Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted (right) presents the five-star certificate to Garuda President and CEO Arif Wibowo in Jakarta on Tuesday, as Indonesia's Minister of Transportation Ignasius Jonan (2nd left) and the company's President Commissioner (chairman of the board of directors) Jusman Syafii Djamal (C) look on. — SG photo Ebrahim M. Kodi Saudi Gazette JAKARTA — Garuda Indonesia on Tuesday became the newest member of the world's exclusive group of five-star airlines. Indonesia's national flag carrier was accredited as a five-star airline, the world's highest quality ranking standard for a commercial airline, by the UK-based Skytrax, which is a leading authority that reviews airlines and airports globally. Only six other airlines — Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Japan's All Nippon Airways, South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong and the Chinese Hainan Airlines — presently hold the coveted global rating. Garuda Indonesia has made a major turnaround after flagging for years to become one of the best airlines in the region from near bankruptcy about 10 years ago. "The five-star rating is in recognition of the major improvement in quality standards at Garuda Indonesia, reflecting the hard work by the airline in recent years,” said Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted. During a grand ceremony attended by Indonesia's Minister of Transportation Ignasius Honan and other senior officials, Plaisted presented the award to Garuda's new President and CEO M. Arif Wibowo. Senior officials from Garuda and Skytrax, foreign diplomats, industry executives and representatives of the global media were present at the event at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta on Tuesday. Congratulating the Garuda team, Jonan said becoming a five-star airline “is an impressive achievement that not only improves the airline's reputation, but also of Indonesia in the eyes of the world.” Wibowo said the achievement marks another important milestone for Garuda Indonesia as it is a “testament” of the world's recognition of improvements in products and services under the ongoing “Quantum Leap” transformation program. The airline's performance is increasingly being recognized at international level. Garuda won accolades as the airline with "The World's Best Cabin Crew 2014" from Skytrax at the Farnborough International Airshow. Previously, Garuda was awarded "The World's Best Economy Class" in 2013, "The World's Best Regional Airline" in 2012, and "The World's Most Improved Airline" in 2010, also by Skytrax. During the "Passenger Choice Award 2013" in Anaheim, California, organized by Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), Garuda was chosen as the "Best in Asia and Australasia Region". A Skytrax rating is obtained after an all-round assessment of an airline's onboard and airport products and services. For Garuda, the assessment also took into account of the airline's planned move next year to a new base at Terminal 3 of Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Wibowo said. The new hub is expected to improve and expand premium passenger facilities not only for Garuda but for all its SkyTeam partners, he told Saudi Gazette. "The five-star rating is not presented in recognition of the fancy meals served to the first class passengers. We place a lot of importance on the fact that the majority of customers travel in economy and the quality and consistency of those standards contributed greatly to Garuda securing five stars," Plaisted told a press conference later Tuesday. Wibowo, former president director of Garuda's low-cost subsidiary Citilink, was appointed president and CEO of the national flag carrier following the resignation of Emirsyah Sattar in December 2014. Sattar was honored at the ceremony for the many breakthroughs during his tenure since 2005. He took the helm at a turbulent time when Garuda was on the brink of bankruptcy and succeeded in turning it into a profitable carrier by improving overall services and safety. Wibowo, who is also chairman of the Indonesian National Air Carrier Association (INACA), is not a new face at Garuda. He began his aviation industry career as an aircraft maintenance engineer with Garuda in 1990 and went on to become the airline's executive vice president of sales and marketing before joining Citilink in May 2012. With one of the youngest fleets in the sky, the airline connects more than 70 destinations worldwide to an array of exotic locations on the Indonesian archipelago with close to 600 daily flights and a fleet of more than 130 aircraft.
