Bali / DPS - New Terminal opened October 2013 - photos
Sep 4, 2014, 6:50 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,839
lol!
What is this VIP service?
Lets u fast track through immigration?
Thinking of going to Bali.
Thanks!
What is this VIP service?
Lets u fast track through immigration?
Thinking of going to Bali.
Thanks!
Sep 8, 2014, 12:05 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
1) Because of the new terminal things aren't as bad as they once were.
2) There has been a potential crackdown of people trying to offer the VIP service to get you passed the lines.
3) Check to see how many other flights are arriving before you get in and you will have an idea if it is a busy time.
Sep 8, 2014, 1:12 am
#53
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco, where else?
Programs: EXP,EX-CK 2.5mm, now lifetime Platinum, ex-UA1K, Marriott- Platinum, Hertz 5*
Posts: 991
DPS Airport Survival Times for Peak Arrival/Departure Times
Hi all... I am sitting in the temporary "premier lounge" at DPS right now and have a few tips for my fellow Flyertalkers:
1. Arrival is a nightmare if you arrive between 3-5 pm. Other times seem better from everything I've read. Look for guys near the VOA desk offering "assistance" and give them $20 per passport to get you through, US funds.
2. Departure is much worse than I expected (again mid afternoon flight) given what I've read on the various forums. Today the biggest delay was the initial x-ray of bags just as you enter from the curbside after you are dropped off. TIP: GO TO THE SECOND door and go through x-ray there. Most drivers etc just drop everyone off at the first door as you are arriving in the airport and that queue is long. Similarly, once inside keep going to the right instead of the left for shorter lines. At security, even at the departure tax counter. There was a line 30 people deep one one side of that counter and all you had to do was go to the other side and only 3 people in line. Lots of people just following everyone else.
3. Cathay check in was a nightmare, even for DPS. Business class line barely moved. Each check in took agents a good 5-7 minutes to process. They were handing out mints but didn't make us any happier. TIP: Check in online before and use the "bag drop-off" line between Economy and Business lines. It's shorter and does the same thing as the other two lines.
4. There are two temporary Premier Lounges. There are drawings of a grand lounge featuring outside walkways and all sorts of things but it doesn't look like that's opening any time soon. Walk farther to the SECOND lounge by gate #5. It is only 1 minute past the first lounge and much less crowded.
Hope this helps..... don't drink liquids before you go as you will be waiting in lines, not able to go to the restroom.
Good luck
1. Arrival is a nightmare if you arrive between 3-5 pm. Other times seem better from everything I've read. Look for guys near the VOA desk offering "assistance" and give them $20 per passport to get you through, US funds.
2. Departure is much worse than I expected (again mid afternoon flight) given what I've read on the various forums. Today the biggest delay was the initial x-ray of bags just as you enter from the curbside after you are dropped off. TIP: GO TO THE SECOND door and go through x-ray there. Most drivers etc just drop everyone off at the first door as you are arriving in the airport and that queue is long. Similarly, once inside keep going to the right instead of the left for shorter lines. At security, even at the departure tax counter. There was a line 30 people deep one one side of that counter and all you had to do was go to the other side and only 3 people in line. Lots of people just following everyone else.
3. Cathay check in was a nightmare, even for DPS. Business class line barely moved. Each check in took agents a good 5-7 minutes to process. They were handing out mints but didn't make us any happier. TIP: Check in online before and use the "bag drop-off" line between Economy and Business lines. It's shorter and does the same thing as the other two lines.
4. There are two temporary Premier Lounges. There are drawings of a grand lounge featuring outside walkways and all sorts of things but it doesn't look like that's opening any time soon. Walk farther to the SECOND lounge by gate #5. It is only 1 minute past the first lounge and much less crowded.
Hope this helps..... don't drink liquids before you go as you will be waiting in lines, not able to go to the restroom.
Good luck
Sep 9, 2014, 5:50 am
#55
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BD (in memoriam), BA
Posts: 1,359
I've been keeping an eye on the Priority Pass website for details of the Premier Lounge. The latest quote is:
PLEASE NOTE: This is a temporary Lounge. The new lounge is scheduled to open in DEC14.
Last time I looked it said SEP14... It better be good when it finally opens!
PLEASE NOTE: This is a temporary Lounge. The new lounge is scheduled to open in DEC14.
Last time I looked it said SEP14... It better be good when it finally opens!
Last edited by raikje; Sep 9, 2014 at 7:24 am Reason: making it make more sense...
Sep 13, 2014, 4:13 am
#57
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,912
We had a horror arrival at DPS a couple of weeks ago. I had read the reports on the CX forum about long waits for mid-afternoon arrivals, so we changed our plans and took an Airasia flight set to arrive around 6.30pm. It was about an hour late and arrived after a KLM widebody and who knows what else. It took 20 minutes to buy VOA, and then 1 hour 25 minutes to get to baggage claim. By the time we arrived, the monitor was no longer showing our flight, and when we located our belt, it had stopped, and we had to sort through a pile of luggage (we were the first people off our flight).
Contrary to goldengate's observations, there was nobody standing near the VOA desk. I would have happily paid $20 to skip to the front of the line. There was one guy who funneled people into the waiting maze, and I saw several people trying to bribe him, but he refused and motioned to stand in the line (I'm 6'5, so I was able to observe for a good 45 minutes what's going on between the VOA desks and the waiting maze). While we were there, 3 parties were spared the line and ushered to the front, but only young families with infants (appropriately so), along with a couple of wheelchairs that passed by (although in DPS this seems to be abused much less than you'd expect).
As for the waiting maze, the first 20 minutes or so it's one line, and then splits up and you have to choose left or right. I could see that on the left there's a disabled/diplomat/etc lane, so we chose that, going on the assumption that they would process regular customers when idle. This proved to be a mistake; when idle (most of the time), the guy in the special lane did nothing. And it turned out that our side only had 4 counters staffed, vs 5 on the other side. It's rather maddening that they have people standing there for an hour plus, yet only have half the available counters open.
No idea what determines when goldengate's "assistance guys" are available; maybe it's a matter of shifts, or maybe there actually is a crackdown and when we were there, they were too scared to do it (because of a specific supervisor, who knows?). IF you arrive and the line goes to the end of the maze, it's well worth to pay the "assistance guys" $20 (if their services are available); otherwise, prepare for a long wait.
At this point, don't bother booking one of the "formal" assistance services; they will send you a confirmation and then cancel the day before, citing an ongoing audit and suspension of the service.
As for departure, we left at noon and didn't have any problems; no wait at security and immigration, and the departure tax counters were deserted. The terminal (airside) is shockingly poorly designed, funneling everyone through the duty free shop, with a walkway less than 10ft wide in some spots.
I really hope they get this sorted. I think Bali is a fine destination, but I'm often underwhelmed under the best of circumstances; throw in a 2hr+ wait at immigration and we'll just go somewhere else.
Contrary to goldengate's observations, there was nobody standing near the VOA desk. I would have happily paid $20 to skip to the front of the line. There was one guy who funneled people into the waiting maze, and I saw several people trying to bribe him, but he refused and motioned to stand in the line (I'm 6'5, so I was able to observe for a good 45 minutes what's going on between the VOA desks and the waiting maze). While we were there, 3 parties were spared the line and ushered to the front, but only young families with infants (appropriately so), along with a couple of wheelchairs that passed by (although in DPS this seems to be abused much less than you'd expect).
As for the waiting maze, the first 20 minutes or so it's one line, and then splits up and you have to choose left or right. I could see that on the left there's a disabled/diplomat/etc lane, so we chose that, going on the assumption that they would process regular customers when idle. This proved to be a mistake; when idle (most of the time), the guy in the special lane did nothing. And it turned out that our side only had 4 counters staffed, vs 5 on the other side. It's rather maddening that they have people standing there for an hour plus, yet only have half the available counters open.
No idea what determines when goldengate's "assistance guys" are available; maybe it's a matter of shifts, or maybe there actually is a crackdown and when we were there, they were too scared to do it (because of a specific supervisor, who knows?). IF you arrive and the line goes to the end of the maze, it's well worth to pay the "assistance guys" $20 (if their services are available); otherwise, prepare for a long wait.
At this point, don't bother booking one of the "formal" assistance services; they will send you a confirmation and then cancel the day before, citing an ongoing audit and suspension of the service.
As for departure, we left at noon and didn't have any problems; no wait at security and immigration, and the departure tax counters were deserted. The terminal (airside) is shockingly poorly designed, funneling everyone through the duty free shop, with a walkway less than 10ft wide in some spots.
I really hope they get this sorted. I think Bali is a fine destination, but I'm often underwhelmed under the best of circumstances; throw in a 2hr+ wait at immigration and we'll just go somewhere else.
Sep 21, 2014, 4:39 pm
#59
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brunei
Programs: Enrich Sapphire. Kris Flyer Silver.Le Club Accorhotels,Starwood.
Posts: 2,201
Even with a new airport, the immigration lines are madness. Are they trying to sell this island as a tourist destination or to chase people away?
They don't have sufficient staff manning the immigration counters on arrival and the 45 minute wait is just unacceptable. This is going by standards within south east asia.
What is the point of building a new airport if this same old problem persists?
They don't have sufficient staff manning the immigration counters on arrival and the 45 minute wait is just unacceptable. This is going by standards within south east asia.
What is the point of building a new airport if this same old problem persists?
Sep 21, 2014, 4:52 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,535
Even with a new airport, the immigration lines are madness. Are they trying to sell this island as a tourist destination or to chase people away?
They don't have sufficient staff manning the immigration counters on arrival and the 45 minute wait is just unacceptable. This is going by standards within south east asia.
What is the point of building a new airport if this same old problem persists?
They don't have sufficient staff manning the immigration counters on arrival and the 45 minute wait is just unacceptable. This is going by standards within south east asia.
What is the point of building a new airport if this same old problem persists?