Short transit time in SIN for travel buddy - will she make it?

[ojo]

I have to say that I was quite impressed with the new terminal in the Jakarta airport - it’s a very nice, roomy terminal with plenty of shopping and dining options and the staff were all super helpful. You’d never think third world based on the airport!

Joneill, nice to hear - that's the first positive comment about that airport I've ever encountered. I'll raise my expectations a teeny bit.

 

[Manneca]

What about her visa for Indonesia? She will need to either get a VOA or have an evisa. I'm guessing she will need to do this in Jakarta. There's a evisa and that might make things at immigration a bit faster.

 

[ojo]

What about her visa for Indonesia? She will need to either get a VOA or have an evisa. I'm guessing she will need to do this in Jakarta. There's a evisa and that might make things at immigration a bit faster.

Thanks for that thought Manneca. She's already rebooked, and if all goes smoothly, I'll only have to wait 6 hrs in Sorong for her rather than overnight. But good to know about the evisa - I'll look into that.

 

[cetacean]

@ojo

In addition to what others have shared... I have taken two different connections to make the CGK-SOR flight (Garuda flight leaves just after midnight). The preferable choice was to collect bags in Singapore (that way I knew my dive gear made it that far) and then recheck on the short flight to Jakarta (this takes extra time, which your buddy likely doesn't have).

The other thing to note is that the Garuda flight to Sorong leaves from a part of the terminal where everything is closed down except for a KFC. If they need to eat after landing in Singapore better to grab food in Singapore airport than in Jakarta, nothing is open (the lounge does open about 4 hours before the flight)

 

[ojo]

@ojo

In addition to what others have shared... I have taken two different connections to make the CGK-SOR flight (Garuda flight leaves just after midnight). The preferable choice was to collect bags in Singapore (that way I knew my dive gear made it that far) and then recheck on the short flight to Jakarta (this takes extra time, which your buddy likely doesn't have).

The other thing to note is that the Garuda flight to Sorong leaves from a part of the terminal where everything is closed down except for a KFC. If they need to eat after landing in Singapore better to grab food in Singapore airport than in Jakarta, nothing is open (the lounge does open about 4 hours before the flight)

Oh, that's really helpful, than you cetacean; very thoughtful of you. She's now booked on a Batik flight SIN-CGK a few hours later, so I'll pass on to her that she'd better chow down in the Singapore airport. She'll certainly have time now!
I will be landing in CGK (whatever airline SIA is using) around 6 p.m. and taking the midnight Jakarta flight. I imagine I'll have at least a few food options, as it will be much earlier. Thanks again.

 

[cetacean]

Oh, that's really helpful, than you cetacean; very thoughtful of you. She's now booked on a Batik flight SIN-CGK a few hours later, so I'll pass on to her that she'd better chow down in the Singapore airport. She'll certainly have time now!
I will be landing in CGK (whatever airline SIA is using) around 6 p.m. and taking the midnight Jakarta flight. I imagine I'll have at least a few food options, as it will be much earlier. Thanks again.

@ojo
Actually, you will be in the exact same situation. You are doing exactly what we did - flew SIA into Singapore, connecting to an SIA flight to Jakarta (easy connection, great airline). We had that same 6 hour layover, 6PM-12AM...

You will use <an hour to clear customs and get through immigration (even getting a visa on arrival - much easier in Jakarta than in Bali). We walked our bags to the check in counter (upstairs, not a long walk, but longer than "short"). At this point, you have a choice, go through security, etc. and enter the air-side of the terminal. It sounds strange, but there is nothing open (this terminal is used for morning flights, so all the shops close early evening). It may be the quietest terminal you've have ever been in... Everything is closed but the KFC (which wasn't horrible

Now, instead of going straight through security, if you stay on the land-side after check in, there are a few other food choices available (I'm assuming they are open, I've only eaten there mid-morning to noon...).
basically, the wait for the flight is very comfortable and quiet, just not not lot of stores open during the time you'll be there.

Our learning was, if we do it this way again (and we may, next year), we'll bring food for the wait.

 

[Joneill]

@ojo
Actually, you will be in the exact same situation. You are doing exactly what we did - flew SIA into Singapore, connecting to an SIA flight to Jakarta (easy connection, great airline). We had that same 6 hour layover, 6PM-12AM...

You will use <an hour to clear customs and get through immigration (even getting a visa on arrival - much easier in Jakarta than in Bali). We walked our bags to the check in counter (upstairs, not a long walk, but longer than "short"). At this point, you have a choice, go through security, etc. and enter the air-side of the terminal. It sounds strange, but there is nothing open (this terminal is used for morning flights, so all the shops close early evening). It may be the quietest terminal you've have ever been in... Everything is closed but the KFC (which wasn't horrible

Now, instead of going straight through security, if you stay on the land-side after check in, there are a few other food choices available (I'm assuming they are open, I've only eaten there mid-morning to noon...).
basically, the wait for the flight is very comfortable and quiet, just not not lot of stores open during the time you'll be there.

Our learning was, if we do it this way again (and we may, next year), we'll bring food for the wait.

There were a decent amount of things still open in Jakarta Terminal 3 land-side at 9-10 PM when I was their last December . As stated, not much other than snack shops on the air-side at that time and later.

 

[ojo]

@ojo
Actually, you will be in the exact same situation. You are doing exactly what we did - flew SIA into Singapore, connecting to an SIA flight to Jakarta (easy connection, great airline). We had that same 6 hour layover, 6PM-12AM...

You will use <an hour to clear customs and get through immigration (even getting a visa on arrival - much easier in Jakarta than in Bali). We walked our bags to the check in counter (upstairs, not a long walk, but longer than "short"). At this point, you have a choice, go through security, etc. and enter the air-side of the terminal. It sounds strange, but there is nothing open (this terminal is used for morning flights, so all the shops close early evening). It may be the quietest terminal you've have ever been in... Everything is closed but the KFC (which wasn't horrible

Now, instead of going straight through security, if you stay on the land-side after check in, there are a few other food choices available (I'm assuming they are open, I've only eaten there mid-morning to noon...).
basically, the wait for the flight is very comfortable and quiet, just not not lot of stores open during the time you'll be there.

Our learning was, if we do it this way again (and we may, next year), we'll bring food for the wait.

You are a gem, thank you. I'll have 10 hrs to eat my way through Singapore - or collect some snacks.
Glad you survived the KFC...

 

[ojo]

There were a decent amount of things still open in Jakarta Terminal 3 land-side at 9-10 PM when I was their last December . As stated, not much other than snack shops on the air-side at that time and later.

Anywhere you'd recommend land-side?

 

[Joneill]

Anywhere you'd recommend land-side?

I had a 14 hour layover in Jakarta so I got a room at the attached Anara Airport hotel for the day to get some sleep. I ended up eating dinner at their restaurant before I walked over to Terminal 3 at around 9 for the midnight flight - but there looked to be several different food choices landslide.