Europe here we come again: Garuda

Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 06/02/2010 8:46 AM

After an almost six-year hiatus, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia returns to Europe, marked by its inaugural flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam.

Garuda CEO and President Emirsyah Satar said during a ceremony to mark the restoration of the route at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Tuesday that the nation is proud that the airline can fly to Europe once again.

“We’re proud to return to Amsterdam. Garuda had earned an award as the most punctual airlines at Schipol [in 2001 and 2002]. We hope we can achieve it again,” he said.

The inaugural flight was made possible after the EU lifted its flight ban on Indonesian airlines last year, which had previously been imposed following a string of plane crashes that claimed hundreds of lives.

Garuda stopped its flights to Europe to cut costs late 2004. The EU banned Indonesian airlines in 2007, citing safety concerns after an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar said the reinstated flight was the result of hard work by all the related institutions.

“Garuda is not only the country’s flag carrier. It has performed well and earned profits after years of deficits. Garuda has managed to improve its brand image,” he said.

The carrier is expanding further in Europe, by opening other routes to Frankfurt, London, Paris and Rome, Mustafa added.

Currently, four Airbus A330-200 aircraft will serve the Jakarta-Amsterdam route, via Dubai. Garuda departs daily at 8:40 p.m. from Jakarta and 11 a.m. from Amsterdam, with an ambitious target of achieving at least 80 percent capacity on its Amsterdam flights.

For the upcoming routes to other European cities, the airline has ordered several Boeing 777s that are expected to arrive next year.

Supporting the return to Europe, the airlines worked with designer Josephine “Obin” Komara in creating new uniforms for cabin crew.

The uniforms carry the classic “parang” batik motif, and comprise a long skirt and kebaya-inspired blouse in turquoise, blue and orange for female flight attendants. Stewards wear business suits.

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik and Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Nikolaos van Dam were among 108 VIPs onboard Garuda’s first flight to Amsterdam.

The reopening of the route is also expected to attract 200,000 tourists from the Netherlands this year, the tourism ministry has said.