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lag carrier Garuda Indonesia announced a joint frequent flyer program with Korean Air, which took effect June 21, the airline said in a statement on Saturday.

Members of the Garuda Frequent Flyer (GFF) program and Korean Air’s SkyPass program will benefit from the cooperation by accruing mileage for flying both Korean Air and Garuda or any Garuda–Korean Air code share flights.

“With the new program, GFF and SkyPass members are also allowed to redeem the mileage for free flights with Korean Air or Garuda and will only be required to pay taxes, service fees and insurance,” Garuda spokesman Pujobroto said in the statement.

The mileage can also be redeemed for merchandise from both Garuda and Korean Air flights. Korean Air currently serves more than 130 domestic and international routes.

The joint frequent flyer program is Garuda’s first step in improving its services before it fully joins the SkyTeam global airline alliance in 2012.

By that time, GFF membership will provide various competitive features, allowing the members to accrue and redeem mileage on flights with all of Garuda’s partners.

GFF currently has more than 500,000 members.

Garuda joined SkyTeam on Nov. 23, 2010. Korean Air was a founding airline along with Aeromexico, Air France and Delta Airlines.

Established in 2000, SkyTeam boasts service to 921 airports in 168 countries as of June 2011. The world’s second-largest airline alliance operates over 14,000 flights with a combined fleet of 3,400 aircraft, including those from other associated airlines.

Garuda also opened a new sales office at the Margo City in Depok, West Java, on Thursday.

The director of strategic, business development and risks management at Garuda, Achirina, said in a statement that the new office was expected to cover a broader market in the economically growing Depok.

“The new sales office will facilitate residents living in and around Depok and make it easier for them to access Garuda’s products and services. In addition to the increasing number of universities and housing complexes, the economy in Depok is also growing. This is an area with potential,” she said in the statement.

Depok economic office head Diah Sadiah praised the expansion.

“Garuda’s new sales office will make it easier for Depok’s residents to reserve and book tickets and enjoy Garuda’s other services,” she said in the statement.

Garuda now has 15 sales offices in Greater Jakarta and 32 branch offices throughout Indonesia. (swd)