Airline Special: Indonesian airline steps up services for China travelers

Garuda Indonesia handpicked new Chinese flight attendants for its crew in Shanghai on Aug 12.

The company started recruiting flight attendants from China in June this year in a bid to provide more amiable and quality services for Chinese passengers.

To date, the airline has received 800 applications from across China, 200 of which were asked for interviews.

From these, 29 were selected to take part in the final recruitment round on Tuesday.

I Wayan Subagia, Garuda's vice president for China, said the event was part of the airline's efforts to beef up services for Chinese passengers as "China has for years served as Garuda Indonesia's largest market." By the end of 2013, the company said it had transported more than 200,000 Chinese passengers to travel and do businesses in Indonesia.

Services

Garuda Indonesia was named as the airline with "the world's best cabin staff" by Skytrax London this year. The award was the airline's latest achievement in its continuous service improvement and ongoing business transformation through the Quantum Leap 2011-2015 program.

The win followed the award for "the world's best regional airline" at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2012 and "the world's best economy class" by Skytrax during the Paris Airshow in 2013. The airline is included in the Skytrax list of "the world's top 10 airlines".

Skytrax is acknowledged as running one of the most comprehensive customer satisfaction surveys in the airline industry. More than 105 different nationalities participated in the survey, which covered more than 245 airlines, from large international airlines to smaller domestic carriers. The survey measured standards across 41 key performance indicators of airline front-line products and services.

Garuda introduced the Garuda Indonesia Experience, which is a service concept based on Indonesia's rich cultural heritage, in 2009.

The service blends the country's warm hospitality with the airline's professional service, which prioritizes safety and comfort.

The Indonesian hospitality concept was translated into services that delighted the five senses: sight, sound, taste, scent and touch, by reflecting the unique and diverse elements of the archipelago's rich ethnic groups, traditions, culture, art, music and the inner spiritual beauty of the people.

By offering services based on Indonesian culture and hospitality, local passengers traveling abroad feel at home during their flights, while foreign visitors experience the hospitality and nuances that are unique to Indonesia before they even arrive in the country.

Safety

Garuda Indonesia Airlines has operated the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit Programme (IOSA) since 2008.

The airline said this reflects its commitment to providing a safe environment for passengers and staff members.

The company, which has a number of high-end safety protection mechanisms, has also stepped up efforts to minimize accidents or incidents attributable to organizational factors.

As a champion for safety and as the flag carrier of Indonesia, the company has become the trusted option for many people who select air travel as a means of transportation, according to Garuda.

immigration onboard

Since May 4 last year, Garuda started using "Immigration on Board", a special service created by the airline that can be used by Chinese passengers traveling from Shanghai to Jakarta.

In cooperation with the Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights, the service allows passengers on certain long haul flights to complete their immigration process onboard before landing and disembarking.