said the Minister in Jakarta on Thursday, November 7, 2019. 

As of today, news broke about the business relationship between Sriwijaya Air and Citilink Indonesia - a Garuda Indonesia subsidiary - has turned tenuous again.

Reports suggest that both parties collectively decided that it would be best to not continue the partnership.

Garuda Indonesia’s higher-ups Iwan Joeniarto in his written statement said the partnership between Sriwijaya and Garuda’s subsidiary Citilink are in the middle of a feud with no solution in sight. “With a heavy heart, we announce that Sriwijaya will continue business on its own,” he said. 

This development, Iwan said, effectively no longer considers Sriwijaya Air as an entity of the Garuda Indonesia Group. Both companies will strictly resume to business-to-business relations. 

CAESAR AKBAR