Garuda to Resume Lombok-Surabaya Flight Route Soon

Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara (Antara) - Garuda Indonesia will soon resume its Lombok-Surabaya flight route to meet customers' request, its general manager for West Nusa Tenggara said. "We are waiting for certainty from the head office with regard to the plan. But surely, we will resume it soon," Sudarmadi, the general manager, said here on Monday. The national flag carrier suspended its flight route linking Lombok International Airport (BIL) in Lombok district, West Nusa Tenggara province, to Juanda Airport in Surabaya, East Java province, on September 9 this year. The policy was taken after Garuda moved the 92-seater plane which previously served the short-distance route to other flight route. Garuda plans to replace the plane with a 152-seater plane, along with high demand for flight services, he said. The Surabaya-Lombok flight route will be expanded to cover Sumbawa and Bima, all in West Nusa Tenggara, he said. The presence of Garuda Indonesia flight in Sumbawa Besar complies with the airline's program to develop flight networks, he said. "As a national airline, we have the obligation to boost tourism development in regions by opening inter-regional flight routes," he said. (*)