Garuda Indonesia Begins Hajj Flights

 Garuda Indonesia has started flying Hajj pilgrims from Medan, Banjarmasin, Aceh, Makassar, Jakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Padang and Palembang. The first flight group from Balikpapan is scheduled to fly out today, 13 October 2010.

Garuda's Hajj operations will continued until 10 November 2010 (Phase I - Departure) and 21 November until 20 December 2010 for Phase II - Arrival. For the Jakarta and Surabaya stations, direct flights to Madinah are provided during Phase I - departure until 26 October 2010, while direct flights from Madinah on the return stage will commence on 6 December and continue until 21 December 2010.

In the current 2010/1431 Hajj season, Garuda Indonesia plans to transport 119,622 pilgrims from Indonesia, or an increase by 2,833 pilgrims from the total of 116,789 pilgrims transported in the previous year. The total of 119,622 pilgrims are assigned into 306 flight groups departing from ten stations, namely:

Banda Aceh: from 3,984 pilgrims increased to 4,157 pilgrims (in 13 flight groups, previously 12 flight groups);
Padang: from 7,523 pilgrims increased to 7,704 pilgrims (in 22 flight groups, previously 21 flight groups);
Palembang: from 7,378 pilgrims increased to 7,548 pilgrims (in 21 flight groups);
Jakarta: from 22,152 pilgrims increased to 23,062 pilgrims (in 49 flight groups);
Solo: from 33,382 pilgrims increased to 33,492 pilgrims (in 88 flight groups);
Surabaya: 8,645 pilgrims (in 19 flight groups);
Banjarmasin: from 5,046 pilgrims increased to 5,380 pilgrims (in 16 flight groups, previously 15 flight groups);
Balikpapan: from 5,352 pilgrims increased to 5,624 pilgrims (in 16 flight groups, previously 15 flight groups);
Makassar: from 14,998 pilgrims increased to 15,680 pilgrims (in 44 flight groups, previously 42 flight groups);
Medan: from 8,328 pilgrims increased to 8,330 pilgrims (in 19 flight groups, previously 18 flight groups).

 During the Hajj season, Garuda Indonesia will operate fifteen wide body aircraft, consisting of four B-747s, one B-767, six A330-300s, and four A330-200s.

Garuda Indonesia has also recruited 814 cabin crew members of which 725 (90%) of them were recruited from the station cities. The objective of recruitment from these regions was to anticipate any language barriers that may arise between passengers and crew, as part of the airline's service to its customers. 

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