INDONESIAN carriers are putting on a show of might at the ongoing Singapore Airshow 2012, and are splashing the cash on a range of new aircraft purchases to expand their domestic and international networks.
Garuda Indonesia bought 18 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft from Canada’s Bombardier Aerospace, with the option for another 18. Five planes are scheduled for delivery between October and December.
Garuda president and CEO Emirsyah Satar said: “We will strengthen the Garuda network by operating the new aircraft through the Makassar, Medan and Balikpapan hubs and increasing connectivity with neighbouring cities.”
Lion Air snapped up 201 Boeing B737 MAXs and 29 B737-900ERs for a total outlay of US$22.4 billion, with rights for an additional 150 planes. First delivery is scheduled for 2017.
The deal brings the airline’s overall ledger with Boeing to 408 planes (of which 57 have been delivered), and is the largest commercial aircraft order in Boeing’s history by both dollar value and number of jets.
In addition, Lion Air forked out US$64 million on two Hawker 900XP aircraft from Wichita, Kansas-based Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, to be delivered by mid-2012, with an option for a further two, and acquired 27 ATR 72-600 turboprop planes, valued at US$610 million at list price.
According to Lion Air general affairs director Edward Sirait, the Hawker 900XP, with capacity for 11 passengers and crew, and the ability to fly six hours nonstop and take off/land on shorter runways, was perfect for Jakarta-Timika/Jayapura (Papua) or Jakarta-Hong Kong nonstop chartered operations.
The 70-seater ATR 72-600s, meanwhile, will be used by Lion Air’s regional subsidiary Wings Air on new and existing routes departing from Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and the Papua Islands.
