Flying in safety

I would like to share an eye-opening experience I had with Garuda Indonesia. On June 28, 1996 I had to leave suddenly for Singapore as my husband was having emergency surgery there.

As my exit permit had expired I requested the immigration officials at the airport to issue me one on compassionate ground -- which they very kindly agreed to do. I was booked on GA890 and had already checked my luggage in and obtained a boarding card.

As the flight time neared and my papers were still not ready, the immigration officer asked me to apprise the Garuda staff at the check-in counter. I approached the counter staff and explained my problem saying that I was checked in on GA 890 but was still waiting for my papers to be cleared. Certain in my mind that the flight would not leave without me since my suitcase was already checked in and not wishing the flight to be delayed on my account, I asked if they could put me on the next Garuda flight which was due to leave about two hours later. To my amazement the Garuda counter official just shrugged his shoulders and said that that was not their problem and the flight would leave without me. Not quite believing my ears I asked him "Are you saying that this flight will leave with my luggage and without me?" The official said "Yes -- you will get your luggage either in Singapore or Amsterdam." His indifference was only eclipsed by his rudeness.

In the event, GA 890 was delayed by two hours and I managed to fly to Singapore. However, I made a mental note never to fly Garuda again. Their safety standards are too lax. To my knowledge no other airline would allow any of its flights to take off unless all passengers with checked luggage are accounted for and on board.

R.S. POTTER

Jakarta