A successor of KLM Interinsulair Bedrijf , it is a member of SkyTeam airline alliance and the second-largest airline of Indonesia after Lion Air , operating scheduled flights to a number of destinations across Asia, Europe, and Australia from its hubs, focus cities, as well as other cities for Hajj. It is the only Indonesian airline that flies to European airspace. At its peak from the late s to the mids, Garuda operated an extensive network of flights all over the world, with regularly scheduled services to Adelaide , Cairo , Fukuoka , Johannesburg , Los Angeles , Paris , Rome , and other cities in Europe, Australia and Asia.
In , the airline undertook a five-year modernization plan known as the Quantum Leap , which overhauled the airline's brand, livery, logo and uniforms, as well as acquiring a newer, more modern fleet and facilities and renewing focus on international markets. Garuda has since fallen back to financial difficulties exacerbated by dysfunctional management and corruption. However, it has maintained its service and safety standards. The top management was replaced in and a new restructuring programme is also underway.
Garuda also operated a budget subsidiary, Citilink , that provided low-cost flights to multiple Indonesian destinations and was spun-off in In its current institutional form, Garuda Indonesia had its beginnings in the Indonesian war of independence against the Dutch in the late s, when Garuda flew special transports with a Douglas DC The name Garuda is taken from the Hindu tradition: it is the name of Lord Vishnu 's mount vahana and was introduced in The first flight under the name Garuda Indonesian Airways was made with a second DC-3 entering service in Its first flight under the new name was to pick up Sukarno in Yogyakarta on 28 December.
Throughout the revolution, Garuda supported national interests and often carried diplomats on its flights. The Burmese government helped the airline significantly during its beginnings. The country's national airline, Union of Burma Airways , often chartered one of the airline's DC-3s for its own flights. By the early and mids, the airline operated a fleet of 38 aircraft, including 22 DC-3s, 8 Catalina seaplanes, and 8 Convair s.
In , the airline operated its first flight to Mecca with Convair aircraft, carrying 40 Indonesian pilgrims. Garuda's fleet continued to grow throughout the s, during which the airline continued its expansion. It acquired three Lockheed L Electras in , which supplemented its Convair CV fleet, before taking delivery of its first jet aircraft, the Convair Coronado , in , which allowed it to launch flights to Hong Kong.
