(12/12/2011)
Garuda Indonesia has sold four of its Boeing 737-400 aircraft to a Nigerian airline, one unit to a competing Indonesian carrier and a sixth aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force.
To replace these aircraft Garuda is in the process of refreshing its armada with the delivery of six new Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft and two new Airbus 330-200s.
Quoted by Bisnis.com, the CEO of Garuda Indonesia, Emirsyah Satar, said “these steps have been take to rejuvenate the fleet next year by phasing out seven Boeing 737-400s.” He explained that the sale of aircraft to the Nigerian airline was done through an open auction conducted in September 2011. Adding, “the plan is for these four airplanes to be delivered next year with the four aircraft now undergoing repairs.”
Emirsyah explained that Garuda has also sold one plane to the Indonesian Air Force and another to an unnamed Indonesian air carrier.
The financial director of Garuda Indonesia, Elisa Lumbantoruan, confirmed that the price of each plane sole to the Nigerians ranged between US$ 3 - US$5 million.
The sale of the aircraft is part of an overall program by the airlines to reduce the average age of their fleet from 12 years to 7 years. The sold aircraft will be replaced in 2012 by the six Boeing 737-800s and two Airbus 330-200s.
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