Indonesia’s Merpati Nusantara is looking to introduce 38 Boeing 737-300/400s on lease over the next 17 months, with Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) fleet being viewed as a potential candidate.
The Indonesian state-owned carrier currently operates a mixed fleet of 32 aircraft that includes 737-200s and -300s, Fokker 100s, and various turboprop types – Indonesian Aerospace C-212s and CN-235s, and de Havilland Canada Twin Otters.
Merpati’s president director Hotasi Nababan says that over the next two years the carrier wants to double the fleet size and reduce the number of types that it operates.
General manager corporate planning Tony Sudjiarto says he is speaking to several companies about leasing 38 737-300/400s for delivery in 2005 and 2006.
Sudjiarto says one of the lessors Merpati is speaking to is MAS parent Penerbangan Malaysia, which owns the 39 737-400s MAS plans to phase out.
Indonesia’s government plans to inject $50 million to improve the finances of Merpati. Hotasi says the airline owes creditors and vendors 1.5 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($154 million).
LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
