Tag: low cost

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 923 – Fukuoka to Manila – Strict But Well-Organized Free Base Fare Flight Back To Manila

Hey, I hope you’re coping well. I know most of us miss flying & going on vacations. The Covid-19 pandemic stopped leisure travel & has forced us to stay in our homes indefinitely. While most of the countries all over the world are restarting leisure travel, we, Filipinos, are still not allowed to do so – even domestic travels are not allowed. All we can do now is to look back & relive the great memories we made in our previous trips.

One of the trips I keep on revisiting is our Fukuoka 2019 surprise trip. My friend & I surprised another friend in her supposed-to-be first solo international trip. I already shared with you details about this trip in the following posts – 48 Hours in Fukuoka for less than ₱12,500 all in, Nekokura Hostel of the Day feature & 5J 922 Cebu Pacific Air Flight Report. Today, I will share with you details of our Cebu Pacific Air 5j 923 flight from Fukuoka, Japan back to Manila, Philippines. Know how organized Japanese people & airports are & generally how the flight went in this new flight report.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Cebu Pacific Air

As mentioned in my previous 5J flight report, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines largest low-cost carrier. It flies to more than 60 domestic & international destinations across the country, Asia-Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.

The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.

Airfare & Inclusions

My friend & I got the return ticket to & from Fukuoka, Japan for only ₱2,873.74. We booked it through the airline’s loyalty program, GetGo, ‘5,000 points off’ promotion. At the time of booking, one-way base fare to Fukuoka were valued at 2,400 points. The return ticket cost us 4,800 points plus airline (minus 5,000 points – yay, so basically free base fare) & airport taxes. My friend & I only paid for the taxes & charges imposed by the airline – a decent deal, eh? It definitely was a steal considering the tickets were bought 3 weeks before the flight schedule.

Cebu Pacific Air is a low-cost carrier – meaning tickets only include the passenger’s base fare & taxes. The airline offers baggage allowance, seat selection, meals & refreshments & all over flight services for a fee. The airline’s fleet don’t have personal or communal entertainment screens. The fare my friend & I bought only includes a 7-kilogram carry-on luggage which was enough for our 48-hour Fukuoka trip. The full list of the airline’s add-on charges is found in their website.

Flight & Aircraft Information

This Fukuoka to Manila Cebu Pacific Air flight was operated by a 5.5-year-old (that time) Airbus A320-214 aircraft with registration RP-C3277. The airplane has an all-economy configuration (just like all other Cebu Pacific Air aircraft) with 180 seats on a 3-3 layout. The flight left Fukuoka station at 7:48 pm JST & arrived Ninoy Aquino International Airport (in Manila) at 11:10 pm PHT. The flight took 4 hours & 22 minutes from one airport gate to the other.

Ground & Airport Experience

International flights arrive & depart from Fukuoka Airport’s international terminal. The terminal is 10-minute (free) bus ride from the Fukuoka Airport Subway Station / Domestic Terminal. Upon arrival at the terminal, my friend & I went to Row C check-in counters. The counters opened 3 hours before the flight.

Check-in process was quick & efficient. Heavy bags & boxes undergo security checks before they can be accepted by the ground staff for check-in. There were 3 normal check-in & 1 online check-in counters that day. All ground staff strictly check & weigh each passenger’s carry-on items. They only allow 7-kilograms of carry-on baggage & up to 2 items only. My friend & I already checked-in online & queued in the online check-in counter. We requested for exit row seats; the lovely check-in counter crew granted our request. Our whole check-in process took 20-minutes & that included 15 minutes in queue for the luggage security check.

In case you missed it, we almost missed our Manila to Fukuoka flight because of lengthy check-in process & slow immigration lines in NAIA 3. Know more about this almost-missed flight in this flight report.

Immigration & final security took less than 10 minutes. There were no long lines or whatsoever. The flight boarding process commenced 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Passengers with children & those needing special assistance boarded the aircraft first. The regular passengers boarded next. We boarded from Gate 56 & finished after 15-20 minutes. Boarding has quick & smooth.

In-Flight Product

Cebu Pacific Air is known as a no-frills airline. The airline keeps their fares low by providing the most basic product on air – a guaranteed seat on the flight & a 7-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance. Additional flight features such as baggage allowance, in-flight meal, insurance, seat selection & the likes are available at an extra cost.

My friend & I were assigned at exit seats 12B & 12C. These exit row seats have enormous legroom but do not recline. Regular seats on Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A320 aircraft feature 28 inches of seat pitch & generous reclines. These seats were made & designed by Recaro, a world-renown seat manufacturing company known for their light & ergonomically-designed seat products. Each seat features a decently sized tray table & a small seat pocket with the aircraft safety card. The seats don’t feature personal entertainment screens. The only available form of entertainment is the monthly in-flight magazine found in every seat pocket.

Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew rolled out their snack cart & offered snacks to all passengers. The list of items for sale is found in the Fun Café menu in the seat pockets. The crew also handed out the pre-ordered snacks & meals to those who availed them. The airline allows passengers to pre-book their meals & snacks from the time of booking up to 24 hours before the flight.

This night flight didn’t feature the usual in-flight fun game. The crew gave the passengers the time to rest & sleep. I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory during the flight; I was dead tired after a long day of walking around the city.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew welcomed us into the flight with their biggest smiles. One crew also went up to us & explained the additional protocols for passengers seated in the exit rows. I didn’t have much chance to interact with the crew on this flight but those small encounters made a big difference in the flight experience.

Overall Experience

It was another pleasant flight with Cebu Pacific Air. My friend & I definitely enjoyed this flight from Fukuoka to Manila. The pleasant experience started with getting return tickets for only ₱2,873.74 without baggage. I still can’t imagine how this is possible in the current times? The ticket is even cheaper than a domestic ticket to destinations like Coron & Siargao or even international destinations like Hong Kong & Singapore. Cebu Pacific Air changed the game by giving every Juan the chance to fly in the most affordable rate.

The airport & ground experience was superb! It was the total opposite of my experience on the flight from Manila to Fukuoka. The check-in lines were fast-moving bur organized. The check-in process was efficient. The ground staff were reasonably strict but were nice & very accommodation. Immigration, final security check & boarding process didn’t take long. It was my 3rd time flying out of this airport & the experience hasn’t changed. I am amazed how the airport management maintained it even with the increasing number of passenger traffic. All my Fukuoka Airport experiences were very close to ideal.

The flight experience was alright as expected. The cabin crew greeted us with their best smiles upon boarding & disembarking from the plane. I didn’t have much to talk about the in-flight experience because I was asleep most of the flight. The only thing I didn’t like was our plane didn’t have an available airport gate when we landed in Manila station. We waited inside the plane for more than 15-20 minutes before we finally got our Terminal 3 gate assignment. I really hope the local airport authorities do something about this once everything does back to normal.

I cannot wait to fly out again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. I have plans of trying their long-haul flights (again but this time feature it) to perhaps Sydney or Melbourne once Australia opens. I also want to just fly out to wherever possible & take some time off. I will surely fly with them on those trips. For those of you who want to know the flight & aircraft details, here are the information you want or need:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 20 October 2019
Flight Number: 5J 923
Route: Fukuoka (FUK) Japan to Manila (MNL) Philippines
Duration: 4:22 hours
Seat Number: 12C
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3277
Aircraft Engine: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 6 years old
Year Delivered: 2014

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Do you have any questions about the flight or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

How I wish we can all soon go back to the times when flying & travelling is safe & places are virus-free. Those safe times are far from happening based on the current vaccine & treatment developments but I hope you are coping well with the effects of pandemic. Let’s us all hope for better times in the future. For the meantime, we can all connect & talk about our previous travel experiences. Follow me on my social media channels – Facebook & Instagram.

Don’t forget to check out my previous Cebu Pacific Air flight reports: Legazpi to Manila, Manila to Jakarta, Manila to Caticlan (Boracay), Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila on Cebgo & Manila to Fukuoka. Other flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Until next time. Stay safe!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 922 – Manila to Fukuoka – ‘Almost-Missed’ Surprise & Free Base Fare International Flight

Hey ho & welcome to another flight report! Let’s take a break from all the Going Solo in Europe content & go back to something related to my 2nd favorite country after the Philippines – Japan. A few months ago, my friend & I flew to Fukuoka, Japan for 48 hours to surprise our close friend in her 1st international trip. Believe it or not, my friend & I spent less than ₱12,500 each for that whole trip – flights & hostel included. We flew with Cebu Pacific Air in a super affordable fare & stayed with Nekokura Hostel to save same some cash.

Today’s flight report will talk about that ‘almost-missed’ Manila to Fukuoka Cebu Pacific Air flight we took for that 48-hour Fukuoka trip. I will share with you how we booked the cheap ticket 3 weeks before the trip, how was our ground experience at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 & what can you expect in Cebu Pacific Air’s international in-flight product & cabin crew service.

I’ve covered a few Cebu Pacific Air & Cebgo flights in my previous flight reports – ₱600 Legazpi to Manila flight on 5J 328, $24 Manila to Jakarta flight on 5J 759, short & empty Boracay flight on 5J 905 & the Cebgo Turboprop flight from Boracay to Manila on DG 6244. Let’s add this ‘almost-missed’ & free base fare flight to Fukuoka on 5J 922.

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is not a new airline in this website. As mentioned in my previous flight reports, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines largest low-cost carrier. It flies to more than 60 domestic & international destinations across the country, Asia-Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.

The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.

Airfare & Inclusions

My friend & I got our return Manila to Fukuoka ticket for only ₱2,873.74. At the time of booking, Cebu Pacific Air’s loyalty program GetGo offered their Fukuoka route for 2,400 points per way plus taxes. At the same time, they had a ‘5,000 points off’ promotional code for selected East Asia routes including Fukuoka. The return ticket to Fukuoka costs 4,800 points plus taxes. Upon check out & using the promotional code, we ended up having our base fare free & paying only the airfare taxes. Note that we booked our tickets 3 weeks before the flight. Flights to Fukuoka take more than 3 hours per way. Having this affordable return ticket was definitely a good deal!

Cebu Pacific Air is a no-frills airline – meaning fares only include 7-kilogram carry on allowance & a guaranteed seat in the flight. Baggage allowance, food, reserved seats & insurance are all available at an extra cost. Fees & charges differ for each flight. You can click this link to more about the add-ons cost for each Cebu Pacific Air route. This trip only last for 48 hours & it wasn’t even cold yet in Japan so I only brought a small backpack me – no add-ons needed.

Want to know how I get these cheap tickets? I revealed my secrets in these blog posts – How to be a champ in booking low fare tickets part 1 & part 2.

Flight & Aircraft Information

This Manila to Fukuoka Flight on Cebu Pacific Air left Manila station a few minutes late because of us (you’ll know why) but arrived Fukuoka International Airport 11 minutes early. We left Manila at 3:27 pm PHT & arrived Japan at 7:49 pm JST. The total flight time was 3 hours & 22 minutes. The flight used a 7-year old (that time) Airbus A320-214 aircraft in an all-economy class configuration. The plane has a total of 180 seats on a 3-3 layout.

Airport Experience

My friend & I arrived at the airport 3 hours before the flight. We had quick lunch & went straight to the travel tax counter. After paying the required travel tax, we went to Cebu Pacific Air’s check in counters. There were 3 lines for check in – one for regular check in, one for mobile & internet check in & the last one for group bookings & senior citizens. My friend & I already checked in online so we headed to the mobile & internet check in line. All 3 check in lines were long, slow & chaotic.

Pamela, one of Cebu Pacific Air’s supervisors, heard & approached me. She apologized for the chaotic check in process & said that particular afternoon was busier than expected. She escorted us to the next available counter for check in. The woman in the check in desk was nice & accommodating. She granted our request of having emergency exit seats for no additional cost. The whole check in process took us about 1 hour & 15 minutes; it used to be less than 10-15 minutes.

After check in, my friend & I went to clear immigration. All immigration counters also had long & slow-moving lines. We asked favors from people in front of us if we can go first since our flight leaves in 35 minutes; thankfully, they agreed. It still took us 25 minutes to clear immigration. We went straight to final security check & cleared the process in less than 5 minutes. While falling in line, I already saw the Cebu Pacific Air ground staff calling Fukuoka-bound passengers. They are about to close the aircraft doors in 5 minutes. After clearing final security, my friend & I literally ran to the boarding gate & went straight to the plane. The cabin crew closed the plane doors after we boarded. Thank God we made it!

In-Flight Product

As a low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air doesn’t offer on-board entertainment screens & complimentary food. All seats have a decently sized tray table & a small pocket with in-flight magazines & safety card. It has 28 inches of seat pitch & a generous recline. My friends & I were seated in the emergency exit seats so we had bigger leg room than the usual but no seat recline. The seats on this airplane were already old & needs a refit.

In-flight meals & snacks are available for purchase from the time of booking the ticket up to 24 hours before the flight. Guests who failed to pre-book snacks or meals can still buy from the items being offered on-board by the cabin crew. Items for sale are found in the Fun Café menu in the seat pockets of every passenger. I purchased a bottle of Gatorade for ₱80 & a bottle of water for ₱40 during this flight.

One unique feature of Cebu Pacific Air flights is the in-flight fun games. Cabin crew members ask 3 questions under a specified category. The first passenger to get the correct answer receives a complimentary airline merchandise. My friends & I joined the game on this flight & we won a Cebu Pacific Air pouch.

I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.5-hour flight. From past experiences, there’s nothing spectacular about Cebu Pacific Air lavatories – they’re clean, plain & basic like a usual low-cost carrier lavatory.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew on this Cebu Pacific Air flight to Fukuoka was nice & friendly. They greeted the passenger with their best smiles & served the food right after take-off. The crew assigned to our area even asked me questions how I was before she served my drinks. She even offered a glass of ice which they don’t usually do. I have nothing against the crew on this flight. I was a happy & satisfied customer.

Verdict

Overall, it was another pleasant flight with Cebu Pacific Air. We even got more than what we paid for. Imagine paying only ₱2,873.74 for a return ticket to Fukuoka, Japan & booking it 3 weeks before the flight? You rarely get that kind of airfare deal. It was definitely a steal!

The airport & ground experience was the worst part of this flight. Long & slow check in & immigration queues & last-minute boarding process didn’t make the experience enjoyable. My friend & I were thankful for Pamela, the woman at the check in counter & the people who allowed us to cut the immigration line. We won’t make it to our flight if not for them. All parties (including us) are at fault on what happened. We didn’t imagine that those airport scenes we see in movies would also happen to us. It was our first time running from security check to the boarding gate; it was also our first time being called for boarding. Don’t worry, we already learned our lesson.

The in-flight experience made up for all the mishaps that happened in the ground. The cabin crew assigned to our flight were friendly. The emergency exit seats were relatively comfortable to seat in on this 3.5-hour flight. My friends & I won in the in-flight game. More importantly, we arrived Fukuoka ahead of schedule despite leaving Manila a few minutes late. Sure, the airplane seats, tray tables & pockets needs a refit but these didn’t affect our fun flight to Fukuoka.

I will definitely fly again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. They are always the best option for flying cheap to destinations here in the Philippines, in Asia Pacific & in the Middle East. I’m gutted my flights with them to Shanghai, China & Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. I am still looking forward to booking future trips with them! I also want to try (again) & this time cover their long-haul economy routes to Dubai, Sydney & Melbourne. For those who want to know the specifics of this flight & the airplane used, check out the details below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 18 October 2019
Flight Number: 5J 922
Route: Manila (MNL) Philippines to Fukuoka (FUK) Japan
Duration: 3:22 hours
Seat Number: 12A
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3237
Aircraft Engine: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 8 years old
Year Delivered: 2012

That’s it for today. Have you ever missed (or almost-missed) a flight because of a mishap in check in, immigration & final security check? What happened & what did you do when that happened? You may share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about the things mentioned above or about Cebu Pacific Air in general? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll get to them soon.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report! My next flight report will be about Czech Airlines on my flight from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark. Watch out for that! In the meantime, you may follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6244 – Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila – Quick Turboprop Flight Back To The Metro

Hello & welcome to another flight report. Today, I will tell you more about my recent flight with Cebu Pacific Air’s subsidiary, Cebgo. I flew with them from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila in September after spending 4 days with my high school friends in paradise. Join me as I share with you some details about Cebgo, the flight, the aircraft used & the flight experience.

In case you missed it, I shared with you last week details of our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. It was an enjoyable, short yet relatively empty flight to paradise island. Know more about that flight report here.

cebgo

Cebgo is a low-cost carrier & is a subsidiary of Cebu Pacific Air. The airline previously operated as South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) & Tigerair Philippines until Cebu Pacific Air acquired the whole company in 2014. Cebgo currently flies to 29 domestic destinations with Manila & Cebu as its main hubs.

The airline used to operate an all-Airbus fleet until its parent company transferred all its turboprop operations to the subsidiary. Now, the airline subsidiary operates an all turboprop fleet of 20 ATR aircraft. It is also the only Philippine-based airline that operates a full cargo ATR turboprop aircraft.

airfare

As mentioned in my Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight report, I only paid ₱1,147.72 & 100 GetGo points for the round-trip ticket. It included seats on both flights & a 7-kilogram carry on baggage per way. We didn’t purchase check in baggage allowance because we were only there for 4 days. Check out the screenshot of our ticket below.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

This Cebgo flight from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila was operated by a 2.2-year ATR aircraft delivered to the airline in September / October 2017. This turboprop plane can carry 78-passengers in an all-economy seat configuration. The flight took only 52 minutes including taxiing. We left Caticlan Airport 15 minutes early & arrived Manila Airport 58 minutes earlier than the scheduled arrival time.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Just like its parent company Cebu Pacific Air, Cebgo also offers mobile & web check in feature for all their flights. Passengers travelling without check in baggage can skip counter check in & go straight to their respective boarding gates. My friend & I already checked in for the flight days before & we already had our boarding passes in our phones. We didn’t have to go through the normal check in process at Boracay Airport.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass. I presented this with a valid ID during boarding.

Cebgo offers prepaid baggage on all its flights. All tickets come with a free 7-kilogram carry on baggage. Check in baggage is available for purchase at the time of booking the ticket up to 4 hours before the flight schedule. In case you are wondering how much does the check in baggage allowance cost, here are the rates as of today, 1 December 2019 from the Cebu Pacific Air website.

This flight’s boarding process took a bit of time. The people were asked to board 2 buses, depending on their seat number. Those seated from rows 1 to 10 boarded the plane first, while those seated in the last 10 rows boarded the plane last. We utilized the sole passenger door at the back.

Looking for a hostel to stay in Boracay? Check out Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay! It’s the island’s hidden party hostel gem. I wrote a Hostel Of The Day feature on this hostel. Check out the hostel review here.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

Passengers are not allowed to choose or change seats in turboprop flights from check in up to the flight itself. The airline system automatically assigns seats to the passengers a week before the flight while the airline ground staff assign seats to passengers while maintaining the aircraft’s weight stability. Preferred seats are available for purchase up to 4 hours before the flight.

The aircraft has a 2 x 2 seat layout. Each row has 2 window seats & 2 aisle seats. The seat pitch was alright; there was not enough legroom as expected. The seats only have armrests as dividers & no ‘individual’ seat space unlike those from jet planes.

In-flight snacks are available for purchase up to 24 hours before the flight or during the flight. Please take note that meals can be limited only to light snacks because DG flights are not ‘long’ flights. Most of them only take about an hour.

Cebgo’s ATR aircraft do not offer personal entertainment screens. The airline subsidiary, just like its parent company, is a low cost carrier thus only offers the basic flight service. On the good side, they have the in-flight Smile Magazine & an aircraft safety card in every pocket found in front of every seat.

Lavatory

The aircraft’s only lavatory is found at the back of the plane, near the main passenger door. It is clean & well-maintained. The lavatory space is just basic & alright, nothing fancy.

Cabin Crew Service

Cabin crew service in this short flight was good. All passengers were greeted with warm smiles. The crew also helped out the passengers in sorting their bags in the overhead storage spaces. They also finished offering & selling snacks to passengers minutes after the seat belt sign was turned off.

Verdict

It is always a pleasure flying with Cebgo. I prefer flying with Cebgo than its mother company, Cebu Pacific Air, because of their flights arrive on time, if not way earlier than the expected touchdown time. This good practice is evident in this flight when we left Caticlan 15 minutes early & arrived Manila 58 minutes ahead of schedule. Keep it up, Cebgo!

The aircraft used was relatively new & modern. Seat pitch was acceptable; legroom wasn’t that good. Seat comfort was fine, nothing extraordinary. These seats will do for short intercity / region flights. Personally, I still prefer the seats in their Airbus jet aircraft.

Overall, it was a quick but enjoyable flight with Cebgo. There isn’t much difference with the other Cebu Pacific Air flights & service, except the timely performance & the type of aircraft used. I’m happy to say that I am flying Cebgo again in a few weeks to Legazpi for the holidays. I’m already excited for the flight. I’m sure it’ll be great!

If you want to know the technical details of this flight & the aircraft used, check out the information below.

Airline: Cebgo
Flight Date: 16 September 2019
Flight Number: DG 6244
Route: Caticlan (Boracay) (MPH) – Manila
Duration: 52 minutes
Seat Number: 14B
Aircraft: ATR 72-600
Aircraft Registration: RP-C7286
Age: 2.2 years
Year Delivered: 2017

Have you ever flown with Cebgo? How was your experience? How do you like (or dislike) it compared to its parent company, Cebu Pacific Air? Share your good & bad experiences in the comments section below! Do you have any questions about the flight, Cebgo or Cebu Pacific in general? You can send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

I appreciate you reaching this part of this trip report. Thank you for your time. Don’t worry, I’ll take you to Singapore & Europe in the next flight reports!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7551 – Yogyakarta to Jakarta – Redemption Flight Back To Indonesia’s Capital

Hola to another flight report! Last time I shared with you how my Jakarta to Yogyakarta on Indonesia Air Asia went. It was a winner for the price but just okay in all other aspects. There are a lot of points which they can improve on such, as seat quality, legroom & flight punctuality.

Today, I will share with you my Indonesia Air Asia flight back to Jakarta from Yogyakarta. I really didn’t have plans of covering this flight, but my great experience forced me to do so. I’m calling this a redemption flight – a redemption of all the not-so-good experiences I had on the flight to Yogyakarta.

Believe it or not, we used the same old aircraft back to Jakarta. There’s not much I can do with these details but the service topped it all. Allow me to share with you some details of this amazing flight. Please expect a shorter review this time as most details are already mentioned in the previous Indonesia Air Asia post.

indonesia air asia

As mentioned in my previous flight report, Indonesia Air Asia is a low cost airline that is based in Jakarta Airport. It is the Indonesian counterpart of Air Asia Berhad based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The airline currently flies to over 20 destinations in Indonesia, Southeast Asia & even in Australia. It operates an all economy class Airbus A320 fleet. Just like any other low-cost carrier, the airline offers basic flight services. Any additional service needs to be purchased.

Ticket

I paid ₱3,155 for a Jakarta – Yogyakarta – Jakarta return ticket with Indonesia Air Asia. I booked the ticket 6 weeks before the scheduled flight. I still consider the fare cheap considering it was booked a few weeks before the flights. The ticket includes complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage per way – a great add-on for the ticket. I hope all low-cost carriers offer this even just to its domestic services.

flight details

The flight was operated by a 6.2-year old Airbus A320-200 aircraft with an all economy class configuration. The plane has a 180-seating capacity & has 30 rows of 6 seats each. The flight departed Adi Sucipto International Airport on time & arrived Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta 40 minutes ahead of schedule. The flight only took 1 hour 1 minute back to Jakarta. It surely made it up from the flight I had a few days before.

CHECK-IN, BAGGAGE & BOARDING

Indonesia Air Asia uses Terminal B in Adi Sucipto International Airport. I arrived at the airport 2 hours before the flight & the check-in counters were packed. If I can remember it correct, I was 15th in the line. It took me about an hour to check-in. The check-in process was very disorganized. For me, this was the only let down of the flight. It was the total opposite of the check-in experience I had on the flight to Yogyakarta.

As mentioned above, all passengers were given 15-kilograms complimentary check-in baggage allowance. I checked-in my luggage to reduce the inconvenience of walking with a heavy bag. This free add-on is definitely a win for the airline – a low-cost carrier offering free baggage allowance. Great job, QZ!

Indonesia Air Asia, just like any other Air Asia flights, board passengers via seat numbers. They prioritize Premium Flex guests & those assigned on Rows 1-5, 12 & 14. Passengers seated from rows 15-30 come next & those seated from rows 6 to 11 board last. The boarding process in this flight was smooth & organized. It didn’t take us long to board the aircraft.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

The airline’s system automatically assigns seats to all passengers days before the flight. If the passenger doesn’t like the seat assigned to him / her; he / she has the option to choose a preferred seat with an additional fee. This can still be done during check-in process. I was lucky enough to get an exit seat- well not just exit but the front-most seat, 1E. I was in the middle of 2 Malaysian guys who know each other so I offered to exchange seat with one of them. I eventually got seat 1D by the aisle. The legroom on these 1st row seats were the best. It had so much space. The seats of this 6.2-year old aircraft are due for change. Their seat covers are already old & over-used. I hope the airline changes them soon. Just like the CGK-JOG flight, the seat belts on this aircraft were too tight.

Indonesia Air Asia doesn’t offer complimentary meals. Snacks & rice meals are available for pre-order during booking or during the flight itself. The available items can be found in the Santan Magazine provided in every seat pocket. The airline also doesn’t have in-flight entertainment systems. They only provide a seat pocket consisting of the airline’s magazine, Duty Free brochure & the safety card.

lavatory

I was seated in the 1st row, so I had the chance of checking the aircraft’s lavatory. I’d say the crew did a fantastic job in maintaining the front toilet clean all throughout the flight. They offered the basic amenities like tissue & liquid hand soap.

cabin crew service

Cabin crew service was probably the most outstanding part of this redemption flight. The crew were helpful & super friendly. They didn’t make any unnecessary noise during the flight. Believe it or not, meal & food service was finished 15 minutes after take-off. All of the cabin crew were attentive to all of the guests requests. I’m glad I experienced the genuine Air Asia hospitality in this flight. Hats off to the crew assigned to this flight last August.

verdict

Overall, my Indonesia Air Asia flight from Yogyakarta to Jakarta on QZ 7551 was awesome. The airfare, assigned seat, boarding process, early arrival, complimentary baggage allowance & cabin crew service made this flight my best QZ flight so far (had about 5 – 7 QZ flights in the past.)

The only dent I saw on this almost perfect flight was the long & disorganized check-in process & the old aircraft used for the flight. Everything was great aside from those things. I am happy that Indonesia Air Asia redeemed themselves in this flight back to Jakarta. Will I fly them again? OF COURSE. Nothing beats their affordable fares & amazing schedules, plus the complimentary baggage allowance. I personally don’t mind flying low-cost carriers to nearby destinations.

For those of you who are interested on the flight & aircraft information, check out the details below.

Airline: Indonesia Air Asia
Flight Date: 26 August 2019
Flight Number: QZ 7551
Route: Yogyakarta (JOG) – Jakarta (CGK)
Duration: 1:01 hours
Seat Number: 1D
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: PK-AZE
Age: 6.2 Years
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you ever flown with Indonesia Air Asia? If yes, how was your flight experience? If not, do you plan to fly with them sometime soon? Feel free to post your comments, questions, experiences & thoughts in the comments section below. You can also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you so much for joining me in today’s Flight Report. Watch out for more flight reports soon. Ciao!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7550 – Jakarta to Yogyakarta – Low-Cost Domestic Flight To Indonesia’s Royal City

Hello & welcome to another flight report! Today, I will share with you my experience with Indonesia Air Asia on their domestic service from the country’s capital Jakarta to the royal city of Yogyakarta. I will discuss on the fare, in-flight service, pricing, etc. just like the previous flight reports.

Let me take you to Yogyakarta (JOG) via Air Asia – Indonesia’s Royal City located in Central Jaya!

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I shared with you details about my $24 international flight last month on Cebu Pacific Air from Manila, Philippines to Jakarta, Indonesia. It was an awesome night flight – crew was great, the emergency exit seat pitch was spacious & the flight arrived on time. I was a happy passenger considering I only paid a that much for the 4-hour flight.

Be sure to also check my previous flight reports on EVA Air’s Taipei to Manila service & Cebu Pacific Air’s domestic service from Legaspi to Manila. Now back to the Indonesia Air Asia, allow me to discuss the flight details in the parts mentioned below.

indonesia Air asia

Indonesia Air Asia is a low-cost airline headquartered in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is the Indonesian counterpart of Air Asia Berhad based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The airline currently flies to over 20 destinations in Indonesia, Southeast Asia & even in Australia. It operates an all economy class Airbus A320 fleet. Just like any other low-cost carrier, the airline offers basic flight services. Any additional service needs to be purchased.

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta is a clean & nice airport. It has that local vibe! 🙂

Air Ticket

You might have noticed in my previous post that my recent Indonesia trip was booked only 2 months prior. I wasn’t able to get the chance of getting really low fares for the domestic sector in Indonesia. Thank God for Indonesia Air Asia, I was able to get a Jakarta – Yogyakarta – Jakarta ticket for about ₱3,155 (amount reflected on my credit card statement.) This fare is already cheap considering it was booked 6 weeks before the trip & I was flying in & out during peak days of Friday & Monday.

The ticket summary – each flight comes with 15 kilograms complimentary checked baggage!! 🙂

The airfare includes a guaranteed seat in the flight plus 7 kilograms carry on baggage. Unlike other low-cost carriers, Indonesia Air Asia offers complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage for all its domestic routes. Take note this free baggage allowance is only applicable to flights departing & arriving at an Indonesian destination. I don’t have any idea on what’s the reason behind this, but it is a great free add-on!

Flight Details

This flight service from Jakarta to Yogyakarta was operated by a 6.2-year old Airbus A320-200 aircraft with an all economy class configuration. The plane has 30 rows, with 6 seats per row.

The flight started taxiing 10 minutes after scheduled departure time & arrived 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time at Adi Sucipto International Airport . The flight was delayed due to the busy air traffic at Yogyakarta Airport. The flight that was supposed to only take 50 minutes ended up taking 1 hour & 48 minutes. It was not Indonesia Air Asia’s fault. However, the delay still affected the flight experience.

Check-In, Baggage & Boarding

Indonesia Air Asia flies from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Terminal 2 in Jakarta. Check-in counters in this terminal are spacious & efficient. Passengers are expected to check in using the self check-in kiosks located near every counter. After printing the boarding pass, passengers with check-in baggage are advised to go to the bag drop counters to leave their bags. There were no lines or whatsoever. In fact, I finished the check-in process (with bag drop – of course I had to make use of the free baggage allowance) in less than 5 minutes.

As mentioned above, Indonesia Air Asia offers complimentary 15-kilogram baggage allowance in all of its domestic sector. It is a great addition; at least passengers don’t need to purchase baggage allowance for their flights. My luggage was a little over 7 kilograms but I still checked it in. It feels good to walk around the airport without a heavy bag on your back.

Indonesia Air Asia, just like any other Air Asia flights, board passengers via seat numbers. They prioritize Premium Flex guests & those assigned on Rows 1-5, 12 & 14. Passengers seated from rows 15-30 come next & those seated from rows 6 to 11 board last. The boarding process in this flight was smooth & organized. It didn’t take us long to board the aircraft.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

Like any other low-cost airlines, these services are for additional fees. Indonesia Air Asia assigns seats to all its guests days before the flight. If you want to change the seat assigned to you, you need to pay extra for your preferred seat. They also do not allow seat changes upon check-in. You either take your assigned seat or pay at the check-in counter for your preferred seat. In my recent Cebu Pacific Air flight, the ground staff granted by request to be seated in the emergency exit row free of charge.

The legroom – not the best. It was okay for a short flight but not for a medium / long haul flight..

I got seat 3B for this flight. I got a premium or hot seat as they call it. Is it really premium? I don’t think so. Legroom has 29-inch seat pitch – the same with Cebu Pacific Air’s. The only difference is that Air Asia’s seats are the soft, old & thick ones while Cebu Pacific Air’s seats are the thin new ones that provide more legroom for the passengers. The seats were already old up to the point my back can feel the knees of the passenger behind me. The seats & tray tables were not that clean; the seatbelts were too tight. I guess I’m not a fan of Air Asia’s seats.

In-flight meals or snacks can be pre-ordered or purchased on board. The cabin crew goes around with the snack tray & offers food to the passengers. Air Asia offers an extensive choice of snacks & drinks. The choices can be found on the airline’s inflight menu called, Santan. I didn’t avail of any meal or snack for this short flight. Airplane food for sale on-board are expensive & overpriced.

There’s nothing in front of you except for a red seat cover & magazines to read during the flight..

Indonesia Air Asia doesn’t have personal entertainment screens on their aircraft. Passengers are only given in-flight literature & Duty Free magazines to read / browse during the flight.

Lavatory

I didn’t get the chance to visit the aircraft’s lavatory during the flight. I was a bit shy to tell the person seated beside me to stand & I also didn’t feel the need to use it.

Cabin Crew Service

Air Asia’s cabin crew service is known for being passenger-friendly & hospitable. The crew on this flight isn’t an exception. They welcomed all the passengers with their smiles in their faces. They were all nice & attentive. Crew service was fast & efficient; they were able to finish meal service 20 minutes after take-off. The only downside I can remember was the noise they created in the front galley when we were waiting for landing. 2 ladies were chatting in loud voices about random stuff. Other than that, service was good.

Verdict

I had an ‘okay’ flight experience with Indonesia Air Asia on flight QZ 7550 from Jakarta to Yogyakarta last August. The flight had both hits & misses so I can’t generally say it was an awesome flight. First miss, the aircraft used was already old & some cabin features are already outdated. Seats are not comfortable; legroom isn’t that good. Second, the flight was delayed due to runway traffic in Yogyakarta Airport. It was not the airline’s fault, but then again, it has stained the flight experience. Third, cabin crew were alright. They were responsive, friendly & hospitable, but they also had unnecessary noise in the front galley towards the latter part of the flight.

The flight also had some wins. First, the fare was great. Considering I booked the ticket about 2 months into the trip; I still managed to get it for around ₱1,600 per way. Second, the ticket included a complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage allowance. This is a rare add-on for low-cost airlines – thank you Indonesia Air Asia. Lastly, check-in & boarding process was fast & efficient. It didn’t take long to finish all these processes.

At the end of the day, the airline was able to bring me to Yogyakarta for that affordable price. I am thankful I got the my destination safe & sound. Will I fly them again in the future? Maybe yes, maybe no. I really can’t say. The main deal-breaker will probably the airfare. If it’s cheap, then I’ll give it a go. If it’s almost the same as a full-service airline, I’ll go with the full-service airline.

In case you’re interested in the flight & aircraft details, check out the specifics below.

Airline: Indonesia Air Asia
Flight Date: 23 August 2019
Flight Number: QZ 7550
Route: Jakarta (CGK) Indonesia – Yogyakarta (JOG) Indonesia
Duration: 1:48 hours
Seat Number: 3B
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: PK-AZE
Age: 6.2 Years
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you ever flown with Indonesia Air Asia? Where did you fly to & how was your flight experience? Share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. If you want to remain anonymous to everyone, you can also send it via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Flight Report! Watch out for the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.