SINGAPORE, Feb 19, 2016 (Antara) - National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has been awarded the ultimate "5-Star Airline" rating from Skytrax for a second year running. This year's award was presented to the President & CEO of Garuda Indonesia, M. Arif Wibowo, by Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, at the Changi Exhibition Center during Singapore Airshow 2016.
Indonesian Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Indonesian Ambassador for Singapore I Gusti Ngurah Swajayam, and President Commissioner of Garuda Indonesia Jusman Syafii Djamal were present during the ceremony. Minister Rini Soemarno expressed her highest regards "for all Garuda management and staff, their hard work, and their success in maintaining the quality and standards that exemplify a "5-Star Airline"."
"We believe that recognition of Garuda Indonesia as a "5-Star Airline" for consecutive years will not only help to strengthen Garuda Indonesia as a global brand, but also support our efforts at "Nation Branding", as laid out in the Indonesian government's strategic program," Rini added.
As the national flag carrier, Rini said, Garuda Indonesia was succesfully representing the Republik of Indonesia with this achievement. "But success also brings a larger challenge for Garuda Indonesia, to continuously improve the quality of their service, and deliver this service to all customers on the ground and in the air."
The Minister finished by suggesting that the global achievement would be followed by better financial results, and extended her appreciation for Garuda Indonesia's turnaround financial results which ended in net profit for 2015.
M. Arif Wibowo, President & CEO, Garuda Indonesia, expressed that "The 5-Star rating reflects the hard work and deep commitment from both management and staff at Garuda who continuously deliver their best efforts to maintain and improve the company's performance in all business aspects.
"This achievement will be an important milestone for Garuda Indonesia in 2016, as well as being a challenge for everybody in Garuda Indonesia Group to constantly improve performance and deliver service excellence to all customers," Arif said.
The "5-Star Airline" certification was awarded following the ongoing Skytrax Audit, with comprehensive points covering all service aspects; pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight, including ground handling services, lounge, seat and cabin comfort, inflight meals and inflight entertainment.
Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said that the "5-Star Airline" rating awarded to Garuda Indonesia for two years consecutively was a result keeping consistently high service standards.
"In the globally competitive airline industry, Garuda Indonesia proved that they can survive and even perform to the highest values and service standards. The consistency of product and service quality is the most important part in a 5-Star certification audit, and we proudly announce that Garuda's aircraft are offering the variety of classes that is a requirement of a 5-Star Airline," Edward added.
Spurred on by a strong commitment from the airline's management and staff to deliver best service, Garuda Indonesia's performance continues to earn global recognition. In 2013, Skytrax awarded Garuda Indonesia for "The World's Best Economy Class". This continued in 2014, with recognition as "The World's Best Cabin Staff", a "5-Star Airline", and 7th rank in "The World's Top 10 Airlines".
At the World Airline Awards, Paris Airshow 2015, Garuda Indonesia was once again named "The World's Best Cabin Staff", based on a global customer satisfaction survey conducted by Skytrax of more than 18 million passengers. The survey, which covers 245 international airlines, is held every year and measures standards across 41 key performance indicators of airline products and services.
As part of a fleet revitalization program throughout 2016, the Garuda Indonesia Group will receive 16 new aircraft in total; 1 Boeing 777-300ER, 4 Airbus A330-300, 4 ATR72-600, and also 8 Airbus A320 to be operated by Citilink. By the end of 2016, Garuda Indonesia Group will operate a total of 188 aircraft; 144 aircraft for Garuda Indonesia and 44 aircraft for Citilink.
To continue the positive growth achieved during its "Quick Wins" program in 2015, Garuda Indonesia will enter a "Sky Beyond" program for 2016 aiming at rapid company expansion, focusing on three 'core strategies' - company group synergy, effectiveness and efficiency, and service enhancement - to accelerate company achievement and performance.
As part of its company synergy, the Garuda Indonesia Group joined Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest aerospace and defence event. This was Garuda Indonesia's first participation as a Group, as only a subsidiary, the Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia, had participated in the past.
The presence of Garuda Indonesia Group at the Singapore Airshow follows Group strategy to develop brand image, to elaborate potential business, to enhance business relations with stakeholders, and to boost up the awareness to Garuda Indonesia Group's strategic role as Indonesia's trade envoy in international level.
At Singapore Airshow 2016, the Garuda Indonesia Group, through Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia, looks to several short- and long-term business contracts, with a value of nearly USD 100 milion.
Garuda Indonesia currently has 6 subsidiaries with diverse business sectors; Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia, specialized in integrated aircraft maintenance, including engine and aircraft components repair service; Citilink, a low cost carrier (LCC) airline projected for budget traveller; Aerowisata, specialized in hospitality, transportation, catering and travel agent service; Gapura, specialized in ground handling service, supoorted by cargo and warehousing service; Asyst, specialized in IT and consultation service; and Abacus - which now has transformed to Sabre Travel Network Indonesia - specialized in technology provider service for global travel and tourism.
About PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.
Presenting a new level of service excellence in air travel, Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, seamlessly connects more than 75 destinations worldwide to not only one of the largest economies in Southeast Asia, but also an array of exotic locations in the beautiful archipelago of Indonesia all at once. With close to 600 daily flights and a fleet of 169 aircraft with an average age of less than five years old, Garuda Indonesia proudly serves its passengers with the award-winning "Garuda Indonesia Experience" service, which highlights Indonesia's warm hospitality and rich diverse culture.
The airline continuously strives, through its ongoing transformation program, to provide better and more convenient services with one of the youngest fleets in the sky, which should grow to around 190 aircraft by 2015. The progress of Garuda Indonesia's transformation program can be seen from achieving a Skytrax's 5-star airline rating, one of the world's 10 best airline, as well as winning the prestigious "The World's Best Cabin Crew" award for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015, and "The World's Best Economy Class" award in 2013, also from Skytrax. Garuda Indonesia is a member of SkyTeam, the global airline alliance with 20 members, providing access to an extensive global network with over 16,320 daily flights to 1,052 destinations in 177 countries.
Garuda Indonesia is listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange [IDX:GIAA]. For further information, please log on to www.garuda-indonesia.com, follow @IndonesiaGaruda on Twitter, like our Facebook page at PT.GarudaIndonesia, or subscribe to youtube.com/GarudaIndonesia1949.
Contact:
Corporate Communications Dept
Tel: +62 21 2560 1069
Fax: +62 21 2560 1068
Email: corpcomm@garuda-indonesia.com
Reporter: prwire
Editor: PR Wire
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