It was first announced for 2012, then 2013. Now Garuda Indonesia will not anymore be able to join the world global alliance Skyteam before 2014 due to IT problems.
JAKARTA- While Skyteam just celebrated the official integration of Middle East Airlines (Lebanon) last week, Garuda Indonesian Airlines is still looking to integrate the airline’s grouping. Announced in the early part of 2011 and originally planned for 2012, the integration into the alliance has since been delayed. After announcing earlier this year to join by the first quarter of 2013, the airline’s management just communicated a few days ago that the integration will probably not take place before early 2014, more than two years after the originally planned date. Garuda CEO Emirsyah Satar explains that the delay is due to a change in IT system for the management of passengers but also for the adoption of a new reservation system compatible with other members of the alliance. The rather complex issue has consequently pushed back the airline’s integration. The incompatibility of its existing reservations system makes it impossible for now to permit seamless transfer as well as reservation change for passengers.
The delay in joining Skyteam follows some other bad news announced earlier this year. Indonesian national carrier has been forced in February to delay the order for ten Boeing 777-300 ER. Originally planned for delivery this year, the new aircraft have been scaled back to 2013. The delay also puts in jeopardy the launch of new services to Europe. Two years ago, Garuda Indonesia has announced plans to open new European routes to Frankfurt, London, Paris and possibly Rome. Plans have been now delayed, especially as Europe is facing its biggest economic crisis in decades. Garuda daily frequency on Jakarta-Dubai-Amsterdam -reopened in 2010- has since been cut to only four weekly frequencies at the beginning of the summer season due to poor demand. Garuda, which currently has a fleet of just over 80 aircraft, expects however to double its fleet over the next five years and planned to add more intra-Asian routes.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
