Pertamina to order A400M for Pelita Air subsidiary
According to local media, the state-owned Indonesian oil company Pertamina intends to purchase A400 cargo aircraft. They shall be operated by the company’s subsidiary Pelita Air Service, which could deploy them to transport cargo to Papua and other remote regions of the island state.
Nothing is known about the number of planes or the sales price, but deliveries are said to be planned for this or next year. After Malaysia with four units, Indonesia would be the second country in southeast Asia with companies operating A400M aircraft. The airbus showed its effectiveness during the rescue mission after the earthquake in Palau last autumn.
After a drop in sales and in order to extend the duration of the entire programme, the manufacturer recently reduced the annual production rate from 19 units to 15 (2018) and eleven (2019). (ah)