Garuda to order Boeing 787, Airbus A350 or Boeing 777X "this year"

Garuda Indonesia expects to decide on the next generation of its international fleet by the end of of this year with the Boeing 787, Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X all in the mix.

“We are looking at the Dreamliner compared to the (Airbus) A350, and we are looking at the A350-1000 compared to the Boeing 777X” Garuda Indonesia CEO Emirsyah Satar told journalists at a press briefing in Bali, ahead of the airline’s entry into the SkyTeam alliance tomorrow.

Satar said the airline would make its decision “this year” and the order numbers would be “quite substantial.”

Garuda’s fleet is slated to reach 194 aircraft by 2015, and Satar predicted total aircraft orders of more than 200 in the next 10 years if the airline meets its growth targets.

“We want to maintain a five year average (age)” Satar explained. “If there is no growth, just for 194 aircraft in the next ten years I need to order 100 (new aircraft) to replace  and maintain that average.”

“But if we are talking growth it’s at least double that, at least 200 in the next ten years.”

Garuda’s biggest bird to date is the Boeing 777-300ER, with four currently in the fleet “and three more coming later this year, starting June” Satar said.

David Flynn travelled to Bali for the Garuda-SkyTeam media event as a guest of Garuda Indonesia

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David Flynn

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.