Garuda Indonesia (GA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have taken a significant step to deepen their commercial partnership.
This new agreement aims to offer reciprocal benefits for their frequent flyer program members and explore revenue-sharing arrangements for flights between Indonesia and Singapore, pending regulatory approvals.
The agreement for the frequent flyer program was signed by Garuda Indonesia CEO Mr. Irfan Setiaputra and SIA CEO Mr. Goh Choon Phong in Jakarta.
Additionally, the joint venture revenue share agreement was signed by Garuda Indonesia Director of Service and Commercial Mr. Ade R. Susardi and SIA Chief Commercial Officer Mr. Lee Lik Hsin.
Once implemented, this frequent flyer partnership will allow GarudaMiles and KrisFlyer members to earn and redeem miles on codeshare flights operated by both airlines. The revenue-sharing agreement will support joint capacity growth. This marks a significant step towards a proposed commercial joint venture covering flights between Singapore and Indonesia.
Both airlines will continue joint marketing activities to promote tourism. This includes potential joint efforts to boost tourist traffic to Indonesia, such as familiarisation trips for travel trade and media.
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines already have a strong codeshare partnership. Garuda codeshares on Singapore Airlines flights between Singapore and Indonesian cities like Bali, Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya. This also extends to long-haul routes between Singapore and Johannesburg, London (Heathrow), and Mumbai. In return, SIA codeshares on Garuda Indonesia flights between Singapore and Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya.
Mr. Irfan Setiaputra, CEO of Garuda Indonesia, stated that this partnership is part of their strategy to improve the company’s performance through strategic commercial partnerships. This partnership adds value to customers. “Having the same mission to optimize the aviation business ecosystem in Southeast Asia after the pandemic, this initiative is an important manifestation of both airlines’ commitment to continue strengthening our cooperation,” Mr. Irfan said.
He added, “This partnership marks a special moment for us, coinciding with the 58 years of Garuda Indonesia’s journey in connecting Indonesia and Singapore. We hope this partnership will enhance social, cultural, and tourism relations between the two countries, offering seamless access to various destinations served by both airlines.”
Mr. Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, commented, “Our partnership with Garuda Indonesia will improve connectivity between Indonesia and Singapore. This will help meet the increasing demand for air travel between the two countries and beyond, and facilitate the growth of tourism and economic activities. By deepening the synergies between our frequent flyer programs, we can enhance the benefits for our loyal customers, offering them more opportunities to earn and redeem miles when traveling with both airlines.”
This partnership is expected to provide added value for customers, making it easier to earn and redeem miles for tickets and other exclusive benefits. It is also anticipated to strengthen support for national tourism by offering more access to points in Indonesia for foreign tourists visiting via Singapore.
