Garuda Indonesia's new nonstop Perth-Jakarta flights begin today, with the airline's daily service offering a handy evening departure from WA and a mid-morning return from Indonesia's capital.
The five-hour flight is a significant time-saver compared to the previous hop via Denpasar, and runs on a new Boeing 737-800.
Flight GA725 leaves Perth at 5.40pm to arrive in Jakarta at 9.30pm; the return flight GA724 is wheels-up in Jakarta at 10.15am, reaching Perth at 4.15pm.
Garuda's Boeing 737-800 business class is a recliner seat similar to what you'll already see in the Qantas and Virgin Australia versions of the same plane, which is the domestic workhorse of both airlines, and there's video screens with on-demand entertainment from tip to tail.
"We’ve launched this service to respond to the growing demand, particularly from the business community" says Bagus Y. Siregar, Garuda's VP Australia/South West Pacific.
"With the new non-stop flights Jakarta is just under 5 hours away, which makes it very convenient for our corporate travellers."
Onwards to London...
There'll be a bit of wait at Jakarta's Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (airport code CGK) if you're transferring to Garuda's forthcoming Jakarta-London service, which launches on November 2nd.
This departs shortly before 1am (to reach London at 8.30am), so you'll have three and a half hours to space – and hopefully access to Garuda's airport lounges to help pass the time.
The Jakarta-London service, like its Sydney-Jakarta feeder, will be flown on the airline's new Boeing 777-300ER featuring an all-new First Class cabin plus fully lie-flat Executive business class and economy class.
Photo Gallery: Garuda's new Boeing 777 first class suites, business class seats
There will also be inflight Internet and an on-board chef to keep first class passengers well fed and watered on the journey's longer leg.
Another part of the Indonesian flag-carrier’s continued push into the premium travel market is its entry into the SkyTeam airline alliance in March next year.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
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