Garuda Indonesia (GA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have announced plans to enter into a joint venture arrangement that would deepen the cooperation between the two carriers, increase passenger capacity between Singapore and Indonesia, and offer customers more travel options between the two countries.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the proposed joint venture will cover routes between Singapore and Denpasar, Jakarta, and Surabaya. This will expand on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that the two airlines signed in November 2021.
It would allow Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines to potentially coordinate schedules between Singapore and Indonesia, offering customers more seamless flight connectivity between the two countries and beyond. The carriers will also explore the implementation of new initiatives, including joint fare products and an alignment of corporate programmes to enhance the value proposition to customers.
Irfan Setiaputra , President and Chief Executive Officer, Garuda Indonesia, explained, “With the existence of more than a decade of collaboration between these two national flag carriers, this joint venture agreement, as a further milestone of the partnership expansion initiative, will certainly strengthen the commitment between the two carriers simultaneously, delivering a seamless and valuable flying experience to both our customers across the globe.”
“The joint venture agreement is also a part of our effort to improve our company’s performance through our network strategy by optimising our network through partnernship with our strategic airline partners, especially Singapore Airlines. With this initiative, both airlines agreed to further explore more advantages for both our customers, allowing them to enjoy various flight schedules with enhanced value services within the networks of Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines.
“On top of that, this deepening relationship may also strengthen tourist flows between Indonesia and Singapore, which makes it easier for international tourists to create their remarkable South East Asia journey – visiting the uniqueness of Singapore, and exploring the exoticism of Indonesia’s multiculturalism while enjoying the beauty of the scenery across the islands in Indonesia that awaits.”
Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said: “This joint venture will be a win-win arrangement that elevates the long-standing partnership between Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines. It reflects our firm commitment to grow the aviation markets in Indonesia and Singapore, facilitating a greater level of business and people connections and promoting both countries as regional tourism destinations. Our customers will also enjoy even more benefits, including an improved level of network connectivity, enhanced travel convenience, and additional fare options.”
