Garuda Indonesia (GA, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) Chief Executive Officer Arif Wibowo says New York JFK and Los Angeles International may be among the carrier's first US destinations to be launched in the event Indonesia regains Category 1 status with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In an interview with the Antara news agency, Wibowo said flights to either destination would operate on-board B777-300ER metal while employing a stop-over in Tokyo Narita. Garuda's B777s are currently unable to operate with maximum loads owing to weight-restrictions in force at Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta. As a result, stopovers have to be made on longhaul flights with Garuda's Amsterdam Schiphol and London Heathrow flights using Singapore Changi as an intermediate point with only three weekly non-stop flights to Amsterdam currently allowed.

Indonesia expects the outcome of its latest FAA audit to be known by the end of next month.