The hot and cold Xmas/NY break

[RB001]

LUZIA, in Sydney until the 9th of February.

 

[Scarlett]

LUZIA, in Sydney until the 9th of February.

I’ve had that tickets page open since I watched the doco! Have asked the family if they’d like to go.

 

[RB001]

I’ve had that tickets page open since I watched the doco! Have asked the family if they’d like to go.

Ha! My schedule is undergoing closer inspection to determine LUZIAn compatibility.

 

[Scarlett]

GA402 CGK-DPS
B777-300
PK-GIF
On time

To get home from my main international ticket I could have booked the reverse of what I did on the way here, QF Y to SYD or MEL and put in for a points upgrade to J. Instead I chose to go with a little more convoluted routing to get some VFF SCs relatively early in the year, but importantly, before the VFF changes take effect. These flights should get my current and planned total to about 60% of the WP requal mark.

So what I have booked is a domestic flight in Indonesia, a quick transit in DPS and then DPS-BNE-SYD-ADL-CBR in VA J. This was booked as two tickets as getting the Bali to ADL ticket was not much more expensive than going direct to other capitals. Then I booked an ADL-CBR ticket at sale J price.

I’ve done probably over 50 domestic flights in Indonesia (querying Openflights confirms this will be my 61st), with GA, QG, ID, JT, IW, IU and SJ. The majority have been on those first two, Garuda and its LCC arm Citilink. GA often flies its wide bodies on CGK-DPS and on this occasion it was a 777–300.


The airport was busy at 0545 as I was checking in. Indonesians are early risers with most getting up for fajar (dawn prayers) just before sunrise. Had a 25 minute wait in the Y queue to check in, which is always annoying to me and using the shorter J line is one of the things I value most from airline status.

There was also a relatively long line at security, which given how little interest the security staff are paying, is unusual. (I’ve very rarely seen a bag pulled for additional checks at an Indonesian airport…)

T3 is a large modern terminal and is usually a pretty pleasant place, more so now that they’ve installed additional cooling.


My aircraft at the gate.

Boarding was so swift and easy compared to the US flights I’d recently taken. Golf clubs travel for free on GA and I was able to select an extra legroom bulkhead seat at the front of whY for no cost.

It was a 90 minute flight to DPS and a drink and then cooked breakfast was served. I had the chicken rendang with lontong which was nice. Had to laugh when the FA serving the meal asked me if I wanted chicken with lontong, then tried to remember how to describe lontong in English …rice cake. So I answered her in Indonesian explaining that as I’d lived in Bandung I always prefer lontong! Got a side eye from the elderly Indonesian gent seated beside me, which is always fun.


Climbing out of the Jakarta smog.


DPS arrival near a Timor-Leste jet.

Another solid GA flight. Then it was downstairs for a 15 minute wait for bags and a walk across to the international terminal. As I was arriving domestically I saw no signs reminding me to pay the Bali tourist tax and as I was just transiting I wasn’t going to volunteer.

 

[Scarlett]

VA48 DPS-BNE
B737-Max8
VH-8ID
Scheduled dep 1500 / Actual 1535
Scheduled arr 2255 / Actual 2320

I'd allowed almost five hours for the separate ticket connection in DPS and as GA got me in on time that meant a 1.5 hour wait at the international terminal before check in opened. I waited at the coffee club outside the check in area and had a coffee and snack. For those thinking of connecting in Bali, these were my timings and I'd suggest they're pretty normal.
GA402 arrived at gate: 0:00
At baggage claim +10 mins
Waiting for baggage delivery +20 mins
Walking to international terminal +10 mins
Security to get to check in +5 mins

Check in closes 45min-1hr before departure for most airlines so I'd suggest a minimum two hour connection here. How much more you add to that would depend on your tolerance for risk and consequences of mis-connecting.

Note that waiting for check in to open at DPS International generally means waiting in the open air (non-air conditioned) space at the terminal. It's undercover but still quite warm and humid, even with rotating fans circulating air.

Priority check in was quick enough; dropped my golf clubs at the end of the check in counters with all the surf bags and strollers and headed through security and departing Indonesian immigration smart gates. All pretty quick.

As VA doesn't have international lounge access (with a few exceptions) for J or status pax I chose to wait at this bar/cafe, read some news and wrote up some more trip notes.





Headed to the gate as advised on the boarding pass.



Lots of waiting at the gate area and boarding didn't start until close to departure time. Full flight. Standard VA J seats, meals and service. No J divider, so plenty of pax coming forward to use the front toilet, especially whilst the service cart was in the aisle. Internet access was patchy throughout the flight.

Some great views of the Kimberly coastline as we crossed. These images can’t do it justice.

 

[Scarlett]

We arrived late into BNE at what was already going to be a late evening arrival. I’d booked the airport Ibis near the domestic terminal as my first continuing domestic flight was at 0805.

The late arrival was compounded by an EK 777 and CX wide body having arrived shortly before us. Immigration was easy as the computers and smart gates were clear. About 30 minutes waiting for the bags to appear. Then the problems. The line to get to the customs chaps snaked multiple times back and forth along the whole luggage hall. Then because I had one tick on my arrival form (I had been in the Caribbean in the past six days!), I got sent to join the Biosecurity line. It was also snaking. Showed the DAFF Bio lady my nice clean golf shoes (they and the club heads were cleaned with a toothbrush that lives in my golf bag - I’ve done this many times before!) and I was allowed into the terminal.

Walked straight to the transfer bus to the domestic terminal and had an 8 minutes wait for the next bus (according to the displays - seemed accurate). Alighted at the QF stop and then walked the ten minutes around to the Ibis (and Pullman) hotels. Quick check in, shower and then as it was 0130, I had only five hours of sleep to look forward to.