BACKGROUND Garuda Indonesia, which recently marked 50 years of serving the Hong Kong market, has been steadily reviving a once desultory image, starting in 2009 with a slew of B737NGs, followed by a series of enhancements on board and on the ground – the latest a premium check-in zone at its base Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, as well as an expanding route network.
CHECK-IN My taxi driver delivered me to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) at 0745, with time to spare before check-in procedures ceased at 0810 for the departure of Garuda flight 873 for Jakarta at 0910. This is the first of two daily Garuda flights between Hong Kong and the Indonesian capital, with the second at 1650. The airline desks are in Terminal 1’s landside area, Row F.
THE LOUNGE The airline may not have a dedicated executive facility at HKIA, but instead offers frequent flyers use of the Plaza Premium Lounge, which is located near gate 1, Terminal 1.
Once I had cleared security and immigration, it was 0820, which gave me no time to pop by the facility, despite its closeness to gate 20 where my aircraft was. I spotted the queue already briskly moving into the aerobridge, and I didn’t want to risk holding up the plane.
BOARDING I found my seat in the business class cabin easily as there were only three rows, with 3A in the last row by the window. This single-aisle B737-800NG features a 2-2 configuration, marked as A-C, H-K. In economy, the layout is 3-3, marked as A-B-C, H-J-K. Once I was settled, the stewardess came around with towels and urged me to sample their tamarillo drink, made from a fruit that’s used in chutneys and is supposed to go well with vanilla ice-cream. It had a tart and vibrant taste, and I downed it with pleasure.
THE SEAT This roomy product certainly does the job in the comfort department. The pillow feature on the top part of the seat can be adjusted on either side to support your neck if you want to lean towards the right or the left, while a gooseneck reading light at shoulder level supplements the overhead illumination. The nine-inch monitor comes out from under the armrest, which is where you also find the seat and TV control buttons. There is also a touchscreen function.
The IFE programme appeared wide ranging, including award-winning Indonesian film Delisa about a young girl whose life is changed by the tsunami that devastated Aceh. However, no matter how long I studied the line-up, none of the titles inspired me.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? I had no complaints about a window location, which is always a bit further from the activity of the crew going back and forth on the aisle during meal service. Seats C and H on row 1, however, seem to be the most exposed to the bustle. Still, with the cabin so compact, a sense of relaxed intimacy is guaranteed.
THE FLIGHT It was tough choosing between the roast chicken with egg-fried rice and the beef rendang, but I went for the former knowing I could have that local meat dish anytime in Indonesia. The third choice was pan-fried snapper with Romesco sauce. On the side was a mixed salad with vinaigrette sauce and the sweet note was yoghurt mousse with raspberry sauce. While not a wine drinker, I looked over the cellar list, noting that it featured Michele Leon Riesling Vintage 2009, Westend Richland Chardonnay and Billecart Salmon Brut Noire, among others.
After the tray was cleared I reclined my seat to its maximum limit and managed to have an adequate snooze, waking to the final F&B offering of noodles and Oreo cookies before we went into descent mode.
ARRIVAL It was a long walk from our gate to the immigration hall, especially since there were no trolleys available, unlike in Hong Kong where you find them just after emerging from the aerobridge. Thankfully the travellators and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the corridors with natural light helped me survive the tramp.
VERDICT The service on board was efficient and accompanied by the familiar warmth for which Indonesians are known. A last-row window seat is desirable for privacy.
TESTED BY
Margie T Logarta
Departure time: 0910
Flight time: 4 hours, 20 minutes
Plane type
B737-800NG
Configuration
2-2
Seat width
19in/48.2cm
Seat pitch
42in/107cm
Seat recline
120 degrees
PRICE
A return Business Flexible fare for mid-May booked on the internet starts from US$2,727.
CONTACT
