Trip Report : Denpasar - Singapore on Garuda Indonesia (Boeing 737-800)

[Dmitry]

Trip Report : Denpasar - Singapore on Garuda Indonesia (Boeing 737-800)

IFE system had a nice touchscreen remote control and a great choice of somewhat old movies and music. The crew offered prompt service. Lunch was served within an hour after take off. A choice of two hot meal options included beef and fish. The beef tasted really good. The choice of drinks was good, especially the choice of juices.

Meal on board


Crossing the Equator


A fantastic view on lots of ships


We landed spot on time. Checked bags traveled safe and were ready when we came out of customs. It's worth saying that Changi airport is simply fantastic. It is modern, spacious and extremely clean. Lots of shops and free fun things to do even for economy class passengers. Everything is in order, and the airport is also child-friendly.

Changi Terminal 3


On the whole a very good experience on Garuda which was well complemented by Changi Terminal 3 upon landing.
I would rate Garuda Indonesia a 9 on 10 (economy class).

Happy traveling!

[Dmitry]

Airline: Garuda Indonesia
Flight: 842
Aircraft: Boeing 737-8U3
Registration: PK-GNP; delivered Jan 2015
Departure Airport: Denpasar Bali Ngurah Rai (DPS), Indonesia
Arrival Airport: Singapore Changi (SIN), Singapore
Seat: 23K (Economy)

Route map (courtesy of www.gcmap.com)


Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia. The airline has improved significantly over the last 5 years. It changed it's livery, doubled and renewed its fleet, enhanced cabin staff service and was voted as the world's most improved airline. Let’s check this out together.

I wanted a direct daytime flight, and there were a few options but I decided to give a try with Garuda Indonesia, cause it offered the perfect combination of timing, "full service" and price. Online check-in with seat selection was possible 24hs before departure. I printed my confirmation and headed for the airport.

It was quite a pleasant experience to fly out of Denpasar airport. The building is nice and modern. Seating is ok, but there are not many cheap dining options, so you may end up having lunch at one of the overpriced cafes.

International terminal departure area


I reached the check-in counter around 2 hs before departure and there was no queue ahead of me. It took about 10 minutes to get the boarding card. Immigration was also a breeze and in about 20 minutes I was airside.

Plane spotting at DPS


The lovely 787


They somehow changed the gate from 1A to 10. Passengers didn't have to rush looking for the new gate, cause Garuda representative guided us to our new waiting area, but we had to walk all the way through the terminal.

Boarding gate


Boarding began on time and was quick and organized. Unfortunately we had to take a bus to get to the airplane, but that was probably due to the unexpected gate change.

Ngurah Rai ramp view


My aircraft for today


Brand new 737 Next Gen delivered to Garuda Indonesia on January 2015


As soon as we entered the aircraft, it felt brand new. On board they offered a variety of free newspapers, in-flight magazines, pillows, earphones and IFE screens. The seats looked fresh and the legroom was definitely good. The load in economy looked around 70%. The aircraft started taxiing 5 mins before the scheduled departure. There was absolutely no waiting for take off and our plane didn't stop at the line-up position, as the crew received the clearance for immediate take-off.

Denpasar airport aerial view


En route DPS-SIN


To be contd...