Garuda Indonesia’s Commitment

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Passengers enter a Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to Garuda Indonesia airline at Rendani Airport, Manokwari, West Papua, Thursday (22/4/2021)

Garuda must fight to the end in negotiating aircraft rental rates. Its survival will be determined by this renegotiation.

Logically, Garuda can emphasize the fact that Indonesia is an archipelagic country during the renegotiation. What other country needs aviation more than Indonesia? Thus, Indonesia is key to the continuity of the aircraft manufacturing business or the lessor. Apart from that, there have also been allegations of inaccuracies in rental rate negotiations in the past.

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Indonesia cannot do without aviation. It is far too expensive to connect every single island in the Emerald of the Equator by bridges. Maintaining a network of roads and bridges spanning millions of kilometers is also impossible.

If the renegotiation and then the restructuring are both successful, Garuda Indonesia will have to become a simple airline. According to Garuda Indonesia president director Irfan Setiaputra, the airline will no longer lease all types of aircraft.

This is a good sign. Although it is possible that Garuda will not only operate one single-type fleet, like how low-cost airline AirAsia only flies the Airbus A320, the message remains clear: Garuda wants to operate more efficiently.

Kompas/Priyombodo

One of the Garuda Indonesia aircraft at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang City, Banten, Wednesday (11/12/2019).

Efficiency is necessary alongside a number of litigation and even non-litigation steps. Efficiency also signals that Garuda’s management is also willing to change. There are many things that can be done in plain sight, such as removing pick-ups for flight crew or instructing the crew not to stay at five-star hotels.

The message of efficiency is important to the public because one solution for Garuda to remain is to use the state budget. What will everyone say if they find that taxpayer money is being reinjected into Garuda, whose behavior, all this time, cause the public to say “wow”?

Garuda should also look for more strategic partners in the future, such as another global airline that acts like a low-cost airline. Partners are strategic not only because of the money they bring but also because of their expertise and experience.

Garuda should also be able to fly without delaying departures or be involved in any flight incidents in the next few years.

Garuda must also be truly committed to winning over customers. This can be done by comparing fares with other airlines. On the other hand, with such high tariffs, Garuda’s services must be flawless so as not to disappoint its customers. Garuda should also be able to fly without delaying departures or be involved in any flight incidents in the next few years.

Kompas

Garuda Indonesia carried out a heavy overhaul of a Boeing 747 in 1990, after a special hangar was built. Previously, this activity was carried out at the KLM workshop, Amsterdam.

It will be no easy feat. It will certainly be difficult, especially when it needs to be efficient, but Garuda must win the hearts of its customers. However, it is only with the commitment to take it one step at a time that Garuda Indonesia will be able to survive.

(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).