DAVAO CITY–The Garuda Indonesia has scheduled on September 27, 2019 its initial flight from Manado to Davao.
This was disclosed over the weekend by Indonesian Consul General Dicky Fabrian, who said Garuda has already sent a letter of intent to Davao Airport Authority for the airline’s maiden flight using a 70-seater ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Initially, Fabrian said flight frequency will be once a week, departing from Manado at 10 a.m. and arriving in Davao at 11:30 a.m. The plane will then return to Manado on the same day between 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Fabrian said Gardua aims to fly the Jakarta-Manila route but getting a slot has been a challenge because of heavy air traffic.
“Hopefully in the future they (Garuda) could fly further to the different key cities such as Manila, Cebu, and Puerto Prinsesa,” he said.
Manado, which is one and a half hour from Davao, is an easier entry and visitors could use this route to explore other destinations such as Bali, he said.
Expected passengers during the maiden flight from Manado are mostly millennials who wish to explore the tourist destinations of Davao and the Philippines, businessmen, and government officials, he added.
“Administrative arrangement is being made for ground handling and hopefully things will get finalized,” he said.
He said the flight is in support of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), noting that air connectivity remains a necessary element for heightened linkages, good relations, as well trade and economic partnership.
“Once we have the air route more Indonesian businessmen will be coming here while Filipino businessmen can explore and penetrate the big markets in our country and the citizens of the two countries can visit the different destinations from both sides,” he added. (PNA)
