Garuda to operate large aircraft to serve Lebaran travelers

Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is preparing 61,324 flight seats through the operation of large aircraft for an extra flight in anticipation of an increase in passengers during the post-fasting Eid ul-Fitr or Lebaran 2017.

President Director of PT Garuda Indonesia Pahala N. Mansury said the Lebaran is a period when flight operations peak, mainly coinciding with school holidays, so that seat capacity this year increased to 87.24 percent.

“During the increase this year, there are additional seats of around 60 thousand for the Lebaran peak season. One-third of it is from the large aircraft, while the remaining two-thirds include additional frequencies for both domestic and international flights,” Pahala noted here on Saturday (May 27).

There is also the use of wide-bodied aircraft (bigger aircraft) and extra flights consisting of 50,210 seats to 11,114 seats on domestic routes and international routes.

Meanwhile, the type of aircraft to be operated are B737-800 (162 passengers), A330-200 (222 passengers), A330-300 (287 passengers), and entire economy class A330-300 (360 passengers).

Previously, VP Corporate Communications Garuda Indonesia Benny S. Butarbutar remarked at the Lebaran peak season this year that Garuda Indonesia operates a total of 348 additional flights comprising 188 extra flights and 160 flights using large aircraft.

“The addition of low-capacity Lebaran peak season this year increased by 87.24 percent of the total capacity of extra flights in the same period last year,” Benny stated.

Homecoming of passengers are expected to take place from June 16 to July 9, 2017, for both domestic and international routes.

Garuda Indonesia appealed to all service users to plan a trip as early as possible and use the city check-in facility at the sales offices of Garuda Indonesia or in the web check-in and phone check-in to avoid long queues at the check-in booths in the airport.