GA wants to take over MH skytrax ranking by 2014

[Ja Singh 2]

Indonesia’s national airline, Garuda Indonesia, has unveiled a new aircraft fleet, new in-flight product and a fresh corporate identity to mark the start of the next phase of its transformation.

 

The launch of the “Nature’s Wing” livery on the airline’s new Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 737-800NG (Next Generation) aircraft coincided with the opening of its new headquarters building near Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport this by Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Garuda Indonesia reported a net profit of IDR669 billion (USD65.2 million) in 2008, despite the severe economic conditions affecting the global airline industry.

 

Garuda Indonesia CEO, Emirsyah Satar, said: “We have made enormous progress over the last four years, which is starting to show through in our financial results, but this is only the beginning. The introduction of our new fleet, new product, a corporate identity brand refresh and a new service concept, the ‘Garuda Indonesia Experience’, marks the next stage in the transformation of Garuda Indonesia as we move towards our vision of becoming one of the most successful and profitable airlines in Asia”.

 

The introduction of the A330-200s and Boeing 737-800NGs is part of a plan to more than double the Garuda fleet to 116 aircraft over the next five years, based primarily on the B737-800NG on short and medium-range services and the A330-200 for medium and long-haul routes. Garuda will also introduce 10 Boeing 777-300ERs on new ultra long-range flights starting in 2011 as its international network expands. The number of international departures will increase by more than 300% to 1,222 per week by 2014.

 

The Boeing 737-800NGs and A330-200s both feature Garuda Indonesia’s new signature interior, with individual touch-screen LCD TVs throughout Executive and Economy Classes with Video on Demand (VOD) entertainment systems offering 25 feature films and 250 audio tracks. The A330-200s will also feature full lie-flat beds in Executive Class with 74-inch seat pitch.

 

Agus Priyanto, Executive Vice President, Commercial, Garuda Indonesia, said: “From August onwards, we will be using our new A330-200s to open nonstop services from Jakarta to Sydney and Jakarta to Melbourne, which will offer travellers from Australia an alternative gateway to Asia. We will also launch nonstop flights from Jakarta to Tokyo in October. In the longer-term, we’re planning to return to Europe next year. Our target is to achieve a five-star Skytrax rating by 2014”. Skytrax is an internationally-recognised rating of airline product and service delivery achievement, with five stars being the highest standard.

 

Garuda Indonesia received its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification in May 2008, recognising that the airline is fully compliant with global “best-practice” standards for flight operations, aircraft maintenance and safety management systems. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global association for the world’s scheduled airlines, requires all its members to pass regular IOSA safety checks, which are conducted by independent IATA-approved auditors.

[Alan B. 5]

I have flown with them on the CGK/DPS/CGK sector a few times and I would give their inflight service product 5 star. Great service for such a short sector. While the crew were pleasent, with a bit of polish they could rival the best. With the new planes they can beat MH on the regional routes hands down!

[KK Lee 5]

Agus Priyanto, Executive Vice President, Commercial, Garuda Indonesia, said: “From August onwards, we will be using our new A330-200s to open nonstop services from Jakarta to Sydney and Jakarta to Melbourne, which will offer travellers from Australia an alternative gateway to Asia.

 

Can MH compete with GA effectively on CGK/MEL? Can the gain on CGK/MEL more than compensate for the expected loss of EUR/MEL?

 

Looking forward to salute MH if they can beat GA on their home turf.

 

[Hyzarr 0]

way to go GA! first northern and southern neighour, now neighbour accross the straits oso bucking up..hope MH will take this regional development seriously,

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Good luck to GA in their quest to take over Skytrax rating from MH Now MH must take it very,very seriously!

[Azreen 0]

I have flown with them on the CGK/DPS/CGK sector a few times and I would give their inflight service product 5 star. Great service for such a short sector. While the crew were pleasent, with a bit of polish they could rival the best. With the new planes they can beat MH on the regional routes hands down!

 

 

I have to agree with Alan here - 4 yrs living in Indonesia - i have seen how GA has slowly been improving themselves!!!

[Ryan Soh 3]

To be honest, looking at how the reputation of SKYTRAX is, I wouldn't be too quick to wave their flag. However, for an airline like GA who have seen nothing but rough rides in the last decade (much like the country itself), it is a good benchmark to set themselves against.

 

For a struggling carrier like GA to attain a ranking in Skytrax, it is a monumental achievement worth showing off. For a "developed carrier" like MH, gaining a place on Skytrax is actually quite malu because they should be looking beyond that.

 

I tend to have a soft spot for Garuda because the people within work very hard to get the airline out of the doldrums. Their wake up call was during the 97 financial crisis which saw the airline shrink by more than HALF. From a bumbling protected government-servant's play thing with network formed out of prestige rather than for commercial reasons (somewhat like MH), they transformed into the lean-mean-force to be reckoned with of what we see today.

 

Within the domestic arena, the relatively calm and organised operations of Garuda is a welcomed reprieve from the chaotic fly-by-night of the Lions, Adams and what-have-you.

 

Indeed there is no need for Garuda to play pretend they are 5-star because they know they aren't. Instead they concentrate of giving travellers an unexpected bang for their buck by surprising top notch service, albeit with decades old hardware. There is no rubbish of promising 5-star service with LCC prices and the likes.

 

Thus, the Garuda of the new could not have come at a better time. Since post-97 the airline has become lean, learnt their lesson and are now poised to show the region what they have been capable of doing. The puzzle is now complete with a new corporate identity to signify the coming of age.

 

I applaud Garuda for their achievements. If and when they ever get a 5-star from Skytrax, it will be well deserved.

[BC Tam 2]

Mischievous topic title

GA could very well attain 5* status as new member of the club, not necessarily at expense of MH

[Cheng Long 0]

It's all possible for GA to take over MH over skytrax ranking if MH is too complacent. Actually it's possible for Indonesia to overtake Malaysia if Malaysia is too complacent. Gulp~~

[Andi C 0]

Indonesia Bisa!

[BC Tam 2]

Your "Gulp" could well be understatement of sort

Imagine if in our future generations we have Malaysian 'kakaks' helping out domestically in Indonesian homes, or Malaysian 'ohmns' toiling in their plantations

 

To be politically correct though, there is nothing wrong whatsoever in that possibility - free flow of available labour to where it pays best

Just our current mindset I suppose

[suadrif 0]

If that's happen, then PADAN MUKA MH...

[Isaac 0]

Imagine if in our future generations we have Malaysian 'kakaks' helping out domestically in Indonesian homes, or Malaysian 'ohmns' toiling in their plantations

I seriously hope not. Those Indonesian "Kakak" here in Malaysia are lucky as they aren't exactly treated as "orang bawahan". But it is a whole different story in Indonesia. If you're a maid there, you are CONSTANTLY reminded that you are a maid. I have seen many rich Chinese Indonesian families in Singapore and they are bringing their "Kakak" to wherever they are going. They were asked to stand beside the table while the family members are having their buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Some of them even have uniforms on Some of the rich families have 2 - 3 maids with them, not one and all had the uniforms on

 

I guess their only perk to work with these rich Indonesian is that they also get to travel for free

Edited August 3, 2009 by Isaac

[S V Choong 4]

I guess their only perk to work with these rich Indonesian is that they also get to travel for free

If and only if they have break hours where they can be away from their "master", which is more likely that they don't.

 

I don't see why this topic has to bring Malaysia Airlines in. Perhaps the "kiasu" mentality in us kicked in. Honestly it won't change overnight and pressing them at every golden opportunity you see won't help it either. Calm down bepfore it gets a bit out of hands.

Edited August 3, 2009 by S V Choong