"This is part of our effort to facilitate the mobility of Indonesian citizens who are returning to Indonesia from both countries, as well as citizens of Australia and the Netherlands to return to their respective countries from Indonesia," said Garuda Indonesia president director Irfan Setiaputra in a statement on Friday.

Flight frequency will, however,  be adjusted in line with demand. 

The airline also stated that it remained committed to safety, especially preventive measures toward the spread of COVID-19, and continued to coordinate with relevant authorities to ensure all pandemic handling procedures were in order.

Garuda Indonesia currently operates a Jakarta-Amsterdam route and Jakarta-Sydney, Denpasar-Sydney, Jakarta-Melbourne, Denpasar-Melbourne, Jakarta-Perth and Denpasar-Perth routes. Meanwhile, its low-cost carrier subsidiary, Citilink, serves Denpasar-Perth.

Based on the airline's operational policy amid the coronavirus outbreak, passengers whose tickets are issued on or before March 15 with travel dates from Jan. 24 to May 31 may request a reroute or reschedule without a rebooking fee.

Read also: Explainer: How bad is the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia?

The government of Australia, which has recorded more than 700 confirmed coronavirus cases and six deaths, has declared a "human biosecurity emergency" and encouraged its citizens to abandon all overseas travel.

The foreign minister of the Netherlands, which as of Thursday had 2,460 confirmed cases of coronavirus with 76 deaths, has also advised all Dutch nationals to avoid traveling abroad unless strictly necessary. (kes)

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