from today's E-travel Blackboard:
Garuda Indonesia Tops Asian Airlines Service Quality Survey
Monday, 18 October 2010
Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia's national airline has been recognized as Asia's leading service quality airline, according to a just released independent survey of all major airlines across the region.
The survey conducted by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), scored Garuda ahead of Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines for the overall quality of its service.
The survey finding follows Garuda being named the ‘World's Most Improved Airline' at the Skytrax 2010 World Airline Awards in Hamburg, Germany in May.
CAPA is an independent research centre providing aviation market intelligence, analysis and data services. It publishes aviation surveys for Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa.
The Asia survey covered such criteria as passenger comfort, food, in flight and ground services and customers' perceptions of the value of flying with the airline.
The survey reported that travelers were genuinely impressed with the service offered by the Garuda and the airline appeared to be rebuilding itself on firm foundations.
Garuda Indonesia's President Director Emirsyah Satar said the CAPA recognition was further evidence the airline's ‘turnaround' strategy first implemented in 2006 was now achieving results.
'Garuda's business transformation program covers all aspects of the company. This CAPA survey result is an endorsement of our efforts to transform the airline and to deliver the highest standards of service to our passengers on the ground and in the air,' he said.
'It is also due recognition of our heavy investment in training, maintenance and new aircraft. We have added 24 new aircraft to our fleet and successfully addressed service quality in 28 product areas, Satar said.
As part of its transformation program, Garuda Indonesia invested heavily in developing a service concept known as the ‘Garuda Indonesia Experience'. This combines warm Indonesian hospitality with elements of the country's rich and diverse cultural heritage, reflected in the on-board decor, staff uniforms, food and beverages. Its new aircraft fleet features seatback video-on-demand systems throughout Executive and Economy classes, while the long-haul Airbus A330-200s are equipped with lie-flat beds in Executive Class.
The CAPA survey, coming on top of the Skytrax award now positions Garuda as one of Asia's best' airlines.