AIRLINES EXPAND DOMESTIC FLIGHTS IN EASTERN REGIONS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 13 (Antara) - A 70-seater ATR-72-600 aircraft that took off from the Pattimura International Airport in Maluku Province, Wednesday, landed at West Papua Province's Utarom Airport at 9:40 a.m. local time.          The arrival of the aircraft was welcomed by West Papua regional government officials and local residents with a traditional dance performance.          The aircraft took off from the Pattimura Airport an hour and 25 minutes earlier and was seen off by Vice President for Region IV of state-owned airlines Garuda Indonesia Sentot Mujiono, Deputy Chairman of Commission V of the House of Representatives, and Assistant I of the Maluku Regional Government Angky Renyaan.          It was a maiden flight by Garuda Indonesia that has opened new routes from Maluku Province to West Papua serving several regions in Indonesia's two eastern provinces.          The eastern regions of the country have, so far, been less developed as compared to their western counterparts, thus creating disparities in economic development and advancement. Yet, of late, the government has shifted its attention to also advance development in the eastern provinces of the country.

GARUDA EXPANDS FLIGHTS IN PAPUA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 31 (Antara) - The easternmost provinces of West Papua and Papua, which were formerly one province called Irian Jaya before they were split into two provinces in 2003, have difficult geographical conditions for transportation services.          Land transportation is not yet effective as the infrastructure, notably roads, are not yet suitable for smooth connectivity among regions within the two provinces. So far, many travelers within the regions have been transported using small planes that could land at airstrips.          Therefore, the country's flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is planning to increase its flight services in Papua and West Papua in order to provide adequate transportation means for the people of Papua and West Papua.          For West Papua, Garuda is planning to use a wide-bodied Boeing 737-800 aircraft to serve the Sorong-Jakarta route, while for the Papua, it is planning to expand its local flights by opening the Jayapura-Dekai route.