Garuda Indonesia, Singapore Airlines Explore ‘Wide-Ranging’ Partnership

In advance of the Indonesia-Singapore vaccinated travel lane (VTL) taking effect on Nov. 29, Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines (SIA) signed an MOU to explore new ties, including expanded codesharing.

The airlines said they aim to establish a “wide-ranging commercial partnership.”

The carriers said they could potentially align their frequent flyer programs, engage in joint marketing activities, and work together to promote inbound tourism to Indonesia. The tie-up could also include cargo cooperation.

Garuda Indonesia and SIA noted that on Oct. 1 the carriers resumed codesharing on flights between Singapore (SIN) and the Indonesian destinations of Bali (DPS), Jakarta (CGK) and Surabaya (SUB). Garuda Indonesia also placed its code on SIA’s flights between SIN and London Heathrow (LHR) from Oct. 1.

Garuda Indonesia will place its code on SIA’s flights between SIN and Mumbai (BOM) from Jan. 1, 2022.

“Additional [codeshare] partnerships to points in both airlines’ networks will be explored to support increased air connectivity to Indonesia and Singapore, as well as the wider Southeast Asia region,” the airlines stated.

“Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia have a strong and long-standing relationship, reflecting the warm and robust bilateral ties between Singapore and Indonesia, as well as the close connections between the people of the two countries,” SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said. “This agreement allows us to leverage on the strengths of both partners to provide our customers with a greater array of choices, as well as an enhanced and more seamless travel journey. It would also enable us to work closely together to support initiatives that facilitate and grow tourism and economic activity as borders reopen.”

Garuda Indonesia CEO Irfan Setiaputra added: “I hope that the commercial cooperation between the two airlines will create a more comfortable and safer travel experience for passengers amid the increasing air traffic between countries. Both airlines carry the same mission in this cooperation, which is to support the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore.”

Photo credit: Rob Finlayson