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THE STATE airline company PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk has opened a Manado-Denpasar return flight route via Makassar, which has been operating since May 3, 2024.
According to the Managing Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfaniaputra, explained that the Manado-Denpasar return flight route via Makassar will be operated twice every week on Friday and Sunday using a Boeing 737-800 NG fleet which has a configuration of 12 business class passengers and 150 first class economy passengers.
The Manado-Denpasar route via Makassar will be served by flight number GA688 departing from Sam Ratulangi International Airport at 07:10 WITA and arriving at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport at 11:20 WITA.
Meanwhile, the Denpasar-Manado via Makassar flight will be operated with flight number GA620, which is scheduled to depart from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport at 12:10 WITA and arrive at Sam Ratulangi International Airport at 17:25 WITA. Meanwhile, the one-way ticket price offered by the company on this route is around IDR2.1 million.
Irfan explained that the operation of the Manado-Denpasar route via Makassar is the company’s ongoing initiative to fully support the national economic recovery programs after the pandemic situation, especially through the tourism sector in the North Sulawesi region.
“One of the considerations for the company to open this route is the tourism potential of North Sulawesi, which has many excellent destinations. This sustainable initiative is also done to support the economic growth of North Sulawesi which also has the Super Priority Destination (DSP) Likupang,” Irfan said in his official statement recently.
Apart from Likupang, the opening of a direct route to Bali will also have a positive impact in bringing foreign tourists directly to North Sulawesi. This is especially true for diving enthusiasts who visit Bunaken, which is also known as a leading diving destination.
“On the other hand, through this flight, tourists also have the opportunity to visit South Sulawesi, considering that this flight route is operated via Makassar,” Irfan concluded. [sources/photo special]
