“This aircraft procurement exploration includes discussions with Boeing,” Thohir stated here on Tuesday.
He noted that Indonesia had earlier signed a contract with Boeing to procure more aircraft, but the plan was put on hold after a fatal aviation accident.
According to Thohir, Boeing has since made significant improvements to its aircraft systems and technology, receiving approval from all countries.
“We have again proposed our aircraft needs to them. However, this would not be under the previous contract but rather a new agreement with the same number of aircraft,” he explained.
The Ministry of SOEs is currently assessing Boeing’s ability to supply aircraft to support Garuda Indonesia’s fleet expansion.
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He added that increasing the fleet size is considered crucial to reducing the high cost of domestic air travel.
“Adding to the aircraft fleet is essential. Together with the minister of transportation, we are reviewing several connectivity solutions to address the currently high airfare on certain domestic routes,” Thohir stated.
He further emphasized that the ministry remains open to collaborating with Boeing and other global aircraft manufacturers to support the national carrier’s fleet expansion.
“In addition to Boeing, we are also considering manufacturers like Airbus, or manufacturers from Russia, and China’s COMAC as potential partners,” he added.
Thohir underlined that Indonesia cannot afford to maintain its current fleet size for the next decade, especially given the country’s archipelagic geography.
Thohir affirmed that he and the Transportation Ministry will continue to pursue innovations to increase the number of commercial aircraft in the country.
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Translator: Aji, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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