Minister of Transport Urges Garuda to Improve Services After Skytrax Rating Downgrade

Jakarta — Indonesian Transport Minister (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi responded to Skytrax’s latest rating for national carrier Garuda Indonesia, lowering it from five stars to four. He said the downgrade should be treated as part of an evaluation aimed at improving the airline’s service quality going forward. “This is part of the evaluation, after all. Ratings can go up or down. Hopefully Garuda can improve this rating in the future,” Dudy told reporters in Jakarta on Friday (6 March 2026). The government sees this as a momentum to identify various aspects that need to be fixed so that Garuda can regain the top ranking as before. “So it’s not something to overreact to; as young people say, don’t panic,” Dudy said. “But we are looking again at what needs to be improved so that what once hovered around five stars for a long time can be achieved again,” he added. Dudy emphasised that in the aviation industry, high technology alone is not enough. Service to passengers is also an important element that heavily influences an airline’s rating. “Improvements are certainly needed, while also maintaining what is already good. Because the airline business is not only about high technology, but also about service,” he explained. “We see many airline operators around the world place a strong emphasis not only on safety but also on the comfort of the service,” he added. Product ratings cover seats, facilities, meals and beverages, in-flight entertainment (IFE), cleanliness, and a range of other aspects. Meanwhile, service ratings cover cabin crew performance and ground staff. “As an airline that previously carried five-star status, Garuda Indonesia is currently undergoing a period of restructuring,” Skytrax quoted. “Therefore Garuda Indonesia’s rating has been downgraded to a four-star airline,” Skytrax wrote. “Although staff service standards remain relatively good, the quality of the product services has declined in recent years and no longer meets the standard required to maintain five-star status,” the Skytrax statement said.