PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines will up to 2010 procure 22 aircraft and increase the number of its flight routes in the country, its president director said.

“The procurement of the airplanes will be conducted through a leasing system,” Merpati President Director Bambang Bhakti said at the Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN)`s office here on Thursday night.

He said that of the 22 aircraft, 7 were of the ATR-72 type from France and 15 others were of the MA-60 from China.

Bhakti said five of the 66-seat capacity ATR-72 airplanes will be used as passenger aircraft while the remaining two will be used as cargo transporters.

The MA-60 airliners which have the capacity of 20 seats will be used as passenger planes, he said.

“Seven of the ATR and 13 of the MA60 will arrive at the end of 2009 while the remaining ones are expected to arrive in May 2010,” the Merpati president director said.

For the procurement and operations of the airplanes, Merpati will need a fund of Rp40 billion.

Source: Antara