KUL-SIN-DPS-MEL maybe all airside, maybe not…

[Austman]

How was transit in DPS?

Super easy and quick. No VOA or anything COVID related. Just an onwards boarding pass, which I had issued in SIN, and passport.

Now if only JQ could get their on-time performance better!

 

[Austman]

About to depart on JQ44. Bali airport and its gates can be a bit of a mess. But at least business class gets to board first.

It’s just hard to get to the business class line sometimes!

 

[Austman]

The trip is over.

Crew and service on JQ44 DPS-MEL in Jetstar business class were as nice as ever. A premium economy-like experience rather than true business class. There's just one meal service on the DPS flights. There's two meals on the longer SE-Asia flights (eg to SIN). They hand out a second menu.

JQ44 landed nearly 2.5 hours late. Not at 21:15 but at 23:41. Then, because the flight was from Indonesia, there's a bit of a delay while biosecurity staff come on board for an announcement and they set up disinfecting floor mats at the gate.

I had to think about the question the machines ask: Have you been to Indonesia? I answered "no" but informed customs of my exact situation - i.e. that I had done an air-side transit at DPS. I was waved through.

Summary:

It all went pretty much has I had hoped. I could stay air-side the whole trip. Even with checked luggage, I think you could stay air-side. The Jetstar transfer desk in SIN did ask - I think they could have transferred checked bags.

I did get access to the F-lounges in KUL and SIN. I did get all daytime (well, not overnight) flights.

The worst part was JQ44 being so late. As far as I'm concerned, the least time in Bali airport, the better. And that the promised 3K inflight meal deal voucher was not loaded. Oh well.

The best part was that I was home by 00:35, despite JQ44 being so late. Soon after in bed.

And today I don't feel jet-lagged at all!

 

[Pvcmenace]

The trip is over.

Crew and service on JQ44 DPS-MEL in Jetstar business class were as nice as ever. A premium economy-like experience rather than true business class. There's just one meal service on the DPS flights. There's two meals on the longer SE-Asia flights (eg to SIN). They hand out a second menu.

JQ44 landed nearly 2.5 hours late. Not at 21:15 but at 23:41. Then, because the flight was from Indonesia, there's a bit of a delay while biosecurity staff come on board for an announcement and they set up disinfecting floor mats at the gate.

I had to think about the question the machines ask: Have you been to Indonesia? I answered "no" but informed customs of my exact situation - i.e. that I had done an air-side transit at DPS. I was waved through.

Summary:

It all went pretty much has I had hoped. I could stay air-side the whole trip. Even with checked luggage, I think you could stay air-side. The Jetstar transfer desk in SIN did ask - I think they could have transferred checked bags.

I did get access to the F-lounges in KUL and SIN. I did get all daytime (well, not overnight) flights.

The worst part was JQ44 being so late. As far as I'm concerned, the least time in Bali airport, the better. And that the promised 3K inflight meal deal voucher was not loaded. Oh well.

The best part was that I was home by 00:35, despite JQ44 being so late. Soon after in bed.

And today I don't feel jet-lagged at all!

Literally took all the same flights but with a few days in between each leg. Flow on from your flight is delay of JQ43 to here today and now JQ44 this afternoon delayed till 16:05 so an even later arrival home. Thanks coughstar.

 

[Austman]

Flow on from your flight is delay of JQ43 to here today and now JQ44 this afternoon delayed till 16:05 so an even later arrival home. Thanks coughstar.

According to Flightradar24 my flight JQ44 DPS-MEL was operated by VH-VKH. It arrived as JQ57 BNE-DPS.

After operating JQ44, VH-VKH went on to operate JQ27 MEL-SYD-HKT.

JQ43 has a schedule to arrive in DPS at 12:55. So that's always too late to operate JQ44's scheduled departure from DPS of 12:45.

But Jetstar's on time performance? Not too good!

 

[Quickstatus]

I think they could have transferred checked bags.

So even with checked luggage, remaining airaide the whole itinerary is possible?

 

[Austman]

So even with checked luggage, remaining airaide the whole itinerary is possible?

I'm not 100% sure. But the JQ staff at the SIN air-side transit/transfer desk in T1 did ask if I had any.

In the past, at SIN, it has been possible. Even if your checked luggage was only checked to SIN, there was a system where it could be collected and redirected to your next flight without you having to go land-side. I've used it more than once. But that was some years ago.

I think it's more of a Changi service than an airline service.

I should add that the information you can get on the Jetstar website re SIN (and DPS for that matter) air-side transit is pretty poor. I don't think it even mentions the SIN air-side transit/transfer desk in T1.

 

[Austman]

they had a few unhappy pax, including me, because the promised inflight meal deal didn’t happen:

A follow up to this.

I had quick online chat with Jetstar today. They will refund AUD 16.00 because of this error.

That's near enough to what a "meal-deal" costs if booked on the SIN-DPS flight.

 

[dajop]

Following on from your trip, I did SIN-DPS-SYD-MEL using QF points on Friday night/Saturday. SIN-DPS and SYD-MEL on JQ, DPS-SYD on QF.

At SIN, was checked through to SYD, no problems. Used the Qantas lounge for literally 7 mins, lounge opened at 15:00 and my flight (was supposed to be) at 15:35, although I did use priority pass at the SATS lounge before then.

At DPS, there was a Qantas transfer counter, and they had a list of all transferring pax. I was the only 1 from 3K, but they also had people transferring from EK (1), SQ(2) and KL (1). But from my flight there would have been at least 40 (perhaps more, I was in Row 29) pax transitting at DPS onto SYD, MEL and DRW (someone was greeting passengers transferring to those three flights). Who would of thought only a few years ago, that DPS would be a semi-significant hub for travel from Singapore to Australia!

As expected, for all intents and purposes the SYD-MEL might as well have been on another ticket altogether, and had to store my luggage at SYD T2 during the 11 hour transit, whilst I went off the beach via the QP before returing to check in.

As an aside, if a JQ 787 was available for the DPS-SYD sector I would absolutely take that over a QF 737.

 

[Austman]

At SIN, was checked through to SYD, no problems.

I gather the "checked through" was just for your luggage and you didn't get or have a Qantas BP? Hence the need to go to the transfer desk in DPS?

At DPS, there was a Qantas transfer counter, and they had a list of all transferring pax.

If you had the Qantas BP you might have been able skip that part. I could for my 3K to JQ transfer as I was issued with both BPs in SIN. I went straight to transit security in DPS.

 

[dajop]

I gather the "checked through" was just for your luggage and you didn't get or have a Qantas BP? Hence the need to go to the transfer desk in DPS?



If you had the Qantas BP you might have been able skip that part. I could for my 3K to JQ transfer as I was issued with both BPs in SIN. I went straight to transit security in DPS.

They printed a QF boarding pass on JQ stock at check in, but I made a beeline for the QF transfer desk because I knew as I would need a lounge invite (as a gold ) - and it was already written out waiting for me. They reissued the BP on QF stock too - so I think they would expect everyone to go to the transfer desk. Not that it’s a big deal, not so many pax transferring to QF.