Review of Garuda Indonesia flight Yogyakarta-Java Island Jakarta in Economy

Airline Garuda Indonesia
Flight GA213
Class Economy
Seat 22K
Aircraft Boeing 737-800
Flight time 00:47
Take-off 22 Oct 17, 16:45
Arrival at 22 Oct 17, 17:32
GA   #24 out of 96 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 212 reviews
nafandra
By 945
Published on 22nd November 2017
Hello! This time I'll be doing a review of the inbound flight of my short 1-night stay in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. My mother made the booking for me with a 3rd-party online booking app so multiple airline return trips are possible so this time I'm going back to GA again for now. I opted the afternoon flight so I still have time to relax for a while. Especially when the driver that I rented throughout my trip told me that the Sunday afternoon traffic in Jogja could be a bit congested due to the high traffic of departure flight out of Jogja during the end of weekend. People are returning to their respective cities after a short weekend holiday, so traffic around the airport are often disrupted.

Flight Information

Carrier: Garuda Indonesia (GA/GIA)

Flight Number: GA213
Origin Airport: Adisutjipto International Airport - Yogyakarta, Indonesia (IATA: JOG/ICAO: WAHH)
Destination Airport: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport - Jakarta, Indonesia (IATA: CGK/ICAO: WIII)

All time information are given in Western Indonesian Time (UTC+7.00)
Standard Time of Departure: 1620 hrs
Actual Time of Departure: 1645 hrs
Standard Time of Arrival: 1740 hrs
Actual Time of Arrival: 1732 hrs

Aircraft Registration Number: PK-GFS (MSN 36830)
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-86N
Aircraft Age: 6 years (as of November 2017)

This the flight path of my aircraft that I obtained (source: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/pk-gfs#f4a2217)
photo jog-cgk

This time I have plenty of time to enjoy myself and go through the whole process slowly without needing to rush. Here is a view of the drop-off area just outside of the departure hall. An option of retail and dining are available throughout the short strip of public area of the drop-off zone.
photo sam_4890photo sam_4891photo sam_4898

I also took a picture of the airport directory, where it also shows the list of airlines operating out of Terminal A and B, respectively:
photo sam_4892photo sam_4893

You can also walk along the public area of the drop-off zone to the exit doors of the arrival hall and on the way you will find an information counter and an ATM centre right on the far corner near the arrival hall exits.
photo sam_4894photo sam_4895

And this is a view of the hallway entrance leading people arriving into JOG to the pickup area via the tunnel
photo sam_4896photo sam_4897

The left screen displays departure information for Terminal A while the right one displays for Terminal B
photo sam_4899

Cleared the first security check
photo sam_4900

QG and GA's check-in area is merged so don't be surprised to see lengthy queues
photo sam_4901

Very very crowded check-in area for today.
photo sam_4902photo sam_4903

Luckily, I've made the check-in via webpage and is enlisted already for seat 22K. Another advantage is because I have no luggage to be checked in, so I immediately proceed to the right side of the check-in area where there are the baggage drop counter, no-luggage counter, and the counter exclusively reserved for SkyTeam Elite Plus members, GFF Silver and above membership owners, and business class passengers.

Skipped the line and quickly got my printed boarding pass!
photo sam_4904

Clear of the 2nd security check and I'm settled to wait for boarding time
photo sam_4905

As you can see, Adisutjipto International Airport is probably one of the smallest international airports in Indonesia. In this Terminal A it has only 4 gates and the gates are only just to differ the line of queue since people wait in the same, single waiting room in the centre, and some shops offering souvenirs and dining are available on the edges. So it's quite possible to see the queue to board an aircraft, from a certain gate from any spot within the waiting room. Due to the small size of the waiting room itself. It's bigger than Jakarta-Halim Perdanakusuma's waiting room but it has less to offer in terms of dining. HLP offers an array of international-chain coffee shops, despite having a sitting area probably half of the one in JOG.
photo sam_4906photo sam_4907

I chose to wait in a restaurant where I enjoyed an afternoon snack of Indonesian mixed ice coconut and jumbo-battered stuffed beancurds. They were delicious. Had a chat with my father during the 1-hour wait before boarding, where finally the announcement for the boarding of my flight was around 1610 WIB. It was 10 minutes late of the boarding time printed on the boarding pass. We were the proceeded to board through gate 4, the gate closest to the security check area.

Boarding time!
photo sam_4909photo sam_4910

The queue wasn't long so I made it outside quickly and walked along the apron towards the furthest parking lot where PK-GFS was already waiting for me. GFS is a 6-year old B737-800 that was delivered to GA on November 2011, and is the older ones of the extensive 738 fleet owned by GA. Sky Interior mood lighting is not available yet on this aircraft. The best part about JOG is that when disembarking/embarking an aircraft, you get to walk through the edge of the apron which is so close to the parked aircrafts and this sensation is something you won't get on other Indonesian bigger airports. Even having the similar method of boarding at HLP, the walkway in HLP is still barriered from the main apron body and you don't get as close to the aircrafts as you get in JOG. I also managed to photograph some aircrafts being parked at that time.

The cargo handling area
photo sam_4911

This is a Wings Air ATR72-500 registration number PK-WFQ getting ready to depart as IW1812 to Surabaya-Juanda Intl. (SUB/WARR)
photo sam_4913photo sam_4914

This is a Lion Air Boeing 737-900ER in the special 60th unit livery registration number PK-LJO getting ready to depart as JT640 to Makassar-Sultan Hasanuddin Intl. (UPG/WAAA)
photo sam_4915photo sam_4916photo sam_4920

And finally, I'm up and close with GFS
photo sam_4917photo sam_4918

Stairways are definitely the only method of boarding out here in JOG as there are no airbridges available
photo sam_4921photo sam_4922

Compulsory wing shot taken during boarding on stairs
photo sam_4923

Passing through the business class area of the aircraft fuselage
photo sam_4924

Not among the first to board so I have to place my hand luggage a bit apart from where I'm seating today
photo sam_4925

My view from the window for today's flight
photo sam_4926

Standard GA 738 economy legroom
photo sam_4927

I'm sitting on 22K for today, which is the window seat on the starboard side of the aircraft fuselage. Garuda Indonesia has an odd seat-numbering scheme so the economy seats starts with row 21. 22 of course is right behind the first row so I'm pretty much in the forward part of the aircraft. Another unique scheme of GA is on the 6-abreast configuration of 738 economy class cabins, it is ABC-HJK instead of ABC-DEF or some sort like they have in other carriers such as ID and JT.
photo sam_4929photo sam_4930photo sam_4931

Rocking those Skytrax awards on every aircraft cabins
photo sam_4932

A Beechcraft King Air 350, I assume that it's privately owned is hiding behind the refuelling truck as a JT 739 taxis in the background
photo sam_4933

I think by now all of Garuda's 737-800 fleet has been equipped with IFE already so safety demonstrations are done by video. The funny thing that really bothers avgeeks is that you can't figure out the plane that is depicted on the opening scene of the safety video, it looks like a 767 to me but its so long so it resembles a 777 as well lol. I guess that's very unimportant but it's just something that an avgeek might be trying very hard to figure out. :):):)
photo sam_4935photo sam_4936

The safety video is displayed even before pushback started so halfway playing the service vehicles outside just started to leave the aircraft as we are about to commence pushback.
photo sam_4937

A glimpse of the safety instruction card
photo sam_4939photo sam_4940

The Beechcraft, still resting
photo sam_4941

Engines are rolling!
photo sam_4942

For those of you who haven't been to Jogja yet, keep in mind that Adisutjipto Airport is a very small airport and it doesn't take more than 5 minutes for my aircraft from pushback, entering the runway, declared clear for take-off, and rotation. I owe the light afternoon traffic as well I guess. The runway itself is only 2,250 metres in length. The shortest out of Indonesian international airports. Adisumarmo Airport which is around 50 kilometres up northeast and serves the city of Solo in Central Java, which handles significantly less traffic as well even has a longer runway at 2600 metres. The Garuda all-economy class A330-300 is a regular visitor in Adisumarmo with flights to Jeddah via Batam-Hang Nadim.

Some little more info about the airport, the airport only has one runway which is 09/27. Once again, despite the size, the airport is the 4th busiest in Indonesia in terms of passenger movement and in 2016 has booked a record 7.2 million movements, a 13% increase from 2015 figures. The airport is located in Maguwoharjo, Sleman Regency, a district 6 kilometres northeast of the city centre. The airport is located on the very edge of the road that connects the cities Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java. The airport is also close to the Pramabanan Temple Complex, a Hindu temple complex that is a tourist icon of Jogja and dates back to the dawn of the 10th century AD.

Due to the recent boom in Indonesian tourist industry, fueled by the appearance of new air transport carriers, the government stated the need of a new international airport serving Jogja and the surrounding areas. Therefore, a few months ago, the president Joko Widodo officially and ceremonially presided over the groundbreaking event of the New Jogja International Airport which is located in Kulon Progo Regency, some 40 kilometres southwest of downtown Jogja. Total land opened for the project is 645 hectares and the airport will be capable of handling up to 40 million passengers each year. It will feature a 3250-metre runway and airbridges capable of handling wide-bodied aircraft such as the Airbus A380.

We're lining up right behind an Air Asia A320
photo sam_4943

Creeping up slowly to the runway…
photo sam_4944photo sam_4949photo sam_4950

Entering runway 09/27
photo sam_4953photo sam_4951photo sam_4952

Waiting for clearance…
photo sam_4954

And there goes the roar of the CFM56's
photo sam_4955photo sam_4956

The crowded area of Sleman Regency near the city limits of Jogja.
photo sam_4957

Banking…
photo sam_4958

Jogja under the afternoon sunlight
photo sam_4959

Maguwoharjo Stadium, a football stadium often used by the national football team to host friendly matches and other competitions
photo sam_4960

More pictures of the Jogja metropolitan agglomeration as we continue to ascent and head northwest
photo sam_4961photo sam_4962

And the scenery slowly shifts from crowded city pattern to less buildings, we are definitely above rural Special Region of Yogyakarta. The clear skies above Jogja also disappears as we head into cloudier
areas.


Finally reached the cruising altitude that is going to last for just 20 minutes before commencing descent. This flight course was maintained throughout cruising altitude as we cross from the southern to the northern coast of Java Island. We are passing above the volcanic mountains that dominate Central Java such as the mountains Sumbing, Sindoro, and Slamet as well as the Dieng Pleateau area.
photo sam_4974photo sam_4975photo sam_4976

It seems that the flight information menu on my IFE is a bit confused today
photo sam_4967photo sam_4979

But despite of that, the only menu of the IFE which is glitching is the flight info, and the entertainment section has no issues at all playing. In fact, this is the first time for me to have an IFE in a GA flight that has customiseable interface, you can choose from 3 colour tones to suit your liking and I personally think this is a step further for GA in terms of bringing personalisation for its passengers. A small but nice detail!
photo sam_4945

Here are some of the selection of movies that are available, didn't manage to photograph all of them though
photo sam_4946photo sam_4947photo sam_4948

The cabin crew started the distribution of today's meal service
photo sam_4980

And of course, since this in an afternoon flight no hot meals were available and only snacks were served.
photo sam_4981

And it turns out that they are serving cinnamon roll and salted assorted nuts!
photo sam_4982

The scenery I'm enjoying while having my afternoon snack.
photo sam_4983

The legendary GA assorted nuts. It stays the same for ages, I can still recall eating the same exact nuts over and over again since I was a little child. Simple but tasty. The cinnamon rolls were good as well for me.
photo sam_4986

My flight-compulsory drink, apple juice
photo sam_4985

Even though it seems useless, but Spiderman: Homecoming might be a good idea to counter boredom on this sub-1-hour flight.
photo sam_4984photo sam_4987photo sam_4988

Weather is pretty cloudy over West Java's north coastline
photo sam_4989photo sam_4991

The captain announced that we are ready for descent, the cabin crew also went back and forth collecting the trash from the passengers
photo sam_4993

Coastline!
photo sam_4994photo sam_4995

This area is called Muara Gembong, one of the districts in Bekasi Regency of West Java Province. Muara Gembong is the northernmost point of mainland Java Island at coordinates 5.9156042 S, 107.0235839 E. It is also known as a mangrove conservation area as a delta from the Citarum River forms here as the river empties into the Java Sea.


Gliding smoothly and making some banks over the Gulf of Jakarta
photo sam_5004photo sam_5007

Obviously nearing CGK
photo sam_5008

Lots of reclamation ongoing here in the bay!
photo sam_5009photo sam_5010

Kapuk Mangrove Conservation Area in North Jakarta
photo sam_5011photo sam_5012

The swampy area is divided by the Sedyatmo Highway which is the highway which connects Jakarta's inner and outer ringroad system to the Soekarno-Hatta airport.
photo sam_5013

Crowded industrial area in Tangerang
photo sam_5014photo sam_5015

Fighting some moderate crosswinds.
photo sam_5018

Touchdown!
photo sam_5019

We landed in 07R/25L while Terminal 3 is on the opposite side of the airport so right before landing I knew that we're screwed. (Because the taxi will be very long, you have to get past both old terminal buildings and turning right towards the new Terminal 3)
photo sam_5022

Yep, as predicted the taxi is indeed very long. Roughly somewhere between 10-15 minutes to get to our disembarkation gate at T3. But its not that bad because you get to see both old terminal buildings and there are a lot of sleeping aircrafts and taxiing ones as well, so as an avgeek it's still pretty much enjoyable.


Finally we have visual of T3
photo sam_5043

These pictures really depict how long is the T3 building…
photo sam_5045photo sam_5046photo sam_5047

…and the best part about it is getting a gate that is located at the far edge of the terminal building:) I'm obviously ready for my afternoon workout. Nothing could possibly go wrong for a 1 kilometre jog within the airport right? I'm really prepared to get healthy right now!!
photo sam_5048photo sam_5049photo sam_5052

Engines off, and service vehicles are doing its job already
photo sam_5054

Doors are opened and we are allowed to disembark
photo sam_5055

My habit is always wait for the whole crowd to empty out and then disembark. Me and my father are among the last ones to get off the aircraft.
photo sam_5056photo sam_5057

Passing through the business class cabin…
photo sam_5058

…disembarked via airbridges today in T3
photo sam_5059photo sam_5061photo sam_5062

My afternoon exercise
photo sam_5064photo sam_5066photo sam_5067

Welcome to Jakarta!
photo sam_5068

Still exercising…


Passing through the bridge that connects the main terminal building to the parking garage
photo sam_5076

And we're there! That concludes my FR this time
photo sam_5079photo sam_5080
See more

Verdict

Garuda Indonesia

8.8/10
Cabin8.5
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering8.5

Yogyakarta-Java Island - JOG

7.0/10
Efficiency7.5
Access7.0
Services6.5
Cleanliness7.0

Jakarta - CGK

5.5/10
Efficiency3.0
Access4.0
Services7.5
Cleanliness7.5

Conclusion

Information on the route Yogyakarta-Java Island (JOG) Jakarta (CGK)

2 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 420133 by
    cheapflyer.JP 58 Comments
    Thank you for your report.
    JOG seems to be a small airport.However, Walking on the hunger is a great opportunity for AVgeeks.
    The snack service is even better, giving that it was only 50 minutes flight. (Only a beverage is provided in Japan. There are some over 3-hour flights)
  • Comment 420258 by
    nafandra AUTHOR 21 Comments
    Hi! Thanks for sparing your time to read my report and I do hope that you find it informative! Yep, it's a very small airport and it doesn't look like an airport that's supposed to be the 4th busiest in Indonesia behind CGK, SUB, and DPS. Not to mention the top 3 airports are big international airports with at least 2 terminals and a runway of 3,000 metres and above. But having the opportunity of walking by the apron is a treat indeed and I think by the time the new international airport is open by 2019 you won't have that kind of sensation anymore.

    Wow, I haven't been to Japan yet but that's a new thing I just learned, thanks for sharing that info with us! I'm really looking forward to going to Japan someday.

Login to post a comment.