Garuda Boss Says Indonesian Flyers Prefer Singapore Airlines for Japanese Trips
Jakarta. Indonesian air passengers traveling to Japan prefer flying with Singapore Airlines over the local carrier, Garuda Indonesia, the CEO of the national flag carrier said on Wednesday.
“The number of Indonesian travelers flying Singapore Airlines to Japan is eight times that of Garuda Indonesia,” Irfan Setiaputra said during a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Commission IV, which oversees state-owned businesses.
The data comes from Garuda’s internal records over the past eight months since September 2023.
According to Irfan, Singapore Airlines offers very generous discounts on flights to Japan for passengers who book tickets three months in advance.
Garuda, on the other hand, is not fully independent in determining airfares, which are often influenced by government policies.
Fare reductions require approval from the state-owned enterprise minister, Irfan explained.
"If my direct boss, Mr. Minister, doesn’t ask us to cut airfares, I won’t listen to anyone else. However, we are dealing with the public's voice here,” he said.
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