Intro
Well, Bonjour after months away from writing, in fact so long that I might have forgotten how to properly write. Well, let's give it a go. I hope everyone is doing well in life, and as I get back into the swing of things, I will be sharing a few flight reviews that I have taken over the past few months, in no particular order.
To start off with, back in December, I took a flight on Pelita Air in business class from Bali to Jakarta. See, there were three reasons why I booked this ticket:
I had found a decent fare around Christmas on CX Business (CGK-HKG-JFK-HKG-DPS) for 3450 USD, which meant I first had to get to Jakarta
I had already reviewed Batik Air and Garuda in business on this route, and with Pelita Air being the last airline with business class, I figured I would try it
Lastly, the flight cost 180 USD in business. In comparison to Batik, where they charge about 200-200 USD, and Garuda at 500-ish (at the time) per ticket, why not?
How was it? Fine for the price, but not as great as Batik Air or really any business class product… Let's jump in!
How I Booked
With the need to get to Jakarta, I headed off to Google Flights, where I was met with plenty of business class options at various times of the day. Unfortunately, the price for Pelita Air doesn't show up online, but after following through to the website, I was able to book my ticket within a matter of minutes using an international Visa card.
Pic from writing
For reference, only a few Pelita Air jets have business class (which I'll touch on a bit as to why), so the DPS-CGK route only gets 2x daily service with business class. However, Pelita does operate 5x daily flights between the hubs.
Check In
Following a terrific wahoo season up north in Buleleng, where we had a few over 60lbs, my driver knocked on my villa door, and it was time to head back to the States. It had been a while since I had been back, so during the 40-minute drive from Seminyak to the Domestic terminal, there was a touch of nerves.
But all of that was settled with the efficiency of the process.
With no wait for business class on today's flight, as the cabin was empty, it was only 120 seconds before my bags were tagged and I was on my way through security. The check-in agents were friendly, and surprisingly efficient.
Continuing on, security took no more than 5 minutes this afternoon, and now it was my time for my favorite time: lounge time.
The Lounge
Those departing Bali domestically in business class (not on Garuda) have the option of visiting two different lounges, the Concordia Lounge and the Blue Sky Lounge. Considering how horrendous I know the Concordia lounge is, I immediately made my way to the Blue Sky Lounge located near Gate 6.
Look, it's an okay lounge for Priority Pass customers and low-yield business class passengers, but then again, there are no real exceptional lounges here in Bali, even in the international terminal (JAS Lounge review here).
There's a smoking room, food options, free wifi, and beer available for purchase (1 free).
Brutal… xD
Not bad for a quick bite and a cup of coffee, but I wouldn't show up hours before to enjoy this lounge…
The Seat/Cabin
With boarding commencing right on schedule from gate D3, it was time to get on board one of the most interesting aircraft in Asia. Why? Well, welcome aboard an ex-Alaska Airlines/Virgin America A320. For readers in America, these cabins should look awfully familiar.
Laid out in a 2-2 configuration with three rows, these seats are some of my favorite domestic First/Business class products out there. With more legroom than Batik, this is one place where the product shines…
Look familiar huh?
Each seat features cup holders, a charging port, overhead air vents, seat controls, and a legrest.
Yes! Overhead air vents! Wonder if they paid import tax on them as well 😉
Later on during the flight, the lights were dimmed, and the cabin looked gorgeous!
Departure
So we know all about business class, right? Imagine it redefined. A touch bamboozled, boarding was wrapped up, and we pushed back from our gate 5 minutes early…
Yes, not a single welcome or hello. Truly perplexed. Very interesting cabin crew, which we will touch on later…
We had a short taxi out to 27, where we entered a holding pattern with 2 arrivals from Perth, a departure to SGN, and another to CGK. Eventually, we were wheels up to CGK right on schedule…
Let's get out of here…
Amenities/IFE
I’ve seen low-cost business class, but this might win the awards. Heck, Batik Air even offers a pillow and blanket.
Once airborne, I rummaged around my seat searching for all of the amenities. It was as if it were a game of hide and seek, yet I never actually found any 😅.
Granted, about 1/3 of the way into the flight, the FA finally came around to see me for the first time and give me an IPAD and a pair of headphones… Not even a “hello.”
The selection was the same as what you will find when streaming through your phone (must download the app before), with about 20 movies, Vidio, and even TikTok (weird, ha).
Headphones…
For those not in business class, you can log in through the Pelita Air app to access content, but you must download it before departure.
Meal Service
Now for the real kicker. The meal service. Surprisingly, I don’t eat much on planes and purely get the food just for a picture. However, Pertamina (sorry, Pelita) really dropped the ball here.
40 minutes into the flight, the FA came around to hand over my meal. Wish I could say there was more to the story than this, but I received a Nasi Uduk and a bottle of water…
I was craving a Sprite, but nope: THEY ONLY HAVE WATER ONBOARD. WATER IN BUSINESS CLASSS??? Am I being overdramatic? Yes, especially considering I don't really eat, but another option might have been nice!
Yes, I am writing like it's the end of the world: purely for dramatic effect!
I know booze is banned on domestic flights, but a Sprite or even a Coke is all I ask for. I have had better meals on Air Asia…
I digress, just keep in mind Batik offers 3 options on this route and so does Garuda…
Service
For reference, I understand that this is a budget business class, and it's a relatively new product for them. However, if they are going to sell this product as business class (at the time it was), then you have to live up to the expectation.
I am trying to figure out a respectful way to address this, but let me post the bullet points I wrote when I was on the flight…
“Would you like to make a compaint” 3 times
Came over with a complaint form saying, “Please make a complaint.” (even though I never asked to, just said how do you not offer anything else apart from water)
No drinks offered, minus water, after they made coffee for the captain
Big smiles and great attention for the captain and FO
Do not care, laptop out until very late. I could probably streak naked, and they would still be sitting in their seats talking away
From what I can gather, it seems that the crew has not been trained in hospitality for premium cabins. Cool, I get these J/"premium" cabins are new, but if you are going to offer them, might as well train the crew to match the product, or why offer them at all??? Bamboooooozled I am…
Arrival
Finally, descent. Yes, I was that thankful to be on my way from this flight that around 6:15 local time, we began our choppy descent down into CGK.
With a few twists and turns, we had the lucky approach of 25L (saves about 12 mins from DPS). We touched down on a rainy evening in one of my favorite cities in SE Asia, and so commenced the long taxi to Terminal 3.
Honestly, I wasn’t complaining much, as my next flight was out of T3, and if you have ever done the standard domestic-international at CGK, you would know why.
Regardless to say, it took about 25 minutes before we pulled in at our remote stand, and this was the first time today that I saw business class differentiated.
Not only were the curtains closed to economy, but business class passengers are given a private van! Batik does do the same, but I appreciate how this is done across the board here in Jakarta…
It would be even nicer if I didn’t have luggage, as I was through to baggage claim a whopping 10 minutes before the next passengers. However, I did… I need to get some marlin lures re-rigged, and they have hooks. So…
Twiddling my thumbs, even though I was the only one with a priority tag on my bag, my bag came out next to last. See, I have a thought here (not just Pelita). We should start tagging non-elites and non-J customers with priority. Double bluff there 😅. Whatever, I had time before my CX flight off to HKG…
Let's go to Hong Kong!
Welcome back! And with an exotic airline...I don't think I've ever seen a review on Pelita Air.
Still probably better than 90% of Priority Pass lounges in the U.S....when there even are Priority Pass lounges! I've said it before, but it drives me insane that a HUGE airport like LAX has no Priority Pass lounges (Yes, the VS lounge recently started taking PP, but for an additional fee, which is dumb, though better than nothing I guess). PP options are always so much better overseas, especially in Asia.
They sure do! The second I scrolled through the pics before reading I was like, wait, is that an ex-AS cabin! Yup. The only thing that's changed is the seat covers--not a fan of the dark coloured cloth. Alaska's leather was prettier and fresher. Shame that they spent so much money to redo all the ex-Virgin A320 family fleet with new cabins within just 2 years only to turn around and get rid of them a few years later...and ironically now they are struggling to retrofit the older 737 fleet that they held on to with a ton of very old cabins out there.
Yikes, not great service.
Hah, I'm the same way. I rarely finish a meal on a flight because I don't like to feel bloated on a plane...I save space for champagne and wine 😆 and I'm rarely even awake for the second service on long-haul flights.
But yikes that meal is basically Economy buy-on-board quality and the fact that there is nothing to drink except for water just blows my mind. Then again, it appears that Pelita don't really know what to do with Business class and are just making a half-arsed attempt to differentiate service. From what I can tell, they technically only sell Economy, but have a buy up option for Premium Class, which is very common for LCCs with premium cabins...it's a way of not committing to a true premium cabin experience. Spirit and Frontier so the same thing with their new First/Business cabins...it's an ancillary bundle thing, not a separate fare class, so technically at the fare level still economy. So I guess it's easier for Pelita to excuse shitty service when they've essentially positioned the Business cabin as a Y+. If you think of it as a Y+ it's actually pretty decent haha
Honestly I would expect better, and more friendly service even in Economy on an LCC withing Asia. They may as well rip out the J seats since they clearly don't know what to do with them and it's not worth taking up the real estate if passengers are going to just feel ripped off. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kevin, thanks for your comments, and hope you are doing well!
Could not agree more re LAX. Must be that they would fill up too quickly or real estate is too expensive, because how on earth they don't have one is beyond me 😅
I thought you loved the retro cabins 🙃. It's sort of wild to think they have these beautiful 787s with a remarkable J product, and then 737s that look like they are from the 1990s. You're 100% right, the colors on the AS interiors are so much nicer and fit the overhead ambiance during the dark. Black on black is a bit, uh, ehhh.
Yeah, it's an odd one. They market it online as "business", or at least online booking platforms do. But have to say, even the likes of Air Asia (flat bed) is miles better. Not the seat, just the service in general. I guess for Y yeah, but still bewildering that they don't offer anything but water! Even Air Asia, I can get a cold Coke 😅
Well, it'll certainly be interesting to see what happens going forward with these seats. I presume (could be wrong) that the loads are light on these routes in premium class.
Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day! Need to check out your Japan series, been waiting on it!
thank you for this review. I am not trying to defend Pelita Air here, but i just want to point out that it is a Premium Economy class, not Business Class, not budget business class as well. Hence, the difference is very marginal with economy class. They have been quite consistent too in branding it as premium economy instead of business class. Their business model is to fill in the hybrid segment, not full service like Garuda but not low cost like Lion Air.
Regardless, as an Indonesian, I would still rather spend my money on Pelita than on Garuda and airlines from Lion Group because Pelita is almost always on time, the price is always very attractive, and the service is very straightforward and unpretentious.
anyway, once again thanks for sharing!
Hi BombieFlyer, completely agree with you and thanks for your comments!
I was curious about the premium economy/business class as well. The only reason I posted it as business is that it's listed as business class on online portals when booking, as well as the fact that there are gold logos all around with premium. I guess you are correct in that it's labelled "premium class", even still, if I am honest, it falls below W standards IMO. That's just my opinion. Of course, as you mention, the fares are extremely reasonable, and their flights are on time (unlike Lion and AirAsia ha). Their business model certainly makes sense, just would have thought more than 1 option for a meal, and maybe a CocaCola would be nice!
Are you not a fan of Batik? With arrivals in HLP for 186$ OW to Bali, it's pretty hard to beat. Just wondering as you seem to fly quite a bit in Indo!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!