Garuda launches ‘Immigration on board’ on Europe route
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(Amsterdam: 25 March 2010) – Indonesia’s national carrier, Garuda Indonesia, will introduce an ‘Immigration on-Board’ service on the new Amsterdam-Dubai-Jakarta route starting 2 June 2010, as part of its ongoing effort to further improve service quality. This initiative will allow passengers entering Indonesia to have their travel documents processed on-board, eliminating the need to queue at immigration counters upon arrival.
Passengers who require visas for entry into Indonesia, for example to Jakarta, Bali or Bandung, from Amsterdam or Dubai will be able to purchase ‘Visa on Arrival’ vouchers available at Garuda Indonesia check-in counters at both airports. During the flight, immigration officers on the aircraft will conduct passport checks and issue ‘Visa on Arrival’ and a card that must be returned to ground immigration officers before exiting the airport.
First introduced on the Tokyo - Denpasar - Jakarta route in February 2010, Garuda Indonesia decided to extend the service to the Amsterdam and Dubai routes as it was very well received by passengers. With the introduction of ‘Immigration on-Board’, foreign travellers could save up to two hours during peak times and enjoy hassle-free travel, without having to wait at long queues at immigration counters.
Emirsyah Satar, President & CEO of Garuda Indonesia said: “At Garuda Indonesia, we’re constantly looking at ways to become more efficient and provide added convenience through innovative services to further enhance passengers’ flying experience”.
“Europe is an integral part of our ‘Quantum leap’ strategy where we are looking to grow our international network by more than 300% to 1,222 a week by 2014. The introduction of this service is a testimony of our dedication to this very important market,” added Satar.
The launch of the Amsterdam route marks a significant milestone in Garuda Indonesia’s European expansion strategy. The capital of the Netherlands will be the first of a number of key European cities such as Frankfurt, Paris, London and Rome, the airline will add to its global network over the next few years.
The airline will also introduce its new service concept, known as the ‘Garuda Indonesia Experience’ on in its Amsterdam flights. This service concept combines warm Indonesian hospitality with quality service and comfort.
The Amsterdam route will initially be serviced by the airline’s fleet of technically advanced A330-200 aircraft, featuring Garuda Indonesia’s new exterior and interior design, inspired by the energy of nature’s wings. In Executive Class, the aircraft offers fully reclining flat bed seats with 74 inch seat pitch. The A330-200s will operate in a two class configuration carrying 222 passengers, with 36 in Executive Class and 186 in Economy Class.
Effective 2 June 2010, Garuda Indonesia flight GA89 will depart Amsterdam at 11:00 LT, arriving in Dubai at 19:30 LT, departing again at 20:30 LT and arriving in Jakarta at 07:55 WIB. Garuda Indonesia currently has 10 Boeing 777-300ERs aircraft on order for delivery commencing 2011 which will then allow the airline to operate non-stop from Jakarta into Europe.
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