REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk. is preparing special aircraft that would offer only an economy class to meet hike of passengers before the Islamic holiday of Eid'l Fitr that would fall in the middle of July.

The airline company's president director, M Arif Wibowo, said here on Sunday six planes which are all Airbus A330-300 would have their compartment changed to provide all economy class seats.

"Actually the planes are prepared for serving hajj pilgrims but before the hajj season comes they will be used as reserve planes to anticipate possible hike of passengers during the Islamic post-fasting holiday," he said.

Right now the planes are still under re-configuration stage and are expected to be ready before the hajj season comes and to be used for taking Eid'l Fitr holiday makers.

Arif predicted the number of passengers would increase by 10 to 15 percent this year because the Islamic holiday comes in concurrence with a school holiday.

In view of that he could assure that extra-flights would be provided for serving Islamic holiday as well as school holiday passengers.

Routes that would have an increased flight service include routes from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang, Surabaya, Medan and Makassar as well as to Denpasar and Singapore.

"Several routes that would be taken by non-Islamic holiday travelers are also important to be anticipated," he said.

Arif said Garuda would prepare additional flights 10 days before and 10 days after the Eid'l Fitr holiday.

"Certainly extra flights would be provided. We have already projected that the number of travelers this year would be bigger because the Eid'l Fitr holiday would happen in concurrence with the school holiday. Garuda as well Citilink will certainly increase the capacity," he said.

In connection with that 18 planes would be delivered this year including seven narrow-body B737-800s, three CRJ100 and ATR72-600 planes and three wide-body B777-300ERs and two A330-300s.

"Two Boeings have already arrived this quarter and next month the seventh Boeing-777 would come," he said.

Until the end of this year, Arif said the total number of Boeing 777s is nine and the Airbus-330 24.

"For Lebaran (Eid'l Fitr) more narrow-body aircraft would be used but we will see the development. We also prepare the wide-body planes as well," he said.

Regarding the fares he said there would be an increase but it would not surpass the ceiling.

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