Garuda Flies High

I am a big fan frequent passenger of Garuda Indonesia, if I may say, or at least I have a Garuda Frequent Flyer (GFF) Card Membership which was renamed into Garuda Miles after Garuda joined the Sky Team last March. With its Global Network: 1,064 destinations to explore, 20 airlines working together, and 564 lounges all over the world, joined Sky Team is good move by Garuda in the era where the competition in the air has come to the new level. Singapore Air and Thai Airways are the member of Star Alliance make it 26 in total of its members. Malaysia joined OneWorld with other 12 airlines. So, if Garuda wants to compete with other prominent players, Garuda has to join with a global network.

Good thing for the frequent flyer member like me is I could use or get my millage if I fly with its partner airlines.

But, if you are frequently flying to the cities in Southeast Asia region –like me – this move doesn’t give a significant impact. Flying to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are easy choice as Garuda flies there many times every day. To Hanoi is also OK, as I could take Vietnam Airlines that also a member of Sky Team, although I have to transit at Ho Chi Ming first. But the rest is quite a problem. I still can catch other cities around Mekong area with Vietnam Air, but when I check the schedule through Sky Team App, I found that the schedule is not convenience. Sometime I have to transit in HCM for more than ten hours, or I have to stay overnight waiting the connection flight on the day after. 

Another alternative is to use China Southern Airline. I fly with them couple month ago when I went to Xianmen, after transit for couple hour in Guangzhou. From Guangzhou we could take the flight to various cities in Southeast Asia. But to going north for a long-long flight and transit for several hours and flight back to the south for another several hours is definitely not something that you want.

So, what is the better option that we have?

Yes, your answer is correct. That airline flies to almost every main city in the region almost every day. :-)

Although I like to fly with Garuda Indonesia, most of the case of my travel abroad, I fly with other airlines.

Garuda should finish their homework before becoming the main choice in the region. 

Flying high but only couple miles from home is still not enough.

This post is part of the Project-W.