Garuda Indonesia offers a decent business class on its Boeing 777. I was lucky to fly this 5-star airline from Denpasar to Beijing on my journey to Bangkok last year. For this trip, I redeemed a total of just 25,000 Flying Blue miles and about $ 100 in taxes and fees. I have heard good stories about the service of Garuda so I was very curious what I could expect. In this article a review of this flight.
Flight: Garuda Indonesia 892
Route: Denpasar (DPS) – Beijing (PEK)
Date: Thursday June 21, 2018
Depart: 9:30PM
Arrive: 4:30AM
Duration: 7h
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Class of service: Business Class
Garuda Indonesia First & Business Class Lounge Denpasar
After I collected my boarding pass at the business class check-in, I went through security and passport control. Garuda Indonesia has its own lounges at Ngurah Rai International Airport. After security, I went upstairs and arrived at the Garuda Indonesia First & Business Class Lounge. Apart from the business class section, there is also a section for first class passengers which is exclusively for Garuda first class passengers going to Tokyo-Narita. The lounge looks organized and spacious.
The lounge offers a buffet with a number of hot dishes, both Western and Asian. There is a wide variety of choices offered and the food has a nice presentation. The choice of beverages was quite limited and no alcohol is served at the buffet itself. Further down the lounge is a bar where you can get Bintang, red and white wines.
Behind the buffet is the largest seating area, which has a modern design. At the back of the lounge are a number of seating areas that are arranged for groups. The rest of the seats are arranged along the balcony that overlooks the terminal.
I spent almost 4 hours in this lounge and found there were no improvements needed to be made. There is a fast internet connection, the staff maintains the buffet very well and the showers work well. About 45 minutes before departure of my flight, I went to my gate.
Garuda Indonesia Boeing 777 Business Class Seat
When I arrived at the gate, people were already lining up and after about 5 minutes, business passengers could board first. I boarded the plane through the first door and was warmly welcomed by the crew. This Boeing 777-300ER features 26 flat bed business class seats in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration.
The seats next to each other in the middle are great for traveling together, while the odd window seats offer the most privacy and are therefore better for people traveling alone. I had seat 9A which had 3 windows.
The seats reminded me a bit of the business class seats that Iberia has on their A330 and A340. On my seat, I found a pillow and right next to my seat, the menu was waiting for me. Tthe footwell was surprisingly narrow.
On my right side, there was also a reading light. The in-flight entertainment screen is quite large and the quality of the screen is really good. On the ottoman, I found my blanket and to the right in front of me I found the table that I could turn to me and then fold down. Also a headphone was provided.
On my right side, I also found the seat controls and the remote control for the in-flight entertainment. Unfortunately, this turned out not to have a touchscreen, as I am used to in a modern business class. There are 2 USB ports and universal power outlets are available as well. The plane also features wifi but I didn’t use this.
Pre Departure Service
Later when I was seated, the crew came to me to introduce themselves and I was asked what I wanted to drink before take off. On the menu, I noticed that Garuda serves 2005 Castelnau Cuvée Brut Millesime Champagne on this flight which is not too bad. A warm cloth was also handed out.
The selection of alcohol was quite extensive. Besides the champagne, several red and white wines from Australia were offered. Only 2 of the 26 business class seats were occupied, so the crew could give me almost all of their attention. I had a quick chat with the crew who even kneeled while speaking with me! I enjoyed the champagne.
A few moments later, the amenity kits were distributed. The kit was more than complete. I found an eye mask, slippers, ear plugs, a toothbrush and different types of shampoo and ointments.
In-Flight Dining
The service started about half an hour after take off. Meanwhile, there was a beautiful blue mood lightning that was turned on.
I saw several options on the menu. There was a meat meal, a rice meal, but I went for the grilled chicken breast arabiata with Lyonnaise potato, sautéed snow peas and carrot. Another glass of Castelnau Cuvée Brut Millesime champagne was also offered.
The food was very tasty and the crew were extremely friendly. I would not have expected otherwise from a 5-star airline and certainly if there are only 2 passengers in business class!
After the crew saw that I had finished the first course, they immediately cleared my table and a few moments later the next meal was served. Bread and butter also came on the table.
The freshly chopped fruit tasted very good. Papaya, strawberries and cherries were served.
Then the dessert was served. On the menu I saw the name ‘opera cake’ and I was curious what this was. It tasted very good and I liked the presentation. As a drink I went for an orange juice.
Turndown Service
After having a coffee, the crew disappeared and it was time to go to sleep. Business class passengers could of course still go to the galley for a snack and a drink. As a business passenger you have access to 3 lavatories in this Boeing 777-300ER, one in the front of the cabin and two in the back of the cabin. When I came back, I put my seat in sleep mode. Unfortunately, I didn’t test the in-flight entertainment, though the moving map stayed up for most of the flight.
The flight time to Beijing was yet 4 hours so I still had a good time to lay down and sleep. The plane would land in Beijing at 4:30am the next morning and therefore no breakfast would be served. The seat was comfortable and I slept reasonably well. When I woke up I saw on my in-flight entertainment screen that we were already flying above China.
I liked the fact that the pilot regularly changed the mood light, now the color turned pink! During the landing at Beijing Capital International Airport, I could enjoy a beautiful sunrise. It was not really busy at 4:30am so it didn’t take long before we were at the gate. After I had kindly thanked the crew for this pleasant flight, I was the first passenger to leave the aircraft.
Garuda Indonesia Boeing 777 Business Class Bottom Line
I had a pleasant experience with Garuda Indonesia. The lounge at Ngurah Rai International Airport is excellent and a nice place to stay before boarding. I found the overview on the departure lounge very nice and the buffet is offering everything I would expect in a business class lounge.
The seats in business class offer a lot of space and privacy and although there were only two passengers in business class during this flight, I really had a private jet feeling. I prefer this business class over both United Polaris and British Airways Club World. On this flight I had a very friendly and interested crew. I also found the food and drinks very tasty. Finally, I found the blue mood lightning with starry sky very beautiful.
Garuda Indonesia is the only 5-star airline in the SkyTeam alliance and after this flight I couldn’t agree more. Garuda also distinguishes itself in all respects from other Indonesian companies. It’s definitely a company that I want to fly with more often.
What’s your experience with Garuda Indonesia? Have you flown them already or are you planning to make a flight with them? Let me know your questions and thoughts in the comments below!
