Garuda signs ECS on its return Europe after 6-year ban

RETURNING after a six-year gap in European flight, Indonesia's national airline, Garuda Indonesia, has re-established itself in the air cargo market by awarding general sales and services to European Cargo Services (ECS) on 5,200 tonnes of freight a year.

This comes after the European Union lifted its six-year ban in June prohibiting the Garuda from operating in European airspace eased a prohibition on the airlines which had been prompted by a series of fatal crashes.

The airline is achieving higher than forecast cargo payloads with its daily Airbus A330 flights from Amsterdam to Jakarta via Dubai generally operating at full capacity. The A330 offers a daily uplift of 15 tons.

ECS Netherlands chief Mariet Zollner said the response from the freight forwarding industry to restart cargo flights from Garuda has with regular shipments of fresh salmon for both Dubai and Indonesia, mobile telephones, flowers and vegetables and biscuits for Australia.

"Despite its absence from the European market, Garuda has quickly proven it is a well organised airline with a highly educated and experienced team. We look forward to being part of the airline's continued network growth in Europe," she said.
(Source:www.schednet.com)