Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press Media & Travel Professionals
Routes : Singapore - Cengkareng (Jakarta)-Singapore on 19 July 2014.
Airline : Garuda Indonesia in new livery.
Aircraft : The Boeing B737-800 aircraft has spacious legroom. Each seat including Economy Class seats has a pillow. Passengers travelling with Garuda Indonesia need not bring inflight pillows onboard.
Inflight Service : Service is excellent. The air hostesses and air stewards are cheerful and passionate about their work though busy throughout the one hour plus flight. They speak competently in Indonesian, Malay and English.
Inflight Magazine : Colours is the official inflight magazine of Garuda Indonesia and is free for passengers and customers interested in Garuda flights. One can get it onboard or from sales and ticketing offices of Garuda. Information about Garuda Indonesia, its hubs Jakarta, Medan, Bali, Balikpapan and Makassar and other Indonesian destinations in Garuda's route network are comprehensive and helpful to travellers who wish to learn more about the airline's background and destinations. It is the best marketing tool of Garuda Indonesia and the best reference material on Indonesian tourism.
Postcard / Stationery : The cabin crew confirm several times that the Head Office of Garuda Indonesia has never issued aircraft postcards showing Garuda aircraft in their new livery to operations and inflight service departments. The aircraft have no postcards for five years. The Head Office staff cannot find the so-called "sets of 8 different Garuda new livery aircraft postcards". It is a mystery as the airline has never produced sets of new livery aircraft postcards while they are reported to be available in Europe. Onboard stationery are only free note papers and pens. Customs and immigration cards are issued onboard or during check-in in Singapore Changi Airport T3.
Sky Shop : There are duty-free items for sale onboard all flights.
Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Onboard meals and refreshments are free and there is a large variety of meals to choose from during online booking or booking at sales and ticketing offices. I particularly like the kosher meals prepared by Strogel Kosher Catering in Antwerp, Belgium, for Garuda Indonesia. They are not oily and are nutritious.
Surcharge : Passengers during online check-in have a pay a surcharge if they want to sit at the emergency rows.
Booking : Electronic tickets are issued at all web-sites of Garuda Indonesia. However I suggest not to book on the Singapore web-site of Garuda Indonesia. There have been problems in purchase completion. It is best to try on the Indonesian web-site of Garuda Indonesia at www.garuda-indonesia.com or pay the same online fares at sales and ticketing offices of Garuda Indonesia. Just inform the ticketing staff about online payment problems. Garuda staff will not charge passengers based on walk-in rates. There is Manage Booking function. Passengers can choose seats after 11.35 am one day before departure. Garuda Indonesia accepts international bank-issued debit card payments. Discounted fares are not refundable. Any change to flight itineraries under discounted fares warrant a surcharge of 130 Singapore Dollars per way.
Ground service in Singapore : Excellent. Keep it up. ********
Ground service in Cengkareng including response of Garuda City Center to passengers' requests and enquiries : Lousy. Staff cannot speak in English well . They ought to learn to speak in English proficiently. They do not know what a postcard is.**
Overall Impression : A full-service airline that meets the travel needs of families, budget travellers and business travellers in all markets but does not meet needs when it comes to sufficient airline memorabilia. Garuda Indonesia won the Skytrax award for the Best Economy Seat 2013 as passengers at all classes can select to view travel information, movies, trailers, provide feedback to the airline just by clicking the screen behind each seat. Excluding the legendary postcards, everyone will like Garuda Indonesia's inflight service to an extent.
Singapore Web-site : www.garudaindonesia.com.sg.
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press Media & Travel Professionals
Routes : Singapore - Cengkareng (Jakarta)-Singapore on 19 July 2014.
Airline : Garuda Indonesia in new livery.
Aircraft : The Boeing B737-800 aircraft has spacious legroom. Each seat including Economy Class seats has a pillow. Passengers travelling with Garuda Indonesia need not bring inflight pillows onboard.
Inflight Service : Service is excellent. The air hostesses and air stewards are cheerful and passionate about their work though busy throughout the one hour plus flight. They speak competently in Indonesian, Malay and English.
Safety Demonstrations : Adequate.
Sky Shop : There are duty-free items for sale onboard all flights.
Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Onboard meals and refreshments are free and there is a large variety of meals to choose from during online booking or booking at sales and ticketing offices. I particularly like the kosher meals prepared by Strogel Kosher Catering in Antwerp, Belgium, for Garuda Indonesia. They are not oily and are nutritious.
Surcharge : Passengers during online check-in have a pay a surcharge if they want to sit at the emergency rows.
Booking : Electronic tickets are issued at all web-sites of Garuda Indonesia. However I suggest not to book on the Singapore web-site of Garuda Indonesia. There have been problems in purchase completion. It is best to try on the Indonesian web-site of Garuda Indonesia at www.garuda-indonesia.com or pay the same online fares at sales and ticketing offices of Garuda Indonesia. Just inform the ticketing staff about online payment problems. Garuda staff will not charge passengers based on walk-in rates. There is Manage Booking function. Passengers can choose seats after 11.35 am one day before departure. Garuda Indonesia accepts international bank-issued debit card payments. Discounted fares are not refundable. Any change to flight itineraries under discounted fares warrant a surcharge of 130 Singapore Dollars per way.
Ground service in Singapore : Excellent. Keep it up. ********
Ground service in Cengkareng including response of Garuda City Center to passengers' requests and enquiries : Lousy. Staff cannot speak in English well . They ought to learn to speak in English proficiently. They do not know what a postcard is.**
Overall Impression : A full-service airline that meets the travel needs of families, budget travellers and business travellers in all markets but does not meet needs when it comes to sufficient airline memorabilia. Garuda Indonesia won the Skytrax award for the Best Economy Seat 2013 as passengers at all classes can select to view travel information, movies, trailers, provide feedback to the airline just by clicking the screen behind each seat. Excluding the legendary postcards, everyone will like Garuda Indonesia's inflight service to an extent.
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