Saturday, November 19, 2011, 20:57 GMT
Lion Air is surprisingly made a deal with
Boeing to buy 230 aircraft valued at Rp195 trillion. The plane consists of 201 species and 29
737 Maxz 737-900 ERs next generation that will come starting 2017 until 2025.
Lion himself has ordered as many as 178 Boeing aircraft since 2007 to 2017, bringing the
total to be owned by Lion until 2025 as many as 408 Boeing aircraft. This amount exceeds
the largest aircraft currently owned airline, Garuda Indonesia. Is this step Lion can shift the
position of Garuda?
Finance Director of Garuda Indonesia, Elisa Lumbantoruan, assessing Lion Air is a positive
step. According to him, efforts to increase the fleet should be followed by other airlines. This
involves the implementation of the Open Sky in 2015. Garuda was a step that does not make
airline Lion red plate was unrivaled.
"No, it's not a rival. We saw the Lion steps are positive, because it's long term plan, "Eliza
said when contacted VIVAnews.com in Jakarta, Friday, November 18, 2011.
According to Elisa, measures to increase the number of Lion Air's fleet should be followed
by other airlines. It is important to deal with the Open Sky 2015.
"Actually I agree with the Managing Director of Lion Air, Rusdi Kirana, that in the future we
should be the host and can compete with neighboring countries in terms of the Open Sky," he
said.
By becoming a host in his own country, continued Elisa, then we will be in charge of the
Indonesian market. However, all this also required the support and cooperation from the
government. It is about the infrastructure, facilities, and regulation.
To deal with Open Sky, Garuda has a development and revitalization program called
'Quantum Leap'. Until 2015, Garuda Indonesia plans to increase from the current fleet of 89
aircraft to 154 aircraft consisting of B737-800NG to domestic and regional, A330-300/200
for medium range and medium, as well as the B777-300ER for long distance (longhaul ) with
an average aircraft age of five years.
"Garuda has a fleet of program development and revatalisasi named Quantum Leap and the
program is planned to increase the number of aircraft to 154 aircraft and 50 aircraft Citilink,"
said Elisa.
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