jer

Hi All,

I am taking my wife and mother to Indonesia next week. I booked paid Y tix on Delta to AMS, arriving at 8 a.m., then connecting to award C tix from AMS-CGK leaving at 3:45 p.m.

Does anyone know whether:

1) I will be able to check our bags all the way through to CGK on Delta leaving the US (we depart from ROC via ATL)?

2) Whether I will need to clear customs to check in for Garuda in AMS?

I want to book a day room at the AMS Mercure hotel inside the AMS terminal, but am not sure it is worth it if we have to clear immigration, collect bags, and then wait until Garuda check in opens.

Then in Jakarta, we have a four hour layover until connecting to yet another separate ticket to Yogyakarta. Does anyone have experience with J arrivals in CGK? Is it efficient? My wife has MS and we have requested wheelchair assistance, but hope that I have enough time to clear immigration etc and make the connection.

Any advice much appreciated!

Thanks
Jer

Edited to add that both usa-ams and ams-cgk were booked through delta.com. The domestoc Garuda flight was booked through Garuda and is also in C.

SeaMeFly

I know for sure DL has an interline agreement w/ GA. So, I think, you'll be able to check-in your baggage through to JOG via ATL, AMS and CGK. Show the DL agent at ROC your GA tickets upon check-in. I'm not sure DL will be able to issue your GA boarding passes considering it's a separate PNRs. However, upon arrival in AMS, go to the "Connection Help Desk" and talk to KLM service agent (I wouldn't even try to use the kiosk, so talk to a real agent there) and ask them to issue your boarding pass. Show them your baggage tags that were issued by DL so that they can put in into your check-in status info. Thus, I don't think you have to clear immigration/customs in AMS; however, if GA departs from a different terminal than DL arrival terminal, then you'll need to clear both immigration/customs.

I'm not so sure about connecting in Jakarta considering it is your first point of entry into Indonesia. You may have to clear immigration/customs and proceed to the connecting lounge for business class. Call/email Garuda just to be cleared.

Because one of the parties required a wheelchair, it'll be even faster since you'll be going through separate lanes on arrival in CGK. They have a specific wheelchair access immigration/customs and check-in facilities at CGK. Do make sure that you inform the crew members on GA flight from AMS that you'll need a wheelchair upon arrival in Jakarta. Give them plenty of time to process it so that they can reconfirm your wheelchair request w/ CGK staff prior to landing.

Goldorak

You should have a look at this recent thread in the DL forum
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ry-2016-a.html

jer

Many thanks for the info and advice! I'll report back on how it goes.

mattp1987

It sounds like OP has a paid Delta ticket ROC-ATL-AMS and a SkyMiles ticket AMS-CGK. Based on that, I think the luggage should be able to be checked to CGK according to the thread you linked. However, I would expect OP to have to collect luggage at CGK.

Goldorak

According to the delta message I linked, I would say no because the OP is flying Garuda from AMS to CGK and GA is not listed in the partners for which they accept to check bags through on separate tickets. Booked with cash of with SkyPesos miles does not change the fact it is a GA ticket.
And for bags collection in CGK, yes : mandatory to clear immigration and customs at CGK before flying to JOG. I have made this connection recently.

jer

So it took some computer work, but the gate agent in ROC checked them directly through to CGK. ^ Transiting AMS at the moment, we'll see if they come out the other end in Jakarta.

Goldorak

Great ! Good to know that there are still some agents willing to help the customers despite the stupid policies of their airline.

ft4lyf

The CGK-JOG flight will leave from the same terminal in CGK. You have to clear immigration and customs at CGK. Wheelchair transit should help it make it faster.

Enjoy JOG!
Currently it is getting crazy hot in the afternoon with significant thunderstorms. So, visit the temples in the morning (finish before 11AM if possible).

jer

So far Garuda has proved excellent at accommodating wheelchairs. We were met at the gate in CGK and whisked through a special immigration line. After clearing, they took us to a priority luggage claim lounge, where we waited while they collected our bags. Not sure I would recommend that, as I think we could have managed the luggage collection more efficiently, but a nice idea. Then on to the Garuda business lounge. They left us there for a few hours, then picked us up and took us directly to the connecting flight to JOG. Garuda flight staff have been wonderful.

Borobudur was a challenge, but my wife loved it, even if she was unable to actually climb the monument. I would certainly encourage anyone with mobility issues wondering about tourism in Indonesia to go for it.

Today's flight on to Bali is in economy, so we'll see if there is any difference.

ft4lyf

great to hear!