Garuda Indonesia returns to Brisbane with Denpasar-Jakarta flights
By John Walton, November 20 2012
Garuda Indonesia is coming back to Brisbane, with flights between Queensland and Indonesia six times weekly starting next August after a five-year hiatus.
The new flights will run Brisbane-Denpasar-Jakarta, using Boeing 737-800 planes -- smaller than Garuda's Airbus A330 jets, which the airline uses from Sydney and Melbourne to Indonesia.
Business passengers can expect twelve reclining seats in a 2-2 layout, similar to what you might expect on an Australian domestic flight, at the pointy end of the plane.
In economy, you'll find the usual 3-3 layout throughout the rest of the cabin.
Check out our in-depth review of Garuda's fully flat bed and business class service between Sydney and Jakarta.
Brisbane will be Garuda's fourth Australian destination, after Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Meanwhile, Garuda boss Emirsyah Satar was keen to spruik his airline's 2013 plans, which include new planes and turning Jakarta into an important hub for Australians travelling northwest.
“Next year we will receive 24 new aircraft," the CEO promised, making specific reference to the four large, long-range Boeing 777-300ER jets his airline has on order. "This will allow us to expand our domestic and international network."
The airline is gunning for a return to the Kangaroo Route once its new 777s give it the range to fly to European airports nonstop.
Garuda's strategic plan, shared with Australian Business Traveller in Jakarta last year, also has the airline joining the SkyTeam alliance.
With major SkyTeam hubs in Amsterdam, Paris and Rome, Garuda could be the latest Asian airline to provide a new option for Europe-bound business travellers -- joining China Southern's Canton Route via Guangzhou and Middle Eastern carriers' Falcon Route via the Gulf.
For the very latest news, follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT.
Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
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10 Jan 2012
Total posts 259
Great to see GA come back to BNE, disappointing its only with a 738 though. Hopefully if there's enough demand they'll upgauge to at least an A332 shortly after.
06 May 2012
Total posts 8
It's about 6 hrs flight I supposed? if it's a day flight, it probably won't be so bad. Of course A332 would've been better:)
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