New Bali Flights To L.A. And San Francisco Won’t Bring Garuda Financial Paradise

New Bali Flights To L.A. And San Francisco Won’t Bring Garuda Financial Paradise

Bali, the island of the gods, has a new plan to boost tourism from the U.S., Europe and India. It may require divine intervention.



Garuda Indonesia would launch new 15+ hour flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Paris, and shorter flights to India, under a strategy the state-owned carrier is mulling with the government. National sign off would give blessing to lose money - an incredible amount - on the new routes.



Unprofitable passengers become lucrative tourists, officials reckon. What visitors spend in Bali will more than offset the loss of bringing them to Bali.



"If a Parisian, a Frenchman spends US$10,000 on his vacation in Bali, there is no problem if Garuda loses $500 per passenger, because we can get $10,500 in this country,“ Garuda president director Irfan Setiaputra said in translated remarks to local media.



The five-digit figure may need revising downwards, but the idea persists. "Hopefully, we can make it through this crisis and start direct flights from countries that have large spending capabilities,“ Irfan said.



The thinking is correct but the manifestation - launch new flights - should be adapted.









Garuda Indonesia airline introduces its newest aircraft, the Airbus A330-900 Neo wide-body