[Anonymous]

[business traveller]

Great flight – great service – great food: my fifth round trip on this flight.

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user Bigfoot can be found here

[Bigfoot]

Now just booked my eighth return Executive Class flight from the UK to Jakarta!

[MrMichael]

I too am thinking of booking this. One of my two teenage girls turns 17 this year so looking to book a holiday that could be our last family holiday together (without boyfriends etc muscling in, or not wanting to holiday with parents!). She has chosen Bali. Good prices ex London going out on 25th December for ten days, so may well book MrsM and me in to business and the two girls down the back. Any views on that? How best to book that in one booking, should I use an agent as cannot see any major websites that lets you book for four tickets on same flights but in two classes? Any advice or tips gratefully received.

The Garuda business product (and econ) looks good and seems to be getting rave reviews.

[Bigfoot]

Hi,
You should book direct with Garuda UK which is what I always do and I’ve done the Executive Class flight UK – Jakarta seven times now. The sales team will allow you seat allocations as well. The seating configuration is 1:2:1 in Executive Class but the pairs can be separated by two tables or alternatively the seats are adjacent with tables on the aisle. There are two Executive Class cabins behind First Class: 3 rows in the front cabin and then the galley and then about 6 rows before Economy. The crews are fantastic in my opinion which is why they keep winning Best Cabin Crew awards from Skytrax. The lounge used at LHR isn’t great in my opinion and the lounge in Bali won’t serve alcohol which is the same in Jakarta where you’ll need to transit.
By booking direct you’ll be able to buy the 4 tickets you need and get the 2 economy seats close to the front in case you decide to visit them.
I’m not sure how old your girls are but I have two daughters who would consider your proposal to split up the family to be out of the question!
Email me on [email protected] if you need to discuss this further?
Regards,
Alan Ward

1 user thanked author for this post.

MrMichael

[icenspice]

Dear MrMichael

I think the Birthday girl and her sister should fly Biz while you and MrsM sit down back. What do you reckon? ?

[AMcWhirter]

Another suggestion, MrMichael, would be to fly to Denpasar (Bali) via SIN or the Gulf. Of course the prices may be higher but, unless you wanted to visit Jakarta, you would avoid the transit there.

1 user thanked author for this post.

MrMichael

[MarcusGB]

They still have to stop in Singapore on the way to DPSdo they not?

Is the runway now certified for the weight of this aircraft, as they were cancelling the flights, then every other day times were different, and stopping via Amsterdam also,
Then they switched to LHR after 3 months delays.

I had a booking with them, but they changed the day stops in Singapore, and then one way connecting in Jakarta also.
They refused to refund me. They could not garuntee my flight would leave opn the day booked, nor if it would stop en route or not.
My credit card dealt with them after i raised a dispute, and they were re-charged, and i was credited.
They have a very poor reputation in Asia, always cancelling flights, connections and times changed. Few Australians trust them for reliability either.

Friends who flew them from Australia on the 773-ER on the LGW sector found the aircraft and service excellent. But the organisation in Indonesia quite atrocious and lounges poor.

They are not reliable still, and personally i would not travel with them.
KLM offer far better prices to KUL and onto Jakarta, and to Singapore and onto DPS.

Prices for Business class on each from Amsterdam, start from Euros 1,750, £500 cheaper than Garuda!
They remain £300 cheaper from LHR, or any connecting flight ex UK with KLM from regional airports.

[AMcWhirter]

The situation now (I cannot comment on what it will be like at the time MrMichael travels) is that whereas Garuda flies London-Jakarta nonstop the inbound flight stops in Singapore.

As Marcus notes, this is because of the weak Jakarta and the restrictions it places on very long nonstop flights at the time of writing.

[MrMichael]

Thanks for the tips, if we do go ahead will contact Garuda direct for the tickets. Regarding me and MrsM up front with girls in the back, cost comes in to it, and the fact I am six foot tall and find a 12 hour sector in economy excruciating. A 17 and 15 year old should be OK to look after themselves down the back. Interesting idea Icenspice, not one I will be exploring! Prices I am seeing are around the £1300 mark for J, out via Jakarta and inbound via Singapore.

[ontherunhome]

Dear Mr Michael,

I have just booked to fly to Bali via KL, with a well known specialist travel agent who don’t charge credit card fees, and have branches over the UK. We are flying Malaysia Airlines from LHR to Bali via KUL, in Business at £1500 each ( 3 pax)inc 10 days hotel on B&B in Bali, in a family suite. Melia Bali. This was a cracking deal. I think Malaysia are really pushing down prices, maybe worth a try, and you can all fly up front.

[Mazin26]

Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport is doing a good Transit promotion. Transit in Changi and present your SQ Boarding pass at the iShop counter and they will give you a $20 cash voucher that can be used on anything and you can even combine the vouchers. If you had a choice of transiting Changi would be a GREAT choice. Next would be KLIA or BKK. CGK(Jakarta) is not high on any travellers list.

[Bigfoot]

In May, my wife and I received SIN$40 each I think, which almost bought a litre of Talisker – at the time we were told it only worked on one transit so we couldn’t apply on the way home. It wasn’t easy to find the correct place but information staff were on hand to direct us to the voucher desk. Very generous in our opinion!

[AMcWhirter]

As noted above SIN is probably the best transit point for Denpasar bearing in mind the quality of Changi and the number of daily connection possibilities offered by SIA ex-LHR.

In fact SIA is known as Indonesia’s unofficial national airline.

[MarcusGB]

I looked at these options about 3 weeks ago, to fly once in Asia to DPS.
It is about 3 hrs flight time.

Kuala Lumpur have Malaysia Airlines than run 3 flights a day return to DPS. You can get a return Business fare for about £230, and economy from £100, on 738’s
Air Asia also have direct flights from £40 each way, with “Big seats” also.

Garuda surprisingly were poor, with flights only to JKT, then having to change, so taking 6.5 hrs at least.on 738’s

KLM fly on (from Amsterdam) – Singapore to DPS daily around 5pm to DPS, back late eve, with 772/3’s and flat beds in Business, and Economy comfort seats. They sell tickets for these sectors only.
Singapore Airlines have a better sized aircraft also with A333’s 3-4 times a day ex SIN.

So, lots of options, depends on what class, and aircraft you prefer. Asia is good for larger Aircraft used for International routes, so far better cabins and always great food.

[Author]

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