BY JAMES WILKINSON

Garuda Indonesia’s revolutionary onboard immigration processing service is being rolled-out on Bali flights following a successful trial program on Jakarta services.

Garuda is extending its immigration on board offering
to Sydney-Denpasar flights from January 1, 2012

The move means passengers flying to Bali from Sydney from January 1, 2012 will save hours of waiting in queues at Denpasar Airport by buying the Indonesian visa from Garuda at Sydney Airport and then having passports processed on-board by Indonesian immigration officers.

“We are delighted to be offering our customers such a convenient and exclusive service,” said Garuda Indonesia’s Senior General Manager Australia/SWP, Bagus Siregar. “The service allows passengers to fast-track through immigration, avoiding currency exchange and airport queues.

“Combined with Garuda Indonesia’s new service concept, ‘the Garuda Indonesia Experience’, passengers travelling with the airline can relax with the assurance that they will have faster entry and a great cultural introduction to Australia’s favourite holiday destination and gateway to Indonesia’s archipelago,” he said.

Siregar said the airline is looking to extend the service to all flights departing Australia – Garuda Indonesia also offers services to Melbourne and Perth – in the near future.