Danantara Boss Affirms Pelita Air Quality Is Maintained After Merger With Garuda Indonesia

JAKARTA - Danantara Indonesia's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dony Oskaria ensured that Pelita Air Service's consolidation plan with Garuda Indonesia would not reduce service quality.

The consolidation of Pelita Air with Garuda Indonesia is included in the work plan of PT Danantara Asset Management (DAM) in 2025, along with the consolidation of other state-owned companies that have the same line of business.

"So basically we in Danantara will improve all of our companies. So yes, similar companies, especially once we will consolidate so that they have competitiveness," said Dony when met at Graha Mandiri Jakarta, Monday, September 29.

According to Dony, the concern of a number of members of Commission VI of the DPR RI regarding this merger will be an important note.

He said the DPR wanted to remind the consolidation process not to make Pelita Air lose performance.

"Yes, this is a record for us, so that in this process it will not then make Pelita worse, but instead we hope it will be better," he said.

Therefore, Dony assessed that the DPR Commission VI's attitude was not a form of rejection, but a warning so that the merger would not harm any of the parties.

"Yes, this is a warning for us, right. So don't always look at the rejection, no, but the warning. Remember not to let this merger bring the Pelita to be ugly. Actually that's what was conveyed by friends in Commission VI," he explained.

Previously, a member of Commission VI of the DPR from the PDI-Perjuangan faction, Mufti Anam, admitted that he strongly disagreed with the planned merger or merger of PT Pelita Air Service with PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.

Mufti Anam conveyed his disapproval at the Hearing Meeting between Commission VI of the DPR and Garuda Indonesia, InJourney Airports, and IAS, Monday, September 22.

Based on his personal experience, Mufti assessed that Pelita Air's services were very good. Starting from the timeliness, cleanliness and food provided on the plane.

"About Pelita Air who wants to be combined with Garuda, I really don't agree with that. We are honest when we are pressed, when I no longer believe in Garuda, yesterday I took Pelita Air, yes, on time, it turned out, and also good, clean, service okay, food okay," he said.

Therefore, Mufti requested that the plan to merge Pelita and Garuda Indonesia be stopped. This is because he does not want Pelita to contract Garuda Indonesia's work culture.

"I don't want Garuda to hijack Pelita Air, which is already a good airline for our pride, then eventually it was damaged because of the work culture virus at Garuda Indonesia which has collapsed," he said.

Mufti said Pelita Air is currently no longer a burden on the financial performance of its parent company. Meanwhile, Pelita Air is a subsidiary of PT Pertamina (Persero).

"Because until today I was happy when after I went up and I read the financial portfolio, it turned out that it was no longer a burden on Pertamina's finances," he said.

"Well, then we don't want to see how Pelita Air, which was formed at that time, was repaired to become an alternative for our airline, then it became not good because of Garuda," he continued.

Similarly, Member of Commission VI of the House of Representatives from the Gerindra Party faction, Kawendra Lukistian, admitted that although he supports President Prabowo Subianto's policy direction regarding this merger, he requested that Pelita's good track record not be eroded after the merger.

"Even if later Pelita Air enters Garuda, please give us confidence that we will be influenced by a culture that is not okay so far, that Garuda evaluates for the better," said Kawendra.