• Introduction: Going diving in the Ring of Fire
• Review: GVK Lounge East Wing, Mumbai
• Review: Jet Airways Mumbai to Singapore, Economy (Airbus A330-200)
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Singapore Terminal 1
• Review: Jetstar Asia Singapore to Bali, Economy (Airbus A320)
• Things to keep in mind while visiting Bali
• Where to go if backpacking solo in Bali
• What to eat when in Bali, Indonesia?
• Review: Premier Lounge, Bali
• Review: Hong Kong Airlines Bali to Hong Kong, Economy (Airbus A330)
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge (West Hall), Hong Kong
• Review: Jet Airways 9W77 Hong Kong to Delhi, Economy (Boeing 777)
• Conclusion: Elevating my backpacking trip
  

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It is very not common for full-service carriers to partner with no-frills airlines. In the case of Jet Airways, Jetstar Asia is a codeshare partner. Knowing that the flying time was going be just under three hours long, I didn’t mind taking this Jetstar Singapore-Bali flight. I booked this flight as a part of my ticket on the Jet Airways website.

The scheduled departure time was 3:10 PM, but the departure board showed that the gate was open at 2:00 PM. I walked down to the gate only to find that people were just starting to come into the holding area. After getting my carry-on bag screened, I took a seat, waiting to get onto the plane. After waiting for 30 minutes, I was finally able to get onboard.

Jetstar Asia 3K245
Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 (SIN) – Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS)
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Departure: 03:22 PM
Arrival: 06:00 PM
Duration: 2 Hours 38 Minutes
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Seat: 24C (Economy Class)
Meal Service: Hot Meal

And once I entered I wanted to get out real fast. This plane was way past its prime, and the dull grey upholstery was depressing. I wriggled my way to my assigned seat.

This time around, I booked an aisle seat which was the right decision. The seat was tight with a 28” seat pitch. As these weren’t slimline seats, there was barely any legroom. I can’t even image how cramped this space would be for the 6ft+ Australian passenger who was sitting right next to me.

We pushed back on time and were up in the air by 3:40 PM. Soon after, onboard food sales began. I had a complimentary hot meal as part of my ticket. I glanced through the menu and had picked my choice. But when the cart came by, I was served a vegetarian Jain meal which looked like something straight out of a college hostel mess. I tried switching the meal for anything else, even cold sandwiches, but the cabin crew politely refused, saying that the booking carrier pre-booked this option for me. Every other item on the menu looked better than my curry combo.

I decided to skip the meal and purchased a cup of spicy ramen and a can of soda. There was neither any in-flight entertainment nor WiFi. So food was my only entertainment on this flight.

After a trip to the restroom, I settled down in my seat for a nap. I couldn’t get much sleep as there were regular in-flight announcements about onboard items available for sale. So, I did the next best thing and got all chatty. My co-passengers were from Estonia and Australia who were headed to Bali on a backpacking trip too. By the end of the flight, I had a couple of more things on my Bali wish list.

We landed in Bali at 6:00 p.m. and disembarked using the aerobridge. The terminal here is a bit small compared to other major international airports, which meant a lot less walking. A couple of minutes later, I was at passport control. Shortly after, I left the terminal to grab a taxi to my accommodation.

Bottomline

My experience with Jet Star Asia wasn’t the most pleasant one, even by no-frills airline standards. The service although was pretty good, with the cabin crew being ever so helpful and trying to make the flight less miserable. I guess that’s in the DNA of an airline which is owned by Qantas.

What has been your experience flying Jetstar Asia? Loved it or Hated it?