Flying in safety

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