Where Art Thou Garuda?

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Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 47 total)

  • paulkaz
    Participant

    Just returned from 10 days in bali flying garuda J. exceptional service, the only passenger in biz on way up so 2 cabins 2 toilets 4 crew and36 seats to myself. Fully flat sets great IFE and food. Qf biz lounge in Syd great. On board immigration and pre visa purchase together with 5 minute walk and 5 minute baggage wait at Dps shames T5!
    Flight back 2am From Dps means 9am arrival after all long haul flights so straight through empty airport in 14 minutes to empty taxi queue.
    Only let down is lounge in Dps has strange segmented areas open to all and dire food ( some one forgot to fill the curry puffs!) other wise supports all the positive comments on this thread.
    Certainly the Kuta route to europe would be a great option.


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    Just remember – Garuda is excluded from EU airspace due to compliance issues.

    And flying from Indonesia – remember you need to keep cash to pay the airport fees at time of checkin. That means rupiah or US$. Painfull if you forget and need to go out to the ATM (if you can) or beg off your co-flyers.

    And if you fly, eg denpansar-Jakarta-International, you pay local service charge at DNP and again when you rebook at Jakarta, cos Garuda won’t check you through to another airline – presumably risk of picking up delay lability, or lack of IATA compliance insurance??


    craigwatson
    Participant

    Garuda was removed from the euro no fly list last year.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Hello Age of Reason – No longer true. GA is now serving AMS.

    In any case, no airline would be admitted to an alliance if it were barred from operating to a major economic area like the EU.


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    Just shows how difficult it can be to erase bad publicity – my other reasons for denouncing them stand (experience of Mar 2012).

    Maybe Garuda should buy BmiBaby and improve on IAG treatment of customers?


    craigwatson
    Participant

    i’d fly Garuda over many other airlines that ARE NOT banned from flying to the UK but which IMHO should be, TK,KE to name just a couple


    LeTigre
    Participant

    Absolutely, for customers flying Ryanair frequently Garuda will be like a boutique hotel (whatever that is!). I have a feeling we will see them soon…most likely at LGW.


    sparkyflier
    Participant

    How about a Garuda stop in Saudi, maybe Dammam, as Saudi Arabian is also joining Skyteam, with Garuda flying the routes as a codeshare. DMM is not currently served from Lhr by Saudia and would give BA competition.


    LeTigre
    Participant

    There is a Riyadh slot up for grabs so that could make the route feasible.


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    They can fly anywhere they like, so long as the cost of their tickets includes the use of the airport, and they’ll check bags through to other connection flight legs on the same ticket, like a real airline should.

    Otherwise, for your indonesian domestic connections or local international direct feeders, – use Tiger, Lion, AirAsia any of the ‘Ryans of the East’ that provide honest value and a declared service level without masquerading as ‘full service’.


    craigwatson
    Participant

    hmm, lion air, another i wouldnt touch with… well you get the point


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    I see your point, but it doesn’t progess the discussion on-thread.

    Let’s hypothesize – you’re on business in Jakarta and fancy some personal R&R seeing the temples, surfing Kuta, paying homage to the bombsite. To fly home from Denpasar you’d maybe choose Qatar out dirct via Doha.

    How would you get from Jakarta to Denpasar – Garuda or Lion?


    craigwatson
    Participant

    Garuda every time, I have no problem with Garuda, I think they are a great airline


    Vertrek
    Participant

    Age_of_Reason,

    GA checked my bag through to LHR for my connecting flight via SIN with BA. I was flying in Y and they put a GA “Executive Class Priority Tag” and my bag came out first.

    They are now a good airline, personal AVOD and hot meal in all classes even for domestic flight.


    Age_of_Reason
    Participant

    For timetable reasons I went out Lion, back Garuda. Another time? – Lion both ways. Use the saving for a nice stopover at Jakarta Sheraton Bandara.

    But there won’t be another if they persist with demanding cash at checkin.

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 47 total)
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