Airlines can win or lose passengers on short-haul flights as easily as long-haul journeys. The key is consistency, discovers Nick Walton on a recent Garuda Indonesia flight.

Check-In

Check-in at Bali’s new-look airport is a breath of fresh air after its predecessor, which was plagued by long lines at both security and check-in counters. Spacious, airy, and well lit, the voluminous new terminal boasts a lounge-like check-in area for Garuda’s Executive Class and First Class passengers. Our requested seats were assigned and lounge cards given but unfortunately, all passengers still run the departure tax-security-immigration gauntlet together. Total line time: 22 minutes.

The Lounge

Nothing moves fast in Bali, and that’s one of the island’s charms, but the “temporary” Garuda business class lounge continues to welcome guests two years after the new airport opened. It’s a simple, elegant space, with towering windows overlooking the apron, and a range of comfortable lounges, but that’s about it. Even the wireless is borrowed from the airport.

Garuda Indonesia business class cabin on its 737-800NG fleet

Onboard

Boarding of the 737-800NG aircraft commenced just two minutes after the scheduled time – which again isn’t bad for Bali – and the crew in the tiny business class cabin were welcoming, with hot towels and glasses of juice (no bubbles served on the ground in Indonesia).

The 737’s business cabin consists of 12 19- inch wide, 160-degree reclining seats, of which 11 were taken. Crew dished out menus and L’Occitane amenity kits and we left the gate on time, in good weather.

It’s not until we reached cruising altitude that I realised the lumbar support on my chair was stuck in the extended position, which made sitting up straight for lunch much more difficult. Unfortunately, the cabin crew was unable to retract the seat’s cushion. It also took crew a long time to begin service after the seat belt sign was turned off; on previous flights, cabin crew were quick to offer a preliminary drink and the airline’s signature warmed almonds, but the pursuer and one other cabin attendant spent the first 30 minutes of the flight secreted behind the galley curtain, offering drinks and lunch simultaneously.

Lunch included a delicate amuse-bouche of small, open-faced sandwiches and cold smoked duck breast with hoisin sauce and pineapple salsa, followed by a choice of grilled lamb cutlet with gruyere soufflé and ratatouille; pan-fried snapper with Indonesian gulai sauce and spicy eggplant; or stir-fried chicken with hot bean sauce and egg fried rice.

The chicken was wonderful comfort food, especially when matched with a glass of the signature Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé or the delectable D’Arenburg The Stump Jump Riesling. Lunch was served in a ‘business class-lite’ style, with the salad, cheese, and crackers, and dessert served on a train, and the main served hot when ready.

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience for a four-hour daytime flight, but the challenge for Garuda is to maintain its new-found levels of service and to not slip into its old persona of a tired flag carrier. www.garuda-indonesia.com

Note: The author flew on a paid-for business class ticket without the airline’s knowledge

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