In Reply to: What really is going on with Garuda? posted by bogden on Saturday, 13. May 2006 at 07:15 Bali Time:
Well i've got an opinion on this (as I have on just about everything)and it's not a particularly informed opinion, just my view.
Garuda - high fuel costs and fewer people travelling means thay are unwilling/unable to sustain half full planes to Bali so they will, where this is the case, cancell the direct flight and fly via another city. Where they cannot merge two cities they will cancell one day and fly the next thus making one full plane rather than two half full. It's simple economics in difficult times.As a passenger it's bloody annoying to say the least and I would feel exactly like you do at the prospect of extra hours in the air with a toddler however it is at least understandable.
Now let's take Qantas, under whatever banner, when faced with the same problme and I can only speak from experience to and from Perth. Same scenario with fuel prices and passenger numbers. Last November out return direct flight from Denpasar was cancelled and we had to fly a little later and via Singapore. If we wanted to fly Qantas for our next trip it would have to be via Darwin or Singapore so I'll take my chances with Garuda's scheduling! When we flew with Garuda in March our return flight was cancelled and we had to stay an extra day (OOH shame!!!) accomodation at their cost if we wanted but we stayed where we were.
Yes it's a pain in the bum but it's all part of the "new normal" and sadly we just have to get over it. Having said that I will of course scream like the proverbial stuck pig if my trip is shortened by a day and celebrate like a teenager on schoolies week (well not quite, no random sex or drugs of any kind and hopefully no vomiting at all)should I have to stay an extra day.......or more......maybe?