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PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia Tbk (GMFI) is increasingly aggressively expanding abroad. After Australia, a subsidiary of PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk (GIAA) is targeting the East Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
According to GMF AeroAsia Corporate Secretary Apong Maryati said, so far the performance of stations that have operated in Melbourne, Australia is quite good. In terms of demand, GMFI claims, the interest of local airlines using GMFI services is quite high.
“At the end of the quarter I/2020, GMFI will start its first technical support at Melbourne Station. GMFI will operate other stations in Sydney and Perth this year. GMFI said that the expansion will not erode the capital expenditure budget (capex). Capex for Sydney and Perth stations is very minimal, additional equipment needs can be met flexibly because they are shipped from Cengkareng,” Apong Maryati said.
She added, GMFI prepared a capex of US$50 million this year. Most of it is allocated for business expansion both organically and non-organically. Not stopping in Australia, Apong said GMFI would target other countries. Next is in the East Asian and Middle East markets.
According to her, the market is a potential market and the capabilities of GMFI are in line with the needs of airlines in the country. GMFI plans to penetrate into the country this year as well.
However, because the corona virus outbreak is spreading more widely, GMFI will monitor the condition of the aviation industry in these areas, including plans to open new GMFI stations in Sydney and Perth.
The widespread spread of the corona virus has made flight traffic even more limited due to the closure of routes to and from China. In fact, the closure of the route has also occurred to several other countries that are also reluctant to face corona outbreaks.
Even so, Apong rate, with the general condition of the aviation industry that is less favorable GMFI still sees a positive side.
“Closing flights to and from China does affect demand in the line maintenance segment due to a decrease in the number of flights. However, the positive side is that we are currently getting requests from overseas operators who divert their care from China due to the closure of some of their maintenance facilities, especially the airframe segment,” he said. [kontan.co.id/photo special]
