Garuda strengthens China flights

JAKARTA Garuda Indonesia is upgrading services to China, effective 30 October, either by adding frequencies, or changing aircraft type.

The airline made adjustments on its international routes, for its winter 2016/17 timetable that runs from the end of October to the end of March, next year.

Additional flights and seat capacity between Bali and cities in China will draw more Chinese tourists to Indonesia’s most popular island destination.

On the Denpasar (Bali) – Guangzhou route the airline will increase both frequencies and seat capacity. It switches aircraft from the smaller 737-800 to the A330-300 and increases flights from three weekly to daily.

Garuda’s Denpasar – Beijing four weekly services will have a change of aircraft from a Boeing 777-300ER to Airbus 330-300.

A change of aircraft from the B777 to A340 will also take place on the three weekly services from Denpasar to Shanghai.

The airline’s Jakarta-Beijing service increases from three to four weekly using an A330-300.

Garudai GA860 and 863 flights on the Jakarta – Hong Kong route are earmarked for an aircraft version upgrade from A330-200 to the 300 series except for the Friday departure. The change is effective 1 November.

The Jakarta – Shanghai Pu Dong run will continue to be served daily by an Airbus A330-300.

Earlier this year, Garuda launched a service between Bali`s Denpasar and Shanghai in addition to its established services to Beijing and Guangzhou.

Garuda at the time identified China has a priority for expansion.

Chinese visitors to Indonesia increased by around 25% in 2015 and they are now the second largest nationality visiting Bali after Australians.

Indonesia forecasts 12 million international visitors, this year, and 20 million in 2020.

Bali is the prime destination and China the priority market to increase arrivals over the next three years.

Denpasar is now clearly a major hub for Garuda Indonesia, as the airline offers services to lesser known tourist destinations such as Lombok, Makassar, Menado, Labuan Bajo and Yogyakarta.

Between the Jakarta and Denpasar hubs, Garuda offers 26 flights weekly to  three destinations in China – Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

Garuda’s role has also expanded in the charter market with flights from major Chinese cities. Mainly ad hoc flights pre-booked by tour operators, the charters flew from Chengdu, Chong Qin, Hefei, Kunming, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Shenyang, Jinan, Tianjing, Taiyuan, and Xian earlier this year.

sourced:ttrweekly.com