The Singapore lounge has its own check-in facility, which is a godsend at times for the lack of queues as compared with the regular transit desks.
So I bolt there and ask to be checked in. Yes just in the nick of time before the flight closes. I make use of the facilities while I'm being checked in and grab the 2 boarding passes as I rush back out of the lounge towards the gate. E11 down the end of the pier. At least it isnt an F gate I suppose.
Boarding is nearing completion by the time I arrive and so through the security at the gate and straight to my seat. I have a drink while catching my breath before we push back. There is a short delay while someone's bags are offloaded. Fortunately this takes just a few minutes - a minor miracle compared with the usual 20 minutes - as I have another tight connection ahead and havent yet checked in for that flight either (I had no time to do this also).
The short flight is uneventful. I like the food options on the flights between Singapore and Indonesia - there's usually one or two spicy dishes. There isnt enough time to watch a movie so instead I play some games. On arrival at Jakarta we land on the secondary runway, which is a first for me. This means we get to taxi past the aircraft graveyard which has maybe a dozen aircraft ranging from 747s down to much smaller types, in various colour schemes and all sorts of states of disrepair.
Once deplaned I head upstairs just before immigration to the departures level and visit the lounge, where I have a chance to check my email. Its not long before its time to head to the gate. Security is at the gate and several folk are turned away - not sure why - but I am through quickly. I pay the departure tax here (no change given but can pay in S$ or US$ or euros instead of IDR).
Back on board and greeted warmly back by the crew, who also do the turnaround. I am invited to choose any seat I wish as on this flight I'm the only one in the cabin! When the FA hands out the menu card I say dont bother as I know what I'd like to order (both menus for SIN-CGK and CGK-SIN are on the same card)
Given our late arrival into Jakarta I ask what the changes are for on time return to Singapore. I'm told dont worry we have a good 20 minutes padded into the schedule. We make up a little time on the turnaround but still push back a little late. Then a long slow taxi. Ahhh, I'd forgotten how slow this can be at Jakarta. I'm not sure if air traffic control is more cautious here or deliberately slow, but during busy (well busy for Jakarta) times I notice how slow and well spaced out the arrivals and departures are here. Yup we end up waiting 20 minutes for our turn to take off - so much for a padded schedule! The flight itself is rather bumpy so I have to be careful not to spill the red wine.
On arrival back at Singapore we get the "random" check of carry-ons at the gate entrance. This only seems to happen to some (not all) Jakarta flights, although others have reported also for Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. It certainly doesnt seem to be random.
By now I am really tight to check in for the next flight so back I run down the pier (we arrived at gate E12) to the lounge. Hi, remember me! I'm back and need another boarding pass! I asked for the return boarding pass as well but was told it was unable to be checked in as passed to airport control - huh? sounds baloney to me as I've always been able to check in for onward sectors especially when its the same airline and no checked bags.
Anyway, no time to argue as race back out to the gate - yup way out in F pier.