Hi guys,
Welcome to the third installment of my series of trip reports.
1. CMB SIN - SQ469 - Airbus A330-300 - 02 Sep 2018 - Follow this link
2. SIN CGK - SQ956 - Airbus A350-900 - 02 Sep 2018 - Follow this link
3. CGK DPS - XT7514 - Airbus 320-200 - 02 Sep 2018 - You are here.
We chose to fly AirAsia as I have never flown a LCC before as this was great opportunity to combine it with our detour to CGK.
However there was only about 20 USD cost difference for both passengers between Garuda (excluding seats) and AirAsia (included meals and hot seats). LionAir offered much cheaper prices but their history of long delays made us to skip them.
Our flight is operated under Indonesia AirAsia X code (XT).
In theory AirAsia X brand should use wide bodies (A333) and have long haul flights but this is an exception when it comes to XT.
After clearing customs at Terminal 2D it was very short distance we had to walk to reach Terminal 2F.
This section of the terminal 2 caters domestic flights of NAM Air, Sriwijaya Air and Indonesia AirAsia including Indonesia AirAsia X.
We cleared security to enter the check-in area and we had about 4 hrs to the departure.
AirAsia baggage drop desks. For check-in, there are several self check-in kiosk located next to these desks.
Check-in kiosks which we didn't have to use because we had already checked in online and have our self printed boarding passes.
We still had to wait to drop baggage because they are only accepted after 12 noon for our flight.
After dropping baggage we left towards the gates area.
It was the last day of 2018 Asian Games which Jakarta co-hosted with Palembang city.
We had to go through security again to reach the sterile section.
Inter-terminal people mover seen in the distance.
Our flight is supposed use this gate but the no information is displayed yet.
We still had about 3 hrs for departure, so we decided to have some snack and rest.
There are few shops with meals, snacks and drinks which are reasonably priced.
Around 1.15pm the screen started to show our flight hence we started to move to the gate.
The corridors are built quite wide and with large window panels from which you can see the gardens outside and the joglo style boarding lounges.
After a quick check of the boarding passes we were let in to the boarding area where we can do some spotting.
PK-AXS of Indonesia AirAsia with a special livery.
Still empty boarding lounge.
Garuda Indonesia A330-200 PK-GPS is being towed.
SriLankan Airlines A330-3000 4R-ALM arrives with UL364 from Colombo.
This place has no shortage of 737s.
A China Airlines A350-900.
Charging centre located inside the boarding area.
Cargolux 747-8F.
Cathay Pacific A330-300.
There are toilets located one level down but still in the enclosed area which is really convenient.
My boarding pass with baggage tickets pasted on to it. A mandatory baggage allowance of 15kg is included in all AirAsia domestic ticket purchases in Indonesia. Since the flights are so cheap in this sector we decided to buy hot seats at the first row itself so they we don't need to worry about leg space.
Boarding was called around 2.30pm, 50 mins prior to the scheduled departure time. We had to use the bus to reach the aircraft.
Views during the bus ride.
Our aircraft for today, PK-AZK seen through the tinted and dirty window of the bus.
Boarding was done through the front door.
Going through online fleet databases will show this particular aircraft belongs to QZ but it has the XT logo and used for XT coded flights only.
Our seats at Row 1 with ample leg room which were priced at IDR 106,900 (Roughly USD 7).
Bulkhead seat pocket.
The senior stewardess operating the computer screen in the galley.
Food trolleys.
Some of the seat pocket contents.
Don't steal… Go Green!
Advertisement on overhead bins.
According to the label meals for both sectors of the flight are loaded at CGK.
The flight was about 90% full this afternoon and last passengers arrived around 3.15pm so we are in for an on-time departure.
This was due to the fact that unlike other days this aircraft was not in for a quick turn around after another flight.
It was the first flight for the day for PK-AZK therefore many passengers could board early.
We had to taxi and line up with the queue to take off and it took another 14 mins for this.
As usual for an LCC, crew did the safety demonstration manually during taxi.
My wife was occupying the window seat during taxi and take off thus no photos during that time!
We switched seats after seat belt sign went off, but the scratches on the windows made taking photographs little difficult.
Crew preparing for buy on board run.
We pre-ordered AirAsia's signature Nasi Lemak which comes with complimentary water of coffee.
They were delivered after cross checking with our BPs and stamping them.
Satisfied Client? The picture below will speak for me.
After distributing meals and completing BoB service it was time for merchandise sales.
It took some time as announcements were carried out in both Bahasa Indonesia and English.
When that ordeal finished crew came back again to deliver some complimentary cheesecake and water.
By this time, we were passing East Java and in for some fantastic views of mountains and volcanoes while sun is setting.
Mount Raung.
Leaving Java and starting to descent.
We touched down at 6.00 in the evening, 25 mins earlier than the schedule!
The international terminal full of both local and foreign heavies, including two of ME3.
ATC tower and private jet terminal on the other side of the runway.
Unlike at the departure, we docked to jet bridge this time.
Since we were at Row 1, we deplaned first and made our way to the baggage claim area.
Another A333 joins the wide body party.
A last good bye to our aircraft!
On the way to baggage carousel…
You have no doubt you are in Bali when you see these…
Baggage took about another 5 mins to come out.
We exit the terminal to find out our driver from the hotel already waiting for us.
Thank your reading this flight report. See you soon with reports of return journey.
