I'nesian airline teams up with Chinese firm
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Indonesia's ailing state-owned PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Merpati) plans to team up with China Aircraft Leasing this year to help boost the airline's business in the future.
Merpati’s executive vice president for commercial operations Sutan Banuara said the company recently signed an agreement, which would be effective for five years.
“Through this agreement, we are going to add 60 new aircraft, Airbus and executive regional jet Embraer, starting next year to help strengthening our routes,” Banuara told the press yesterday, referring to the Airbus A320s, Embraer E145s and E190s.
He said the company would operate 20 of each aircraft belonging to the Chinese company.
“This is a profit-sharing scheme where they let us operate their aircraft because we have the pilots, crews, and the routes,” he said.
Two companies would take delivery of two aircraft every month starting in January.
