Garuda's flights

Garuda's flights
to Europe

The Jakarta Post published my previous letter in which I
expressed my disappointment in our national airline, Garuda
Indonesia, for canceling flights to and from the United Kingdom.

I was unhappy because I had been expecting some friends to
visit Bali and the cancellation of their return flight would have
meant that their entire holiday would have had to be canceled and
I felt that many other people must have been in the same
position.

I also suggested that despite possible losses in revenue,
Garuda should be actively encouraging tourists to come to
Indonesia and not just giving up because the "Doom and Gloom
merchants" say Bali is finished as a tourist destination.

Bali is nowhere near finished and hotel occupancy rates are
already increasing less than seven weeks after the bombing.
I am very pleased to be able to say that a few days after my
letter was printed, Garuda had a change of heart and reinstated
the Bali-London flights so my friends and I are very happy about
this. It seems that the cancellation of the schedule has been
postponed rather than abandoned entirely, so this is still
disturbing, but Garuda has certainly made a move in the right
direction and I think credit should be given where it is due.

I feel sure that demand will increase in the next few weeks so
maybe Garuda will be able to continue with flights to and from
Europe without any need for further cancellations.

If government warnings against travel to Indonesia could be
lifted, this would help enormously and, in Europe, the
Netherlands seem to be leading the way.

ANDREW CHARLES, Canggu, Bali