Reigning Champs Set Quick Pace for Tour d'Indonesia Field

The Jakarta Globe, Ami Afriatni

DKI Jakarta riders passing through the Semanggi area in Jakarta during the opening team trial on Sunday. DI Jogjakarta emerged as the fastest local team in the first stage, finishing fifth overall. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)

Defending Tour d’Indonesia champion Tabriz Petrochemical wasted little time setting itself apart from the rest of the field.

Averaging 48 kilometers per hour, the Iranian team blew away the field in the first stage in Jakarta on Sunday and won the opening team time trial in 15 minutes.

Another Iranian team, Azad University, finished second in 15:28.368, with the Japanese national team third with a time of 16:02.659. Plan B of Australia was fourth in 16:03.045, and DI Jogjakarta was the fastest Indonesian side after it took fifth in 16:14.757.

Tabriz’s riders are confident they can continue having success in the race, including the sprint events, despite one less mountain stage this year.

The Iranians dominated in the mountains in 2008, but organizers removed a steep climb from the fifth stage, from Purwokerto to Yogyakarta, because of safety concerns.

“We’re not really happy with the route because basically we’re all climbers,” 2008 individual champion Ghader Mizbani Iranagh said.

“But we’ll also try in the sprints. I hope we still can win the yellow jersey and I myself can defend my title.”

Mehdi Sohrabi of Tabriz, who claimed top spot in the Asian rankings this month, won the yellow jersey after posting the fastest time. Azad sprinter Amir Zargari took the green jersey for being the top sprinter.

Though there was no climb in the first stage, organizers awarded the polka-dot jersey to Kazuki Aoyanagi, who was the fastest on the third-place Japanese national team. Nugroho Kisnanto of DI Jogjakarta took the red and white jersey, which is awarded to the top Indonesian rider.

Nugroho, runner-up for the green jersey last year, said he has a chance to do one better after 2008 sprint champion Anuar Manan of Malaysia did not enter this year’s race.

“This is a good opportunity for me. I want to win the green jersey this year,” the 25-year-old said.

The 19 participating teams were transferred to Bandung following the time trial. Today’s second stage runs from Bandung to Tasikmalaya, West Java.

Sunday’s results

1. Tabriz Petrochemical (15:00.068)
2. Azad University (15:28.368)
3. Japan National Team (16:02.659)
4. Plan B Racing (16:03.045)
5. DI Jogjakarta (16:14.757)
6. Polygon Sweet Nice (16:21.158)
7. United Bike Kencana Kota Malang (16:28.000)
8. Putra Perjuangan Kota Bandung (16:33.327)
9. Road Bike Phils-7 Eleven (16:34.331)
10. Customs Cycling Club (16:35.017) Cycling
    
    

Related Article:

New route for Tour d'Indonesia cycling race

One Reported Dead as Ferry Sinks off Indonesia's Sumatra Island; Rescue Underway

The Jakarta Globe

Ferry accidents are common in Indonesian waters. The 'Senopati Nusantara', above, sank off the coast of Java in late 2006 with some 500 people aboard. (Photo: EPA)

A ferry carrying 213 has sunk in rough seas near Indonesia's Riau islands, killing at least one person, police said.

Search teams are looking for survivors from the Dumai Express 10 which was sailing from Batam near Singapore to Dumai island in Riau when it ran into massive waves, Riau police chief Puji Hartanto told Metro TV.

The victim was a small child, according to kompas.com.

Survivors were spotted floating at sea, Hartanto said.

Separately, another ferry, the Dumai Express 15 with 278 people on board, ran aground after it was hit by large waves, said Riau police spokesman Yasin Kosasih.

All passengers and crew survived, he added. The ferry was travelling between Batam and Moro island.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferry services to connect the many islands in the sprawling archipelago, but accidents are common, largely due to years of under-investment in infrastructure and a tendency to overload ferries.

Reuters JG

Related Articles:

Rescuers temporarily stop searching for victims of sunken ferry in Indonesia

Rescuers seek ferry survivors

Officials to Investigate Riau Ferry Disaster

Indonesia passenger ferry sinks off Sumatra

'Computer glitch' hits US flights

BBC News

Delays are affecting Atlanta airport, one of the world's busiest

A computer glitch affecting aircraft flight plans is causing cancellations and delays across the eastern US.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a computer system in Atlanta, Georgia, which processes flight plans is not working properly.

As a result, controllers are being forced to enter flight plans manually, the FAA says.

Delays will occur until the problem is solved, it says, but the safety of planes in the air is not affected.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been worst affected, according to US media reports.

"We are investigating the cause of the problem," the FAA said in a statement. "We are processing flight plans manually and expect some delays."

"We have radar coverage and communications with planes," it added.

Last August a similar computer failure delayed hundreds of flights across the US.

Related Article:

'Cosmic rays' may have caused Qantas jet's plunge

Airport operator reaffirms unpopular policy

Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Mon, 11/16/2009 10:27 AM

Island hospitality: Tourism and Culture Minister Jero Wacik (right), and Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar (second right) talk to tourists at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar, Bali, on Sunday. The government promised to improve services for foreign tourists at the airport. JP/Ni Komang Erviani

The Ngurah Rai International Airport management has reiterated a flight policy that passengers transferring from international to domestic flights should conduct a series of procedures before boarding the second flight.

Last week, airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I was rebuked by an upset passenger, who had boarded at Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan, heading to Jakarta, with a stopover at Ngurah Rai Airport for a transfer to a domestic flight.

The passenger complained about having to pay additional airport tax and conduct check-in procedures before moving to his Denpasar-Jakarta flight.

The passenger sent a furious message to the newly installed Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi, complaining about what he described as “improper services” and even asked the minister to dismiss Angkasa Pura’s director.

PT Angkasa Pura I general manager Heru Legowo said Friday that his company had already received similar complaints.

“We need to clarify this to avoid further misinterpretations.”

The passenger apparently thought he had used a transit flight and could directly move to the next flight without paying additional airport tax and undergoing custom and immigration clearance procedures.

In fact, Heru underlined, the passenger had used a transfer flight, which has different procedures to that of transit flights.

“In transfer flights, passenger should conduct another security check, customs clearance, and pay another airport tax. Passengers also use different aircrafts. While in transit flight, passengers use the same aircraft and they don’t need to conduct such procedures.”

In this particular case, he went on, the passenger used an international flight from Tokyo to Denpasar, and continued with domestic flight serving Denpasar-Jakarta route. Both flights belong to the Garuda Indonesia carrier.

“Transferring between international to domestic flights requires passengers to undergo such procedures, especially as we withdrew the mixed flight policy in May,” said I Wayan Sudiarta, Garuda Indonesia’s station manager for Bali.

He added that there was not yet a direct flight from Tokyo to Jakarta.

“The direct flight is only from Tokyo to Denpasar.”

To improve services, Angkasa Pura will expand the airport’s domestic and international terminals, as well as supporting facilities.

The Rp 1.6-trillion expansion project is scheduled to commence in January next year after being delayed for months, and is expected to finish within 30 months.

The 15,000-square meter domestic terminal will be expanded into 120,000-square meter international terminal, said Heru Legowo.

“The domestic terminal has been overcrowded. It only has a capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year, but now we have had around 4.5 million passengers per year.”

He said the expansion would allow the airport to accomodate around 20 million passengers per year, from around the current nine million passengers per year.

The airport operator also asked Bali administration to improve access around the airport to overcome traffic congestion.

Indonesian Ministers Find Bali’s Airport in Sad Shape

The Jakarta Globe, Made Arya

Denpasar. Long visa lines, broken computers, filthy bathrooms and leaky roofs. Such was the situation at Bali’s international airport on Sunday during a snap inspection by two cabinet ministers.

The woeful state of Ngurah Rai International Airport is threatening to become a national embarrassment and a liability for the nation’s top tourism destination. And some tourists gave an earful to Tourism Minister Jero Wacik and Patrialis Akbar, the minister of law and human rights, during their surprise visit.

“I heard some [immigration] officers say to the minister that it only takes 45 seconds to issue a visa on arrival. But I queued for 15 minutes just now,” said one Australian tourist named Lizza.

It was easy to see why. Six of the 25 visa on arrival counters at the international arrivals hall were closed because their computers were broken, officials said.

Patrialis and Wacik witnessed first-hand the long queues. “We want all the counters to be well-functioning and manned by officers. Tourists should be in their [taxi] cabs within 15 minutes if we have good service,” they said.

One Indonesian tourist told the ministers the domestic terminal had its own problems, including leaky roofs as the air-conditioners dripped water, dirty entrance and walls in the toilets, and many broken luggage trolleys.

Just two years ago, Ngurah Rai was named the country’s best airport by the Ministry of Transportation. But last week, the airport’s operator said it could no longer handle the huge volume of travelers, 45 percent of who are domestic travelers. It processes more than nine million passengers a year.

Patrialis said the surprise inspection was part of his ministry’s 100-day program to improve airport immigration services. There were many complaints about Ngurah Rai, he said. “Do not let the tourists down. We must give our best service,” Patrialis said.

Wacik also suggested limiting the shops at Ngurah Rai, because it is not a transit airport. “Ngurah Rai is not like Changi in Singapore. If the tourists want to shop, let them shop in Sukawati [handicraft] market instead,” he said.

KPPU Targets Airlines with Unfair Business

Kompas, Jimbon, FRIDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 2009 | 3:48 PM

Boeing 747 refueling at Internasional Airport Juanda, Surabaya, East Java Timur (KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN)

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Efforts from The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) to prove the existence of a cartel in fixing the fuel surcharge is quite serious. Now, the KPPU intends to charge a number of airlines with a new chapter of law.

Previously, KPPU accused a violation of fuel surcharge by 12 airlines. KPPU considered this practice to be in violation of Chapter 5 of the Law No. 5, 1999, regarding the prohibition of monopoly practices and unfair business competition. The conclusion was, that there were indications that the airlines made a unilateral agreement to fix the price.

Now, the KPPU will charge with another chapter. "We will have a new chapter, which is chapter 21. The indication will be that an airline has done an unfair practice by fixing unilaterally the fuel surcharge price," said the Communications Director of KPPU, Ahmad Junaidi, Thursday.

Based on chapter 21, the KPPU will charge the airlines for fixing the unilateral fuel surcharge price that tends to go up every year.

Seeing that the indication of unfair practice of the fuel surcharge case getting worse, now the KPPU has elevated the status of this case from preliminary investigation to follow-up investigation by upholding No. 1036/KPPU/PEN/XI/2009. "It was decided on November 9, with an investigation period of 60 days, plus 30 working days if required," said Ahmad.

However, so far only some of the 12 airlines have fulfilled KPPU's summons. Six other companies are still waiting for the reschedule of their summons - PT Kartika Airlines, PT Trigana Air Services, PT Mandala Airlines, PT Travel Express Aviation, PT Linus Airways, and PT Sriwijaya Air.

The effect of KPPU's investigation has caused the airlines to adapt with the situation. Currently, the Department of Transportation and the airlines has planned to include fuel surcharge price as a tariff component.

Not all airlines agree yet with the plan. But at least there is an effort to clarify the fuel surcharge.

"The calculations have been set, it's only a matter of setting the agreement. We will discuss this with the KPPU," said Managing Director of Lion Air, Edward Sirait some time ago. (Yudho Winarto, Gentur Putro Jati/Kontan/C17-09)

RI to purchase trainer, attack aircraft from Russia, China

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 11/13/2009 8:58 AM

Indonesia will purchase new trainer/light attack aircraft from Russia and China as part of an effort to revitalize its primary defense system, says newly sworn-in Air Force chief of staff Vice Marshal Imam Safaat.

He said the new jets, consisting the Yak-130 from Russia and the FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle from China, would replace the squadrons of British Hawk Mk-53 jets and American OV-10 Bronco.

The Air Force has 20 Hawk Mk-53, and eight turboprop-driven OV-10 Bronco aircraft that are around 30 years old.

“We plan to replace them in the next couple of years. We have done feasibility studies for the purchases, and will propose them to the government soon,” Imam said after the handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base in East Jakarta. Imam replaced Marshal Subandrio.

It would be the first time Indonesia purchases warplanes from China and the second from Russia after the United States embargoed the supply of spare parts for its F-5E Tiger II and F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters and C-130 Hercules transport planes in 1999 due to human rights abuses mainly East Timor.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman, Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said the reshuffle in the Air Force leadership was conducted to improve its professionalism through the regeneration of leaders.

Sagom added the new Air Force chief was assigned to boost the country’s air defense system by increasing the quality of aircraft and equipment.

“It is our mission to reduce accidents during training and operational work conducted by Air Force personnel to zero,” he said.

Iman said the military aircraft had to be replaced soon because the Air Force had used the existing planes for more than 30 years.

Imam said further that the Indonesian Military had also planned to replace the old F-5E Tiger II jets.

“We expect to replace them by 2013,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Imam declined to mention the prices of the new aircraft, saying he had not yet discussed it with the government.

“They are expensive,” he said, adding the aircraft would be purchased using foreign aid.

Indonesia bought three Sukhoi fighter jets in February this year to strengthen aerial defense following a series of deadly accidents caused by outdated military aircraft.

The country now has seven Sukhoi-type fighters, all of which were purchased from Russia through a credit scheme. Three more are expected later this year.

Indonesia purchased the seven fighter jets from Russia through the seven-year credit scheme at a total price of US$335 million, but does not have to start making payments for five years.

TNI chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said the Air Force would focus on increasing the operational quality of its basic equipment and maintenance.

“That includes the improvement of the Air Force’s radar systems and air control power,” he said.

Sagom said the Air Force would also focus on improving personnel welfare, despite its limited budget, in addition to increasing safety standards for its primary weaponry defense system.

Sagom added that 70 percent of the Air Force’s budget was geared toward the welfare of personnel. The other 30 percent was for the maintenance of equipment and spare parts.

He said the Air Force budget was expected to increase to between Rp 5 trillion ($531.6 million) and Rp 7 trillion next year, up from Rp 4 trillion this year. (nia)

Car Free Day in the Old City

Thursday, 12 November, 2009 | 16:45 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The West Jakarta government is organizing a Car Free Day in the Old City area this Sunday at 06.00 AM to noon. “This is to control air pollution and provide space for the public,” said Mayor Mas Djoko Ramadhan yesterday at his office.

Different events will be held, such as fun cycling, physical exercises, music show, slow cycling race, drawing competition for children, museum tour, indoor football competition, bazaar, and quiz on the environment. “The first 100 visitors of the historical, puppet, and art museums will get free lunch coupons,” said Ramadhan.

Sofian

Karim Raslan: A Fresh Face for Garuda?

The Jakarta Globe, Karim Raslan

Even in the age of Ryanair and easyJet, a national carrier still plays an important role. (Photo: Globe Asia)

Even though I fly a couple of times a week — and should be sick of traveling by now — I’ve never lost my childhood fascination with airplanes and airlines. (I can still remember long-departed carriers such as MSA, BOAC and Pan Am.) So when I read that Garuda was undergoing a transformation, I became curious.

Of course, the changes were taking place on many levels: new routes, new planes and a new image as seen in the moody and evocative TV ads by Dentsu Start, not to mention the more prosaic but intriguing ads on print. (You know, the photo of the fully reclining seats and the list of international destinations being served by the new wide-bodied, Airbus 330-200 planes.)

Given that Garuda has been underwhelming for years, I was intrigued by the idea of a rejuvenated national carrier. Frankly, was it possible?

Since I had to make a quick trip to Hong Kong to speak at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, I decided to test the Indonesian flag carrier by booking a business class seat — just for good measure.

The past few months have witnessed a major shift in the way I travel, and I suspect I’m not alone in this respect. Trading down has become a fact of life for most of us. Before the financial crisis, I used to be a certified full-fare paying, business-class passenger. I would sit at the front of the plane, nibbling on roasted peanuts and sipping my orange juice. Nowadays, I’m a low-cost carrier man. I book online, select my seat then order my nasi lemak or sandwich (or pandesal when I’m on the Philippines’ Cebu Pacific Airlines) before I fly. It’s a very different experience, sitting alongside squalling kids, overseas-based workers and a photography club from Bogor going on its annual trip.

I’ve also started noticing minute differences among the carriers. The food on Jetstar sucks. Mandala’s planes are amazing. Cebu Pacific’s schedule is weird. (Its Jakarta-Manila flights depart after midnight, arrive at dawn and leave you jet-lagged.) And Air Asia’s flight attendants appear to wear the tightest of uniforms.

Even the terminals they use are different, reflecting their more plebeian market. Landing at Kuala Lumpur’s low-cost carrier terminal is not unlike stopping at a cheery, if crowded, suburban mall on a Saturday afternoon, except that there are a lot of people sleeping everywhere. (I haven’t tried Jakarta’s Terminal 3, but it looks sleek from the outside.)

While the flights aren’t so rarified, most of the crew are incredibly friendly. There’s a real buzz when you step onto the planes and the youthful zeal is infectious. By way of comparison, the legacy carriers — Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Garuda — are more restrained and at times, plain boring and listless.

Having said that, my Jakarta-Hong Kong trip on the new Garuda A330-200 was a pleasant surprise. The attendants were more energized and enthusiastic. One of them even took the time to explain to me how my seat and the in-flight video system worked, while I was served countless espressos and hors d’oeurves. When I mumbled disparagingly about the meal service, she looked downcast but insisted that I fill out a form “so that we can learn and improve, Pak .” Huh? That was new.

The seat was far more comfortable than either the Malaysia Airlines or even Cathay Pacific’s claustrophobic cabin set-up. (And yes, it really was flat.) The Airbus’s internal design was understated and subdued. If anything, the elegance was overly international and insufficiently Indonesian. Sadly, the stewardesses’ uniforms have not been updated, as they should be wearing kebayas instead. As I settled in to watch the in-flight movies, I soon forgot about the minor hitches and enjoyed the flight.

Even in the age of Ryanair and easyJet, a national carrier still plays an important role. It is a country’s flagship, embodying and, in turn, expressing the social, cultural and historical attributes of a people. Given the Indonesian culture’s diversity and scale, the responsibilities of a national carrier aren’t easy. Nevertheless, as the republic emerges from a “lost” decade, it is important that Garuda captures the enthusiasm and the warmth of its people. The airline needs to project itself as the “face” of its nation.

Garuda’s new planes and its new livery are great. But for me, the change in attitude, as demonstrated by the flight attendants, is far more important. They exuded pride and were genuinely excited with what they were doing. This kind of enthusiasm is infectious. It’s also transformational.

Karim Raslan is a columnist who divides his time between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Merpati prepares fund for leasing new planes

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/11/2009 3:15 PM

Merpati Airlines, revealed Wednesday that the company will lease seven ATR-72 aircraft in the first quarter of 2010, costing US$80,000- $90,000 each per month, and that it planned to further lease a total of 22 planes by 2011.

“We will start with 7 planes in the first quarter of 2010 first. Hopefully by the beginning of 2011 we will lease all of 22 planes,” Merpati President Director Bambang Bakti told reporters at the office of state ministry for state enterprises in Jakarta.

He said that the company had allocated a budget for leasing those planes, which are from France, at about Rp 1 billion per aircraft per month.

“We also have prepared Rp 3-5 billion as additional an budget per aircraft for training for pilots and co-pilots, technicians, stewardesses, including maintenance and flying approval,” Bambang said.

Merpati is targeting to increase its routes from 150 to 200 routes using the new armada. The company also plans to create a hub, which will provide flying services to remote areas for its consumer.

Iranian attempts to smuggle meth inside fake leg at Jakarta airport

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang | Wed, 11/11/2009 3:51 PM

Customs and excise officers have seized 1.6 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, worth Rp 3.6 billion (US$380,000) from an Iranian at the Soekarno-Hatta Interantinoal Airport.

Head of Banten Customs Office Bachtiar said Wednesday that the suspect, identified only by his initials MV, is 32 years old and concealed the drugs in an artificial leg he was using.

“Officers conducting profile analyses on passengers became suspicious when the suspect who arrived at the airport on Tuesday evening with Emirates Airways (EK-358) suddenly became nervous with an unusual way of walking,” he said.

Suspicion then led officers to examine the suspect’s luggage to no avail. When search was directed to is body, a package containing the drug attached to his artificial leg was found.

“Hiding drugs inside artificial leg to smuggle then into the country is a new modus,” he said.

According to Bahctiar, the suspect claimed that this was his first visit to Indonesia and he planned to stay at a hotel in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Gatot Agung Wibowo, head of intelligence section at the custom office said after being interrogated, officers concluded that the suspect was only a courier who would be paid Rp 15 million should he manage to submit the drugs to someone at the hotel.

“The suspect claimed that he would use the money he would receive to pay for loan to the company where he work. He owed the company after a car accident and used the money for treatment fees at a hospital,” he said.

Gatot said the suspect had violated the 2009 law on drugs and if proven guilty, he will likely face death penalty.

Last month, officers foiled a dozen drug smuggling attempts by Iranians. Officers have seized more than 50 kilograms of shabu-shabu in crystal and liquid forms and have arrested 15 Iranians, most of them housewives.

Robust local economy to fuel demand for air travel: INACA

Rendi A. Witular , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 11/10/2009 9:41 AM | Business

JP/Irma

A booming economy at the provincial level, coupled with an expected global economic recovery, is becoming the main driver of growth in the local airline industry next year, an association says.

Chairman of the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) Emirsyah Satar told The Jakarta Post recently that because Indonesia’s economy remained heavily dependent on the local economy, local airline operators would tap more opportunities from business activities at the provincial level.

“This year, the legislative and presidential elections helped keep local airline operators afloat amid the global financial crisis.

But next year, the driver will be economic activities at the provincial level,” said Emirsyah who is also president director of state-owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

Emirsyah forecast growth in domestic passenger traffic will reach as much as 10 percent this year and at least another 10 percent next year.

According to the Transportation Ministry, domestic passenger traffic reached 46.3 million flights in 2008.

Domestic flights account for 60 to 70 percent of all services provided by the country’s aviation industry.

Emirsyah also said international air travel was expected to start recovering next year from the current 8 percent decline in passengers and to reach upwards positive growth.

JP/Irma

The number of international passengers traveling in or out of Indonesia topped 3.37 million last year, according to the ministry.

A roadmap designed recently by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has forecast the revival of the provincial economy to help fuel national economic growth despite an expected sluggish international market, including international business travellers into Indonesia.

Kadin believes that increased economic activities have started to reach the provinces outside Java since 2007, and are likely to gain better momentum next year as more business infrastructure is expected to be built, coupled with stable security and political conditions.

While Jakarta and Java now account for 55 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP), this trend is likely to diminish as North Sumatra, Riau and Jambi will play a greater role as economic powerhouses in agriculture, particularly in palm oil, according to Kadin.

East Kalimantan will strengthen to become a hub for mining, oil and gas along with the Riau Islands.

The lobby group also indicated a shift in the spread of financial benefits from accumulating mainly in Jakarta towards accumulating in other provinces outside Jakarta, as indicated by shrinking third party funds in Jakarta banks.

It was not until 2007 that Jakarta lost its decades-long dominance in contributing the lions share of bank’s third party funds, falling from 67 percent to 36 percent of the total.

Provinces in Sumatra and the eastern part of Indonesia now account for more of these funds, according to Kadin. This means

more people in these areas have managed to set aside some of their income in banks as they are getting more prosperous.

This reflects that Indonesia is rich in natural resources, including palm oil, coal, tin, gold, spices, nickel, gas, and oil and that more of this wealth is now being retained in the provinces.

Garuda to spend $100m on expansion, new aircraft

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 11/10/2009 12:38 PM

Garuda Indonesia will spend US$100 million next year as part of its five-year expansion plan, which aims to increase the national flag carrier's fleet from 67 to 116 aircraft by 2014, to serve 27 million passengers.

"We plan to spend $100 million in capital expenditure in 2010 to buy more planes as well as to fulfill Garuda's other operational expenditure," Garuda finance director Eddy Purwanto told reporters on Monday.

He said Garuda still requires yet more capital to improve its infrastructure to provide its passengers with wider and better services.

If it manages to achieve this expenditure target , then it will be the third time the airline spent has $100 million in capital expenditure or more in one year,. It also spent over $100 million on capital expenditure in 2008.

The 2009 capital expenditure (so far) used in part to purchase new Airbus aircraft from Toulouse in south western France and from Boeing in Seattle in the United States.

Next year's proposed spending will be part of the airline's ambitious five-year expansion program to make it not only the largest airline in the country, but also one that can compete with its regional rivals.

On Monday, Garuda received one new Airbus 330-200 and one new Boeing 737-800.

Garuda has ordered 10 new Boeing 777-300ERs and 50 Boeing 737-800s. Previously, the company has received three Airbus 330-200s and one Boeing 737-800.

"Until today, we have about 67 aircraft. So, by 2014 we will be targeting to have at least 116 aircraft," Garuda president director Emirsyah Satar said, adding that the expansion program called for the modernization and revitalization of the Garuda aircraft fleet.

With this larger fleet, Garuda will be able to strengthen and expand it regional presence, flying more routes and with greater flight frequency.

"We will increase our routes and our increase the number of flights from 1,700 times per week in 2009 to 3,000 times per week in 2014," Emisyah said.

He said that the company was targeting to serve 27 million passengers by 2014, up from 10.1 million passengers recorded in 2008.

Emirsyah is confident the company would be able to achieve its operational targets and make Rp 3.75 trillion ($397.5 million) in profits by 2014.

In 2008, the airline booked Rp 669 billion in profits, out of total revenue of Rp 19.4 trillion.

For this year, Garuda has set a minimum 10 percent growth target for net profits compared to a year earlier. In the first half of this year, net profits stood at Rp 612 billion.

The company is now preparing to sell 40 percent of its stake though an initial public offering (IPO) next year (in 2010), in a process Garuda expects to bring in $300 million to $400 million in proceeds.

"Our target is still on these figures," he said.

The planned IPO is part of a debt restructuring agreement between the company and its creditor Bank Mandiri to settle a previously unpaid debt of about $100 million.

The few, the wet

The Jakarta Post | Tue, 11/10/2009 11:47 AM

The Indonesian Military’s Marines clean up part of the Ciliwung River in the Juanda area, Central Jakarta, on Monday. The activity, involving more than 3,000 marines, was held in conjunction with the 64th anniversary of the corps, which falls on Nov. 15. JP/Nurhayati

Transport Safety in Eastern Indonesia Tops Ministry’s Goals in First 100 Days

The Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari

Passenger safety, especially in the eastern part of Indonesia, remained one of Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi’s priorities for his first 100 days in office, top officials at the ministry said over the weekend.

Sunaryo, director general of maritime transportation, said that safety inspections would be carried out on ships throughout Indonesia.

“The priority areas include Medan, Batam, Pontianak and the eastern part of Indonesia,” he said, adding that the inspections were to ensure safe sea transportation for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holiday.

Sunaryo also said several routes would be reorganized to avoid a back up of passengers at certain ports.

“Some ships will be relocated from less crowded ports to busier ones,” he said.

Herry Bhakti Singayuda, the Transportation Ministry’s director general of civil aviation, said that improving air transportation in Papua would be another of the ministry’s priorities over the next three months.

“We are focusing on airports in Papua,” he said.

Herry said the ministry would expand and improve about 90 airports in the province, including transforming small air strips into commercial runways.

“Not all airports in Papua have air traffic controllers,” he said, “and that is what we are going to improve.”

He also said that several airports would be upgraded to create major hubs to link the province with other cities in Indonesia. He said the first of these hubs would be in Jayapura, Merauke, and several other large cities.

As part of the 100-day plan, the ministry’s railway and road departments aim to integrate mass transportation in metro areas.

Suroyo Alimoeso, director general of road transportation said the integration would begin in Jakarta by instituting a one-ticket policy for commuter trains and the busway.

“I think that this is one of the crucial points to be accomplished,” Suroyo said.

He also said transportation networks in bigger cities would be reworked to make them more environmentally friendly.

“Jakarta has done this by using some compressed natural gas-fueled public transportation,” he said, adding that other cities were expected to follow suit.

Tundjung Inderawan, director general of railways, said programs for railway revitalization would continue, including an improvement in rail corridors in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok and Bekasi.

“We will continue to clear the [areas close to the] tracks of houses,” he said.

Danang Parikesit, secretary general of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), said the ministry should have set more practical goals for its first 100 days.

“They should prioritize building better regulation as the basis of transportation,” Danang said, adding that the minister should focus on improving transportation services to all the country’s remote areas, not just those in the eastern part of the country.

“This is very important for Freddy, in order to get people to trust him as the new minister,” he said.

Police aircraft feared missing in Papua

Nethy Darma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | Mon, 11/02/2009 5:55 PM

A skytruck airplane belonging to the Papua Police lost contact with the Sentani Airport tower as it was flying to Mulia Airport in the highland regency of Puncak Jaya on Monday.

Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Matheus Fakhiri said the aircraft with the flight number P 4202 took off at 11:38 a.m. local time and should have landed at Mulia Airport at 1:30 p.m.

Piloted by Adj. Comr. Yunus, the plane was carrying four crew members and basic commodities for the mobile brigade police personnel on duty in Puncak Jaya.

Dozens of search and rescue team members were seen on preparing for a search mission at Sentani Airport later in the day.

“The search will start tomorrow morning,” head of Jayapura Search and Rescue Agency Suyatno said.

At least three airplanes have crashed in the foggy mountainous regency of Puncak Jaya this year.

Giddyup!

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 11/02/2009 9:58 AM

A city law and order official instructs delman (horse-drawn carriage) operators to leave the National Monument Park (Monas) area in Central Jakarta on Sunday. From Nov. 1, visitors to the park will no longer be able to ride in the carriages, whose dung and smell authorities fear would put off visitors. JP/Nurhayati

Action Needed Now to Avoid ‘Catastrophe’ in Jakarta

The Jakarta Globe, Emmy Fitri

Motorists stuck in traffic in Central Jakarta. (Photo: Jurnasyanto Sukarno., JG)

Inextricable traffic jams, even on toll roads, barely breathable air, heavily contaminated water and dwindling open spaces — problems suffered daily by Jakarta residents — may seem intolerable now, but experts warn that it will only become worse unless concerted efforts are made to fix the mess that is Indonesia’s capital.

Urban planning expert Darundono sums up the current path Jakarta is on today in one word — “catastrophic.”

Each day, almost 10 million commuters spend hours on Jakarta’s roads. But transportation analyst Budi Santosa, from Trisakti University, says it has long been predicted, in several studies, that by 2014, traffic jams in the capital are likely to reach total gridlock as a result of the exponential increase in the number of vehicles plying an insufficient road network.

“A viable solution is to design a mass rapid transportation system to reduce the vehicle population. We cannot afford to build another inner-city toll road or more streets because we have run out of land for such massive construction,” Budi said, adding that so far there appear to be no breakthroughs visible on the horizon.

Jakarta, however, is not only running out of land for more roads. The capital is choking from the unfettered conversion of open spaces into concrete.

Darundono says that when he designed the Jakarta Spatial Plan for 1965-1985, the designated green areas accounted for between 26 percent and 28 percent of the city’s surface, but today they make up only about 10 percent.

“The government has been inconsistent in its implementation of its own plans. Parks, green spaces and public cemeteries are being turned into shopping malls and government offices,” he says.

The combined effect of the sheer number of vehicles out on the road each day and the lack of green open spaces that could offset their fumes has severely degraded the quality of the city’s environment.

According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), transportation causes 70 percent of Jakarta’s air pollution, and the city produces 13,000 tons of carbon dioxide daily.

As a result, on most days of the year — 347 out of 365 in 2006, to be exact — Jakartans are breathing in polluted air.

It is no wonder then, that a third of the capital’s residents suffer from some form of respiratory tract infection each month.

In fact, a World Resources Institute paper says respiratory tract infections account for 12.6 percent of mortality in Jakarta — more than twice the national average.

Admitting that the capital, home to as many as 12 million people, is mired in environmental problems, the acting head of the Jakarta Environment Management Board (BPLHD), Ridwan Panjaitan, says programs to address each and every issue are up and running, including the enforcement of emission tests and the smoking ban.

“But we cannot work by ourselves because some programs are closely related to other agencies like the health agency and the traffic police. That becomes our challenge, to synergize the programs with other agencies because unless we have a common understanding then we cannot work together,” he says.

Returning home at the end of the day, more than five million Jakartans will scarcely find rest and solace in their small, cramped houses in the capital’s rapidly expanding slum areas, where basic services such as water supply and sanitation are minimal, if they exist at all.

The government’s efforts to build thousands of low-cost apartments for the poor have so far been criticized as only adding to the problems, instead of being a solution.

“There will be massive groundwater use,” Darundono said.

Excessive groundwater extraction has long been flagged as a major problem in Jakarta, causing the land to sink by an average of 5 to 10 centimeters a year, according to a study by the World Bank.

The capital’s water supply operators have been unable to connect hundreds of thousands of households, particularly those in slum areas — where the thousands who migrate to Jakarta each year in search of work live.

With the confluence of these urban woes threatening the future of Indonesia’s capital, real solutions must be found soon.

On Nov. 10-12, international experts will converge on Jakarta to map out a sustainable path for the capital.

These solutions are urgently needed to avoid the catastrophe that Darundono says we are currently headed toward.

Related Articles:

Climate change to affect marine tourism

Jakarta Predicted to be Underwater By 2012

Jakarta to relocate ‘delman’ to Ragunan Zoo

Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 10/30/2009 5:34 PM

The Jakarta Administration will start relocating delman (traditional horse-drawn carts) from the National Monument Park in Central Jakarta to Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta on Saturday.

"The delman drivers will be relocated to Ragunan from Oct. 31," city secretary Muhayat said Friday.

Over the past two years, delman drivers have protested in front of City Hall to demand the city lift a ban against them operating inside the National Monument Park.

The Central Jakarta administration issued the ban in 2007, saying the horses' excrement created bad smells and corroded the paving inside the park.

There are about 250 of the carts operating around Jakarta, the Betawi Delman Struggle Association says, 90 of them on the perimeter of the National Monument Park.

Transport Minister Comes Out Swinging, Fires Jakarta Rail Officials

The Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari & Febriamy Hutapea

PT Kereta Api staffers standing next to the doors of an executive train during a ceremony earlier this year. (Photo: Yudhi Sukma Wijaya, JG)

In a show of what can happen when a new sheriff is in town, Indonesia's Minister of Transportation Freddy Numberi has fired two top railway officials for failing to be at their posts when he conducted a surprise inspection at one of Jakarta’s busiest train stations on Monday.

The newly-appointed minister ordered the dismissals of both the chief of Kota station in West Jakarta, Jatun, and his deputy, Suyatno, for failing to be in their offices when he visited.

Ignasius Jonan, the chairman of state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api, said Freddy had instructed the company to prioritize the quality of its passenger service.

“We appreciate the minister’s decision because Jatun had indeed failed to carry out his responsibilities,” Jonan said.

Jatun was reportedly replaced by the former head of Bekasi station, Rudi Krisno, and moved to Kereta Api’s headquarters in Bandung, where he will handle administrative duties.

Taufik Kurniawan, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission V, which oversees transportation affairs, said he supported Freddy’s decision to dismiss the officials for neglecting their duties.

“The absence of a station chief could be dangerous should something bad happen,” he said.

Taufik declined to comment on whether he felt the decision by Freddy was excessive, only saying ministers had different styles of leadership.

“Leadership styles are different from one minister to the next,” he said. “As long as his move was aimed at improving the performance of the transportation industry, we support it.”

Garuda Flight Makes Emergency Landing With Loose Wheel

The Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari

A Garuda Indonesia plane lands at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (File Photo: Dimas Ardian, Bloomberg News)

A Garuda Indonesia jetliner made an emergency landing at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday after one of its wheels became loose, officials said. No passengers were hurt.

Pujobroto, Garuda’s Corporate Secretary, said a Boeing 737-300 had to return to Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport 15 minutes after it took off for Aceh after the problem occurred with one of the left wheels.

“The plane’s Captain Johnny Siregar felt the wheel was off,” he said, “and according to the procedure, he had to return to base.”

The plane then circled in the area of the airport for about an hour to burn fuel before landing safely.

Flight GA-142 took off at 8:14 a.m. carrying 49 passengers, Pujobroto said. “All passengers were transferred to the next flight at 11,” he added.

Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the transportation ministry, said an inspector from the ministry’s airworthiness department had been deployed to check the jet’s condition.

“The plane is grounded until maintenance and repairs are finished,” Bambang said.

J.A. Barata from the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said he had sent two investigators to probe the incident.

“We will check whether it was caused by a mechanical problem or not,” he said.

Indonesia's Dirty Toilets Are Turning Off Tourists, Says Transport Minister

The Jakarta Globe, Anita Rachman

Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi said on Tuesday that pushing for clean toilets at the nation’s ports was going to be one of his priorities for his first 100 days in administration.

He said that he has been conducting inspections at some ports and found that people are still dumping trash irresponsibly and that they weren’t keeping their toilets clean.

“I went to the Ambon port, it was filled with trash,” Freddy told journalists at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after inspecting hajj pilgrimage flights.

He said that Indonesians should be aware that keeping the environment clean is very important, especially for attracting tourists.

“People, they have money, then they come to Indonesia and see that its toilets are very dirty, so why should they stay? They have money, they can choose somewhere else with cleaner toilets [to visit],” he said.

He said that he will ask all departments under his control to pay more attention to hygiene issues.

“We should change our culture,” he said. “This program is not only for my 100 first days in administration, but forever.”

Freddy said that people should be more disciplined. He said that Indonesia should be able to develop so it is better than other countries.

“This is not a poor country,” he said.

He added that the ministry would conduct raids on the street vendors around the airport. Freddy said that it was acceptable for people to sell things inside the airport, however, they should understand that they need to have authorization.

Related Article:

Editorial: It's not just the messy toilets!

Indonesia to launch satellite for disaster mitigation

www.chinaview.cn, Deng Shasha, 2009-10-27 17:17:30

JAKARTA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesia Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) prepared to launch a satellite in 2011, spokesperson of the LAPAN Elly Kuntjahyowati said here Tuesday.

The satellite is aimed to address communication problem in post-disaster phase and to provide a picture of the affected areas quickly, which can be used in the assessment of the natural disaster.

The plan came out as Indonesia, which sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called the Pacific Ring of Fire, has suffered from a series of major quakes recently.

Quakes measuring 7.3 and 7.6 on the Richter's scale killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed many buildings in West Java and West Sumatra recently. The country had experienced difficulties in communication after a 7.6 magnitude quake struck West Sumatra and destroyed telecommunication infrastructure.

The satellite will cover the whole of Indonesia's territory, the spokesperson said. "The satellite can support communication in an emergency situation," she told Xinhua over phone.

Head of Space Technology of LAPAN Heru Robertus said that the satellite did not use a permanent devise on earth. It only used mobile equipment. "So there is no possibility of communication being cut down because of the destruction of the infrastructure on land," he said.

The spokesperson added that the satellite could also take real-time picture of the disaster areas, so people can make a fast assessment on the severity of the natural disaster.

She said that the satellite would be launched with rocket belonging to the Indian Space Research Organization. A launching contract had been signed, said Kuntjahyowati.

Air pollution in Jakarta drops on car-free day

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 10/25/2009 5:42 PM

The car-free day is effective in reducing air pollution in Jakarta, says the city environment agency.

The Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) announced on Sunday that the amount of dust particles had decreased by 34 percent, Carbon Monoxide (CO) by 68 percent, and Nitrogen Monoxide (NO) by 80 percent during the last car-free day.

"That is the result from our analysis seven days before and after the car-free day," Peni Susanti, the head of Jakarta BPLHD, said during the car-free day on Sunday, as quoted by kompas.com.

The number of people that took part in car-free day increased to 15,000 this Sunday, the highest figure since the start of the initiative.

The Car-free day is held every second and last Sunday of the month from Jl. Sudirman to Jl M.H. Thamrin.

Garuda to add flights on Surakarta to Jakarta route

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 10/21/2009 9:09 PM

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia said Wednesday it would add flights to serve the Jakarta-Surakarta route in November amid growing demand.

"We will fly early in the morning so that businessmen from Surakarta don't have to fly from Yogyakarta," Syamsuddin, the Garuda general manager in Surakarta, said.

As of today, Garuda departs from Surakarta to Jakarta at 7.45 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m., but with the additional flights, Garuda will change their departure schedule from Surakarta to 6:15 a.m., 8:05 a.m., 12:50 p.m. and 4:40 p.m.

"That's the new schedule, based on market demand," Syamsuddin said.

Garuda to fly from Dubai

Hotelier Middle East, by Gemma Greenwood on Oct 20, 2009

Garuda Indonesia will fly from Dubai to both Amsterdam and Jakarta from June 2010.

The service is expected to give Dutch airline KLM - which currently offers daily services from Dubai - a run for its money.

The Indonesian airline said the "much improved business and economic relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, which brings about a rise in tourist flow into Indonesia from Europe", had prompted the carrier to start the service.

Garuda Indonesia will fly from Jakarta at 21.00 and arrive in Dubai (DXB) at 02.09 local time, departing again at 03.15 and arriving in Amsterdam (SPL) at 08.00 local time.

From Amsterdam, GA 89 departs at 10.00, arriving in Dubai at 18.30, departing again at 19.45 and arriving in Jakarta at 07.10.

The route will be served by A330-200 with 222 seats - 36 passengers in business and 186 in economy.

US hails Jakarta's environmental protection efforts

Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 10/21/2009 6:45 PM

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson praised the Jakarta administration Wednesday for its environmental protection and green transportation programs.

Jackson said she was impressed by the way the city of Jakarta and Governor Fauzi Bowo dealt with economic growth without having to sacrifice environmental issues.

“Growth in the economy, for him to have investment in mass transit, car-free day, and further efforts to address air pollution, I think is quite laudable,” she said.

Jackson, who represented US President Barack Obama in the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday, said EPA would continue working on the issue of air and water quality as well as environmental policy.

Fauzi said he told Jackson during the meeting about various environmental problems facing the city, including air and water pollution, waste management problems in North Jakarta Bay and the rise in sea level.

He said the city issued many regulations to protect the environment, but their implementation remained a problem.

The governor said EPA would provide technical assistance on how to familiarize the regulations and enforce them.

Transportation revitalization awaits Freddy

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Cikeas | Mon, 10/19/2009 5:48 PM

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi might take the transportation ministerial post, to care of the country's transportation, which has seen a string of deadly accidents in the past few years.

"(President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) gave (me) orders to revitalize transportation," the Democratic Party's politician said Monday, after being interviewed by Yudhoyono and Vice President-elect Boediono at Yudhoyono's private residence in Cikeas, West Java.

Four killed in Manila as freight plane reportedly dating from the 1930s crashes into warehouse

BBC News

Firefighters in Manila battle flames in the spot the DC-3 went down.

A propeller-driven plane, reportedly from the 1930's, has crashed in the Philippines, killing four people.

Officials say the DC-3 plane scraped the roofs of 14 houses in Manila before crashing into an abandoned warehouse and bursting into flames.

No-one was reported injured on the ground but residents said two houses close to the warehouse caught fire.

Minutes after taking off from Manila airport, the pilot asked permission to make an emergency landing.

The freight plane was heading towards Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province southwest of the capital, Manila airport security manager Angel Atutubo said.

Flight records showed there were seven people aboard the aircraft, including the pilot, but officials are yet to confirm this number.

The DC-3 was developed in the US in the 1930s but is still in use in many places around the world, mainly for transporting cargo.

Business class filling up in Asian airlines

Reuters, by Laura MacInnis, Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:59pm EDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Asian airlines are starting to sell more premium as well as economy seats, outperforming other regions where economic fears continue to weigh on travel, the International Air Transport Association said on Thursday.

In its latest industry snapshot, IATA said that increasing numbers of passengers were taking long-haul flights within Asia alongside the export-driven economic rebound that has put China and other countries on a steadier footing.

"The strongest rise in economic and business activity has been seen in the Asia-Pacific regions, where private sector balance sheets are less encumbered with debt and bad assets," it said, describing full cabins in the Far East.

However, the Geneva-based group cautioned that short-haul European business travel "remains extremely weak" and North Atlantic flights are just starting to show improvement. "The turnaround in economy travel has been driven by consumer confidence in major economies, which has been rising since hitting a low in February," it said, while warning that the breakaway Asian results reflect "the uneven nature of the current economic upturn."

IATA Director-General Giovanni Bisignani said earlier this week in New York that global airlines would have to wait until the middle of 2010 for sustained improvement in business class demand, which powers profits in the sector.

International trade flowing from and to developed economies must pick up "to warrant a substantial improvement in premium travel," Thursday's Premium Traffic Monitor said.

"The upturn in premium travel numbers still appears fragile, given the still modest rise in international trade and other cross-border business activity," it said.

"Given the volatile month to month past pattern in premium traffic and the relatively weak upturn in world trade, some fall back in premium travel in September would not be unexpected."

In economy class, which makes up 90 percent of traffic but a lesser share of revenues, around 70 percent, IATA said that "a further rise in consumer confidence will be necessary to generate positive growth."

IATA, whose 230 members include British Airways (BAY.L), Cathay Pacific (0293.HK), United Airlines (UAUA.O) and Emirates EMIRA.UL, has said the global airline industry will lose $11 billion in 2009 as a result of the recession.

"Premium revenues are now improving but, at an estimated 30 percent down year-on-year in August, there is an awful long way to go before positive growth resumes," it said on Thursday.

(Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Rupert Winchester)

Related Article:

JAL slumps, investors say bankruptcy an option

Man Arrested at Jakarta Airport With Drugs in Shoes

The Jakarta Globe

A Malaysian man attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country inside his shoes was arrested by customs officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Wednesday.

The suspect, identified as Han Mu Kit, was arrested with a kilogram of methamphetamine hidden in his shoes. The drugs have an estimated street value of Rp 1.4 billion ($150,000).

The suspect arrived in Jakarta from Hong Kong. He said he was forced to carry the drugs to pay off gambling debts in Thailand.

Customs official Gatot Sugeng Wibowo said the suspect hid half a kilogram of drugs in each of his shoes.

He said the suspect was to deliver the drugs to a hotel in Jakarta where the majority of guests are Malaysians.

“This is a new modus operandi. We have never had a case where a suspect tried to hide drugs in his shoes,” Gatot told Metro TV.

Police are investigating the suspect’s contacts here to determine whether he is part of a larger drug smuggling network.

It is unclear whether the case will trigger new customs procedures at the airport. 

Malang Airport runway damaged, flights halted

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 10/11/2009 10:31 AM

Flights an the Malang Airport had been halted since Saturday due to runway damage, a local transportation agency official said Sunday.

"The flights are stopped temporarily until we finish the runway repairs," Malang transportation agency head Soefianto said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Garuda Airlines, Batavia Air, and Sriwijaya Air serve the Malang-Jakarta route.

Passengers who have booked tickets to fly with the three airlines in Malang would be transferred to the Juanda Airport, Surabaya.

Lion Air to use RNP for safety

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 10/06/2009 3:57 PM

Airlines firm Lion Air will improve its safety by using Required Navigation Performance (RNP) instrument procedures which will be used for its Boeings 737-900ER.

Lion Production Director Capt. R Tata told journalists that the RNP instrument was part of a global navigation system which can add more safety when the planes landed or took off at certain airports already equipped with RNP.

Lion Air plans to apply the new procedures to its flights to and from Ambon, Manado, and Makassar.

The procedures will also minimize fuel consumption and related incidents. (Naf)

GE sees Indonesia as regional locomotive assembly hub

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 10/05/2009 1:52 PM

General Electric is considering making Indonesia its assembly hub for locomotives for the Asia market, hoping to capitalize on the rising demand in the country and other countries in the region.

CEO Jeffrey Immelt said last week that the assembly plant would be developed in cooperation with local partners which already had long experience and a track record in the locomotive business.

“I think Indonesia could become a center of excellence for the locomotive business in the [Asian] region. It could be a great location from which to export to other countries in the region,” he said, after addressing a discussion entitled “Innovation as the driving Force for Economic Transformation”.

He said Indonesia was capable of functioning as a locomotive assembly hub as it already had railway-related industries, with have long experience and good quality human resources, plus the technological capacity to develop the business.

Recently, GE, which was ranked no. 4 in BusinessWeek’s 2008 among the world’s most innovative companies, has secured an order from the state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api to make 20 new locomotives at the total price of US$40 million. The locomotives will be delivered between 2010 and 2011.

Satya Heragandhi, GE Transportation’s Southeast Asia Sales Director, said that for the next five years the state-owned operator would need about 150 locomotives valued at $300 million to improve its railway services in Java and Sumatra, following the government’s decision to liberalize the railway business, which has previously been a PT Kereta Api monopoly.

In the period 2004 to 2009 PT Kereta Api had ordered 10 locomotives from GE and all had been delivered, he said.

“As the railway industry would be liberalized by 2010, and there is a commitment on the part of the Indonesian government to rejuvenate the railway services in Indonesia, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, so there will be a boom in railway-related businesses,” he said.

He said the locomotives were not completely made in the US at Erie.

“Only the engines and some key parts are made there. The other components are made and assembled by PT INKA.

“I think the local content of locomotives [assembled in Indonesia] has increased from just 15 percent five years ago to more than 21 percent now,” he said.

Kereta Api’s President Director, Ignasius Jonan said recently that the company was committed to improving its services, including safety, comfort and the punctuality of its train services.

He said his company’s development would be directed in future more towards freight services rather than towards passenger services as was the present case.

Satya noted that the growing investments in the locomotive sector were partly the results of a meeting in 2006 between Immelt, his company’s CEO, and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

They had discussed the possibilities for GE investing in the country’s infrastructure, particularly in the railway sector.

GE Transportation is a subsidiary of the widely diversified business group GE, which is a leading global player in railroads, marine and shipping, mining and drilling and in turbines and wind generation.