Garuda Indonesia corporate identity of Garuda Indonesia as the national airline. Under Lumenta, Garuda also increased the number of flight frequencies and destinations, reduced ticket prices and collaborated with Merpati Nusantara Airlines, introducing flexible tickets valid for both Indonesian airlines. In 1990, the airline took delivery of the Douglas MD-11s, which gradually replaced the DC-10 on flights to Europe, and also allowed the airline to launch flights to Los Angeles via Honolulu. During this time, the airline operated a fleet of the aforementioned MD-11s, DC-10s, 747, Airbus A300 and Boeing 737-400, operating it to destinations throughout Asia, Europe and North America. In
Garuda Indonesia Flight 865 involved was the fifth of the six, PK-GIE. The aircraft involved was a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, registration PK-GIE. One of six (PK-GIA to PK-GIF) in the Garuda fleet at the time of the accident, it had its first flight on 24 April 1979 and was delivered to Garuda Indonesia on 27 July 1979. Eighteen years and eleven months old at the time of the accident, it was the 284th DC-10 built; its MSN number was 46685. The aircraft had three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofan engines for propulsion. The cause of the engine failure leading to the crash was that the