Mandala Airlines to buy 25 Airbus A320 aircraft

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Mandala Airlines says it will buy 25 Airbus A320 aircraft valued at US$1.9 billion to strengthen its fleet, as it faces tighter competition in Indonesia.

Mandala President Diono Nurjadin said the 180-seat aircraft will be used to serve domestic flights. "The first phase is to increase frequency of flights in routes we already serve," Nurjadin said in Paris where he attended the Paris Air Show 2007.

He said the aircraft will be delivered in phases from 2011 to 2014 and meanwhile, Mandala will lease 26-28 Airbus A320 aircraft in phases of six or eight units every year to replace old Boeing aircraft it has.