Air Travel

Question:

I confirmed with a U.S. Garuda agent this morning. Garuda has suspended much of its international service, including its US-Bali service, for April and May, and the agent sounded pretty uncertain about just when it would resume. — TravelersBooks.com–Internet Travel Bookstore An Amazon.com Associate THOUSANDS OF TITLES AT 20% OFF http://www.TravelersBooks.com

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >X-No-Archive: Yes > I confirmed with a U.S. Garuda agent this morning. > Garuda has suspended much of its international service, including its > US-Bali service, for April and May, and the agent sounded pretty uncertain > about just when it would resume. >Why were you booking pax on Garuda to begin with?  Many of the r.t.air >regulars who go to Asia frequently avoid Garuda like the plague.  If they’ve >got that terrible a reputation among people familiar with air travel, why to >you continue to ticket people on Garuda?

Chris – I would hesitate to say that it is probably the customer themselves who insists on Garuda due to their usually cheaper and attractive fares to people who are looking to save some dollars.  For passengers on a trip from the US to say Bali for example, there is probably not much choice – either Garuda direct or a convoluted route (with fares to match) with say a United/Northwest to SIN or MNL or other asian cities, with a connection on another carrier or a United/Air NZ/Qantas to Australia and another connection or even Continental can get you there – via however, HNL and GUM with Air Mike. If the customer wants them – who is the agent to try and talk them out of it, especially when any other option will cost $$$’s. And yes  -  I, like many Australians, "avoid them like the plague"!  Too many horror stories from too many people who have used them to Bali and beyond and all the european backpackers who used to use them to get down here when they were dirt cheap ! Regards   Al.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->X-No-Archive: Yes >> I confirmed with a U.S. Garuda agent this morning. >> Garuda has suspended much of its international service, including its >> US-Bali service, for April and May, and the agent sounded pretty > uncertain >> about just when it would resume. >Why were you booking pax on Garuda to begin with?  Many of the r.t.air >regulars who go to Asia frequently avoid Garuda like the plague.  If > they’ve >got that terrible a reputation among people familiar with air travel, why > to >you continue to ticket people on Garuda? > Chris – I would hesitate to say that it is probably the customer themselves > who insists on Garuda due to their usually cheaper and attractive fares to > people who are looking to save some dollars.  For passengers on a trip from > the US to say Bali for example, there is probably not much choice – either > Garuda direct or a convoluted route (with fares to match) with say a > United/Northwest to SIN or MNL or other asian cities, with a connection on > another carrier or a United/Air NZ/Qantas to Australia and another > connection or even Continental can get you there – via however, HNL and GUM > with Air Mike. > If the customer wants them – who is the agent to try and talk them out of > it, especially when any other option will cost $$$’s. > And yes  -  I, like many Australians, "avoid them like the plague"!  Too > many horror stories from too many people who have used them to Bali and > beyond and all the european backpackers who used to use them to get down > here when they were dirt cheap ! > Regards   Al.

I might also add that Garuda has one of the worst fatality records amongst world airlines. Jerry GaMarsh

Response:

Hi ! > I might also add that Garuda has one of the worst fatality records > amongst world airlines.

Most of the Garuda crashes were in Indonesia and I think any other airline would have the same problems there (with the same frequency of flights). You cannot compare it with the situation in the USA (i.e. airport safety facilieties etc.). And for many European travelers going to S.E.Asia (Bangkok, …) Garuda is a good cheap alternative, compared to competitors from the former eastern bloc (Tamron, LOT) or to airlines like PIA, Gulf Air etc. They use new aircraft (747-400), and are even bundled with packeges from the big travel companies here in germany (Meiers, etc.). On-board economy service is much better than on Lufthansa or Air-France. Stefan

Response:

> They use new aircraft (747-400), and are even bundled with packeges from the big > travel companies here in germany (Meiers, etc.). On-board economy service is much > better than on Lufthansa or Air-France. > Stefan

Their -400s must be very very new I’ve only seen very old-200s and they are always late in and out. tt.

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