Citilink-Pelita Air Merger, Garuda Boss Hopes To Be Completed In December 2023

President Director of Garuda Indonesia Irfan Setiaputra (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) plans to merge or merge a subsidiary of Garuda, Citlikik with Pelita Air Service. Talks related to this plan are still ongoing, and are targeted for completion by the end of this year.

President Director of Garuda Indonesia Irfan Setiaputra said that the discussion of this merger was still ongoing. In its development, said Irfan, several new options emerged.

"Still in the discussion stage. Finally, Mr. Erick, the info on the DPR stated that it was not the joint merger that was being thought of, was that the Citilink and this lamp were still in many talks, there were open options," he said when met at ICE BSD, Tangerang, Friday, October 27.

"The point is, when we start to get closer and start to narrow down, we will inform you what the scenario looks like," he continued.

Irfan admitted that the discussion about this merger was intense. He said, there are many things that need to be discussed more deeply, especially related to permits and human resources (HR) in both companies, both Citilink and Pelita Air Service.

Furthermore, Irfan also hopes that the merger between Citilink and Pelita Air Service can be carried out soon and completed by the end of this year.

"It has to be (finished in December). We still hope it has to be, because if it's complicated for a long time too. Hopefully we hope December is over," he said.

Previously, Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Kartika Wirjoatmodjo revealed the latest news about the merger of Pelita Air with Citilink Indonesia. It is planned that Pelita Air Service regular flight licenses will be transferred to Citilink.

Tiko, Kartika's nickname, said that later there would be a business separation between scheduled regular flights of Pelita Air and chartered or chartered leases.

"Yes, it's separated, there are two PTs," he said when met at the St Regis Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 11.

Meanwhile, Tiko continued, Pelita Air's chartered services are still under Pertamina to support its operations.

Yang charter sekarang kan indeed Pertamina punya, bisnis. Jadi itu tetap di Pertamina, karena mereka kan untuk melayani operasi Pertamina yang charter business," ucapnya.

Furthermore, Tiko ensured that this planned merger would also not eliminate the Pelita Air brand in the regular airline industry.

"It's still there, we keep it. Bagus Pelita is good, it's a good brand now," he said.