Does anyone happen to have an update on when Garuda will enter Skyteam? After searching through all I could see was that they'll officially join 'by 2012'... I booked flights from SYD to AMS via CGK on the hope that they're a full fledged member Dec 16... fingers crossed that I won't have a lounge less trip for Christmas!

Thanks

I hope it's a flull fledged entry and not one which only allows RDMs (no MQMs), or allows MQMs only on the expensive fares. I also hope that redemption on GA is not difficult either.

Regarding the previous two posts:

Re#1: My understanding is that Garuda will join Skyteam some time in 2012 (which would be "by 2012" in my understanding). So you will probably not have lounge access in December. Sorry mate for being the bearer of bad news.

Re#2:
(a) Membership in Skyteam is always "fully-fledged" (at least nowadays). So you will definitely earn EQMs on all flights with which you can earn miles.
(b) Whether cheap fares might not give you miles at all (or only at a reduced rate) is a matter of (individual) negotiation between your FFP and the new Skyteam airline, and this is independent of Skyteam membership.
(c) Finally, even in those days when a reduced type of Skyteam membership existed, you would still earn EQMs on all flights that gave you miles.

Do you realise you have not added anything to the information?
But then neither does this post of mine.

I did add information; you might wish to read my post again.

GA must fulfill SkyTeams certain requirements in a given time frame, normally 1 - 1.5 years post joining announcement, if they don't satisfy the requirements, their entry will be deferred until they do or GA might be uninvited by SkyTeam. Only when GA and SkyTeam are satisfied, there will be a joining date given. So "by 2012" is only a guide, there is really no guaranteed date when they join.

Thanks everyone... Fingers crossed that they'll enter the alliance before December. If not I may just have to join Garuda FF

Anyone have updated info on GA's entry into SkyTeam? I'm looking at domestic RI tix for December, so curious if I have any chance to earn a few miles for my DL account.

When in Indonesia a few weeks ago, I visited the GA office in Bali. They told me that they enter Skyteam in 2012.
So I credited my flights to GFF unfortunately.

It is scheduled for 2012 but AFAIK the process to align the frequent flyer program has already started since about 2 months ago. KE is now the 1st airline in the system in which GA frequent flyers can credit their miles to and redeem from. The reverse also holds true for KE frequent flyers.

Any more updates? Especially about the 777 service to Europe?

Also, I just noticed, for GFF silver, only 10 sectors/10k miles are required. If GFF Silver will be ST Elite, won't this be the easiest way to qualify as Skyteam Elite?

Yay post 1500

Hmm.. Maybe after first delivery of 777. Probably 2013 or 2014.

Yeah, maybe they'll qualified as ST elite, then GFF Gold and platinum as ST elite+

btw.. based on this article.. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...issues-362624/

they supposed to join in the end of 2011, but due to IT issues, the entry will be delayed around 6 months. maybe they'll probably join in April / May.

The joining of GA with Skyteam has been delayed until 2014 because of problems with their IT switch.

They must have outsourced their IT upgrades to DL's IT department. Are they having someone manually solder together some sort of server to handle their reservations?

Actually, I the joining is assisted by KLM. Don't know if they also handle the IT transition.