Garuda Indonesia is to begin a daily bellyhold service from London to Jakarta, operating from their new UK base of Heathrow Airport.
The new service will be the first and only non-stop flight to connect the UK and Indonesia, beginning Thursday 31 March 2016. The move is part of Garuda’s strategy to strengthen its presence in Europe.
The non-stop route from Heathrow will utilise the Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft, giving freight forwarders the chance to tap into the growing Indonesia market.
The carrier’s general manager for the UK and Ireland, Jubi Prasetyo says: “Making the move to Heathrow Airport has been an ambition of ours since joining SkyTeam in March 2014. Heathrow’s pivotal role in servicing the alliance’s 1,052 destinations makes it an ideal departure airport for our passengers. Flying non-stop direct to Jakarta means we will truly be the most efficient way to reach Indonesia from the UK.”
Heathrow chief executive officer, John Holland-Kaye says: “We are delighted to welcome Garuda Indonesia to Heathrow, securing a regular direct service to one of the largest growth economies in the world. As the UK’s only hub, Heathrow is able to support regular direct flights to 75 long haul destinations not served by any other UK airport.
“With expansion, we can bring the world to Britain’s doorstep by adding up to 40 more long haul routes to high growth markets and more than doubling the number of UK cities served.  Britain will be the best connected country in the world, at the heart of the global economy. Let’s make it happen.”
