Singapore Air or Garuda

[charlesking202]

Flying from SIN to DPS (Bali) in November. Which would you choose - Singapore Air in economy or Garuda in business (both about the same price?) There seems to have been some gossip about Garuda's safety record that inclines me to Singapore.....

[763 jock]

No brainer-SQ every time.:ok:

[spiney]

Ditto. SQ - no doubt.

Last couple of times I've flown Garuda out of Singapore to Jakarta and Bangkok... on the former they were nearly 1 1/2 hours late and on the latter, although Garuda were on time, they had a nosewheel problem upon landing and we had to park 30 minutes on a Taxiway in BKK before being towed to a Parking Area and then bussed to Arrivals... ho-hum..

Most SQ flights on the other hand I can remember very little about - which is just the way it should be. I'd always rather be on time in an Economy Seat than waste time in a Business Seat..

So it comes down to whether the Business Class Gado-Gado is better than the Economy Sate - and is that worth the probability of more hassle vs. less hassle? As 763 jock says ,'No brainer'...

[charlesking202]

Thanks to both of you - any other views very welcome.

[Load Toad]

SQ.

I would fly on an Indonesian carrier only if I had to to get out of a war zone or such. And even then I'd really have to think about it.

[Bindook]

As of 24 July 2008 Garuda Indonesia was still on the list of carriers banned from the EU.
Seems like a pretty easy choice to me.

[763 jock]

Charles, check the latest list of EU banned airlines. Garuda are on it, along with a whole load of Indonesian carriers.

Bindook, you beat me to it!

[B747-800]

SQ and nothing else!

[Rush2112]

I would say SQ, but I have a PPS card and can get into the lounges either end when in economy.

For someone without that, GA business is not a bad deal, and yes, they are banned from EU airspace, but the point is that their international service is actually pretty OK.

I take your point about being 1 1/2 hrs late which on a 1 1/2 hour flight is a real pain but equally I was delayed 3 hours dan to CGK on SQ when the engines wouldn't start (or something) and they eventually gave up trying to fix it and got a spare plane in. I fly SIN - CGK fairly often on SQ and I reckon about half the flights are 20 - 30 mins late, in either direction, so even SQ are far from perfect.

Now, if the question had been SQ or Adam Air...

[yarpos]

SQ

nothing would get me on a Garuda plane short of a lava flow or Godzilla approaching the airport, and no alternative....

seriously from a business perspective I have refused a company travel agent booking on Garuda and my company changed it without question even though the alternative cost was higher.

[Alex 009]

Two words...Singapore Airlines

[Octane]

I fly with Garuda perhaps 20 flights a year both business and economy. I don't think they're that bad. Last 2 times in business they 'ran' out of Champagne' though. Apparently the quota is 2 bottles of each wine Denpasar-Melbourne, not enough, I need more than a bottle for myself!
My tranquiliser :}

Octane

[Dungdang]

I fly Garuda and SQ, I think for the price GA Business is OK.

The crash in Yogyakarta seems purely pilot error and as the Indonesian Big Shots also prefer Garuda for domestic flights, I believe that their planes are meticulously maintained.

The watch list of the EU is mainly concerned with the organizational structure of the agencies that supposedly make sure that the airlines do not save money by compromising safety.

Dungdang

[Rush2112]

I believe that the maintenance is outsourced to LH mechanics, but I stand to be corrected. The point though is well made, SBY ain't going to get on a plane that's falling apart.

[allthatglitters]

Flew with Garuda from SIN and we spent most of the day sat at Jakarta airport waiting to go to Bali, and not much difference for the return. Ended up on an old B747-400, last leter of reg H, jammed pack going on to Ausse, all the flights that day seemed to be tranfered to this one aircraft, late in the evening. Couldn't get a direct flight for that day. Sat in the centre section, lh aisle just infront of the bulkhead for the door 2 galley area, on rotation, a cold shower poured from overhead down my back and continued well into the climb, the lights and air vents above our heads failed to operate, wonderd what else had been passed over.
By the way there are other choices like Valuair (A320), maybe Lion Air (B737-900ELR) and watch out for SQ surcharges.

[Rush2112]

Actually I had forgotten about Valuair, they are not bad. Lion Air, not so sure about them.