Garuda's new era service

Garuda must be the only airline in the world that could shut the doors of an airplane while my daughter (three-and-a-half years old), my husband and myself were exactly five steps away from the plane, and another five steps away from our seats. A ground official, standing on the airbridge, put his arm out to stop us while we watched in amazement as two flight attendants closed the airplane door. Then GA 831 backed up and was out of the gate ahead of schedule.

If the plane's captain, Wayono, was thinking on behalf of his passengers, and was committed to service excellence, he would have waited another 10 seconds for us.

Departure was scheduled for 6:25 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, from Singapore to Jakarta. On this day, captain Wayono must have been in a hurry for personal reasons, and decided to depart 10 minutes ahead of schedule, at 6:15 p.m. We had been sitting in the first class lounge since 5 p.m., and no one informed us of the earlier departure time.

We checked in at 4:30 p.m., with luggage, and were allocated seats 2A, 2B and 2E. At 6 p.m., a boarding call was made. We instantly proceeded to gate D47. While in front of gate D44, our names were announced over a speaker. It was very strange. We started to walk faster. Then, in front of gate D45, A Garuda official asked us "Are you the family being announced?" I said "yes". The official spoke into his walkie talkie: "They're on their way, they're on their way, two more gates to go. While running, another official came up to us and said "Ma'am, sorry, the captain would like to depart early, if he misses the departure time, he cannot take off. I had no idea what he was talking about, nor did I pay much attention to him, as by this time we had arrived at gate D47. We went through the x-ray machine, showed our boarding passes and proceeded down an airbridge toward the plane.

We were about five steps away from the plane when a member of the ground crew, stationed on the airbridge, put his arm out in front of us and said "Sorry, the captain couldn't wait".

The airplane door shut in front of our eyes, leaving us standing and staring at the crew.

My husband then quickly ran back up the ramp to the crew and pointed at his watch, saying it was only 6:15 p.m. The crew just shrugged their shoulders and said "The captain has made the decision to depart".

The official said "Here's a dinner voucher. The next flight is three-and-a-half hours from now, and you are on standby as the flight is full".

At 9:20 p.m., my husband checked the transfer counter for any available flights. Luckily, we were on Garuda's 9:40 p.m. flight, and, of course, downgraded. I was given seat 1K, and my husband and daughter 61J and 61K.

There is a regulation that a plane cannot take off if there is unaccompanied baggage. The captain broke that regulation, and at the same time broke the integrity of Garuda.

This incident was a total nightmare and Garuda put my daughter through a traumatic experience. She is now afraid of flying. She is afraid that the plane will leave her behind and she will not be able to get home.

MS. V.V. RAMADHAN

Jakarta