Good to know how Garuda is investing and improving their premium class by leaps and bounds! I think it is due to their alliance with Etihad.

However, my flights with them have been inconsistent for the last 12 months. Range from good to really scary. Had a rough landing on one of their domestic legs just last month, and 2 months ago, I was served a black corn on a SIN-CGK flight!

As for the F suites, I think they will also be introduced to the CGK-LHR routes later this year, so GA is also aiming for the Kangaroo route LHR-CGK-SYD with the new F.

It sounds like an amazing experience! I would love to try it! Great trip report!

Wonderful trip report, amazing! I do hope they will maintain the consistency of their service up there. Did 4 trips with Garuda in the last 2 months, ( 2 biz class to HK, And 1 in coach to Bali and Surabaya, very very impressed with overall service delivery. Especially the biz class service standard is even improved further compared to the trip i did early this year...including improvement in their entertainment program. Pleasenty supprised to see that popular comedies series like modern family, the big bang theory, are now available even in short domestic flights......great!!!. Room improvement is for economy class checking staff in Jakarta airport, they looked exhausted, while for biz class checking staff and procedure...i have to say one of the best if not the best based on my own experience.

i remember when my friend teases me whenever im flying w garuda.

havent flown Garuda for more than 20 years, WOW. thanks for the trip report,
their effort to improve has been very impressive!

Another WOW!

I haven't flown Garuda since my backpacking days 25 years ago...this is certainly not the Garuda I remember!

Not Etihad but benchmarking SQ in Garuda's "Quantum Leap Forward" investment to improve overall service, increase fleet to 154 with avg age of 5 years and fly 32 million passengers per annum starting 2015. If Garuda pulls this off, I will take over SQ in terms of passenger, fleet and revenue size - SQ fleet size was 102 and carried 18 million passengers in 2012. One major fault in Garuda's equation though is that CGK does not have the capacity, structural design nor technology to support their business goals. And while current airport improvements/ expansion are underway, it will not be big enough nor fully completed by 2015.

I have the lunch menu and I will post it later for you.

In the meantime, I jsut heard that SYD will now be delayed until the 5th B77W has arrived or just prior to the introduction on CGK-London (unsure now whether it is LGW or LHR) sometimes May 2014.

I am not a wine or champagne connoisseurs but I do like the 2000 Billecart-Salmon. I like it better than the 2013 Dom. Then again, I am surprised I don't see Krug in the menu.

Again, the old Garuda is dead and the new Garuda is very much alive and strong. Garuda indeed will be a great addition to SkyTeam. March 2014 is the date for joining.

It's been delayed until May 2014 due to runway structure in CGK. Thus, SYD will not see B77W until around that time.

This new Garuda is very different from the old one.

It is SQ that GA is trying to beat and copy here and so far it has been successful. Not SQ yet but it is getting there. I can tell you that my F experience onboard GA is in may ways better than what SQ is offering in F. The only other challenge that Garuda is facing is CGK.

I agree with the CGK challenge. Let's hope there will be no more delay to T3.

What I meant was they definitely had some help from Etihad in the First Class design and amenities. As for beating SQ, I believe they still have some way to go since SQ has an excellent reputation even amongst Indonesians. Not only that SQ definitely gets much more connecting traffic and has a much more extensive route network. Compared to SQ's all wide-body fleet with A380s, GA's main fleet are comprised of 738s serving domestic routes.

For domestic flights in Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia is the best bet, but for regional flights, I would probably pick SQ or CX even if it means the need to transfer since many of the short haul flights are operated by a 738 which can be quite cramped in the back when the flights are full.

Doesn't CGK already have a T3?

Great trip report. All I can say is "Wow"

Wow, great report and service by the looks of it. I flew with Garuda many years ago from Bali to Amsterdam and it was an awful experience. How things have changed; standards, cabin and service look amazing

I was referring to the new 'T3 Ultimate' that's under construction at this moment. The current T3 will then be refurbished and redesigned to join this new T3 which will be the largest terminal of all the 3 in CGK.

Wow. These guys don't mess around. Sounds like a top notch product.

Thanks for taking the time to put the report together. It is well done.

Same EY cabin... Garuda copied well... but not perfectly ;)

I don't mean to hijack the OPs thread, but I'd like to add another compliment to GA for having free AVOD in Y aboard some 738s. Definitely didn't expect to see it on my UPG-MDC flight this year, so anything that helps to distract...

Thank you so much for sharing! both the hard and soft products looks amazing!! great pictures!