JAKARTA, (PNA/ANTARA) — Garuda Indonesia has ordered 35 Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) 72-600 planes to serve medium cities.
“Garuda Indonesia has ordered ATR72-600 planes to develop and strengthen the routes in the domestic market,” said the airline company`s President Director Emirsyah Satar at the signing of a cooperation agreement between Garuda, ATR, and Nordic Aviation Capital on Tuesday.
He added that the ATR planes will be operational in a number of secondary cities to support the Master Plan for the Acceleration and Extension of Indonesia`s Economic Development.
The development of the routes, he said, would increase national connectivity, which is in line with MP3EI.
“The procurement of ATR72-600 planes is in line with the government`s plan to develop air transportation infrastructure, following the inauguration of new airports in Indonesia in the next two years,” he said.
He said a number of new airports will be opened, especially in new economic growth regions and tourist destinations in remote regions.
As per the cooperation agreement between Garuda, ATR, and NAC, Garuda will procure 35 ATR72-600 planes to serve short-haul flights.
CEO of ATR Filipo Begnato, meanwhile, said the first plane would be delivered in November 2013, while the rest will be delivered in stages until 2017.