Garuda Indonesia Calls for Stronger ASEAN-China Connectivity

RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta – The national airline Garuda Indonesia continues to strengthen its role in promoting the development of connectivity and the competitiveness of the ASEAN-China aviation industry. This commitment is manifested, among other ways, through Garuda Indonesia’s role as Chairman of the ASEAN-China Airlines Forum 2026, which took place in Yogyakarta on July 7–9, 2026.

The forum brought together 29 ASEAN and Chinese airlines, three aviation industry associations, airport operators, aircraft manufacturing companies, MRO companies, and aviation regulators. This trust continues the similar role previously given to Garuda Indonesia during the inaugural forum held in Labuan Bajo in 2024.

This move becomes increasingly relevant as the Asia-Pacific region is projected to contribute around 41 percent of global air passenger growth in the next two decades. Because of this rapid expansion, ASEAN-China connectivity has become a vital element in developing the international flight network.

The ASEAN-China Airlines Forum itself is a cross-regional strategic forum that brings together airlines, regulators, and various stakeholders in the aviation sector from ASEAN countries and China. The forum is part of the 17th ASEAN-China Working Group on Regional Air Services Arrangements (ACWG-RASA) series, connecting industry players' perspectives with discussions on inter-country aviation policies.

Through its role as Chairman, Garuda Indonesia facilitates the preparation of joint recommendations with the industry and stakeholders to serve as input for aviation policy discussions between the governments of ASEAN countries and China. Simultaneously, it encourages operational challenges and connectivity developments to be translated into concrete and relevant collaboration agendas for follow-up.

Director of Transformation of Garuda Indonesia, Neil Raymond Mills, stated that the growth prospects of the Southeast Asian aviation market need to be met with readiness in capacity, infrastructure, regulations, and an increasingly integrated industry ecosystem.

"The projection of sustainable air passenger traffic growth in the Asia-Pacific indicates the significant potential of this region as one of the centers of global aviation industry growth. That momentum needs to be addressed through increasingly concrete collaboration so that demand growth can be supported by adequate connectivity, capacity, infrastructure, and policies," Neil stated this in a written press release on Monday, August 10, 2026.

He added, "Through its role as Chairman of the ASEAN-China Airlines Forum 2026, Garuda Indonesia encourages the identification of various connectivity barriers, formulates an agenda that can enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the regional aviation industry, and aligns perspectives between industry players and regulators."

The forum produced a number of strategic recommendations, including increasing operational flexibility through the simplification of flight slot management, harmonization of cross-border Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) regulations, support for the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), facilitation of visas and connectivity to secondary cities, and strengthening coordination between regulators and the industry.

The recommendations serve as industry input in the series of ACWGRASA discussions between the governments of ASEAN countries and China. Thus, the forum not only serves as a space for exchanging perspectives but also bridges the needs of the industry with the process of developing cross-border aviation policies.