Garuda Indonesia Airbus A330-300. By Rob Finlayson
Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will operate into London Gatwick Airport when it resumes nonstop flights to the UK this fall. This move will make Gatwick the only UK airport with a direct connection to the largest economy in Southeast Asia.The airline will operate 6X-weekly Boeing 777-300 service between Jakarta and London from the fourth quarter. The launch date is expected to be in October.
Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said: “Despite being a crucial high growth business market for the UK, Indonesia has been underserved with no direct routes to the region from the UK—until now. Jakarta is also a major hub airport for Southeast Asia, giving UK passengers even more access and choice to the region.”
In 2007, all Indonesian airlines were placed on the European Union’s blacklist and banned from operating to Europe on safety grounds. However, in 2009 the ban was lifted for Garuda and three other Indonesian carriers due to improved safety.
Garuda Indonesia president and CEO Emirsyah Satar said the new Jakarta-London service would complement the existing Jakarta-Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam route, as part of the airline’s Quantum Leap 2011-2015 program to develop its international network and become a “global player.”
Satar said: “We chose Gatwick as the UK airport because of its convenience and good network and accessibility options into Europe and beyond.”
atwonline.com
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