Worlds worst airport for delays

[fastpitch17]

I guess that's also a case of you get what you pay for. Those budget airlines offer low price with lower reliability.

Out of Bandar Lampung I only fly Garuda. In the morning the early 7 to 8 AM flights are on time but as you get more into the later day they are way behind. In the afternoon they are behind enough to use their extra aircraft to try and get back to the scheduled times. Lion and Sriwijaya are also here and people tell me that Sriwijaya are more on schedule then the others.

 

[Euc-]

El-Goretto is correct that Jakarta airport is getting better. Terminal 3 was efficient and is now being refurbished to join Terminal 3 Ultimate (a massive building) so we should soon see some great improvements. The connection from the airport to the southern ring road thru' Puri Indah has also relieved some traffic. The railway ...is it even started?
I think the main thrust from the article I linked as OP has more to do with aircraft arrival/departure delays...and is caused more by inadequate air traffic control than problems in the terminal.
They are in progress to add another runway but I've not heard of any improvements to the Air Traffic Control Services.
I know in Bali the landing navigation features, for such a busy airport, is totally inadequate and can only surmise not much has improved at Soekarno-Hatta either.
Yet Indonesia wants to take-over ATC around Batam/Riau Islands, which has been controlled from Singapore for ages, as Indonesians don't want their sovereign state under the control of another state. Going to be interesting.

fastpitch also has a point as I read Lion and Air Asia are so budget they have no wiggle room if an aircraft has a malfunction...most airlines will have some standby at their main hub.

To see how ATC operates go to 'Flightradar24'. If you see a trail going around in circles it means ATC have put an A/C in a holding pattern because they cannot handle the congestion. This causes delays which mount up overtime.
At a terminal I look for the A/C to arrive...that gives a good insight as to when it might depart with me on board. If it's already on the ramp/gate...good news.

Partly correct, a main factor of delays in Indonesia is indeed inadequate ATC due to lack of training, lack of investment in new equipment and the as always xenophobia of Indonesian government.

Combine that with the immensely increased air traffic in Indonesia in the recent years, the airports simply cannot cope with the demand and operate over capacity in many cases.

So, (A) Too many flights/too few runways + (B) Insufficiently trained ATC + (C) Running ATC basically on near manual systems = Jackpot when it comes to delays

There was talk about sending some ATC's abroad for training and investing a shitload of money in updating all ATC equipment, but they have gone very quiet on that.

Obviously there are also enough delays due to operational matters at airlines, you wouldn't believe how often flights are delayed because for example the Captain or Crew are stuck in traffic somewhere.. (For Garuda) Captain & crew are picked-up from their places of residence 3 hours before scheduled departure time and they are only allowed to live in certain areas around/relatively close to the airport (ok there are some exceptions but the majority adheres to this), yet still it happens that flights are delayed because the crew is stuck.

 

[fmj50]

Is this report for real? I am very surprised. I have been living on and off in Indonesia for 6 years now. Travel quite frequently to Europe, many times every year. Terminal 2 may not look very attractive but I have never had to spend too long a time for security, check-in and immigration. Of all the flights I have taken (which are many) I only remember one which was a little bit late. Usually they are pretty much on time, no matter if it is Garuda, the Gulf airlines, KLM or others. As for arriving, only one time have I had to wait for a long time for my luggage, around one hour. Usually it is only a few minutes wait after immigration. And my bags have always arrived without anything being stolen from them.

As for the Air traffic control, they usually make us do one or two holdings north of Jakarta but never have I experienced more than two. Last year I read a report that they needed 2000 new controllers, preferably "yesterday". I think they are doing a decent job with what they have (I know a bit about this being a former controller myself).

Maybe I am just lucky but it seems to me that this airport is not too bad. The only thing to complain about in my view is the lack of a well stocked bar.

 

[Euc-]

Is this report for real? I am very surprised. I have been living on and off in Indonesia for 6 years now. Travel quite frequently to Europe, many times every year. Terminal 2 may not look very attractive but I have never had to spend too long a time for security, check-in and immigration. Of all the flights I have taken (which are many) I only remember one which was a little bit late. Usually they are pretty much on time, no matter if it is Garuda, the Gulf airlines, KLM or others. As for arriving, only one time have I had to wait for a long time for my luggage, around one hour. Usually it is only a few minutes wait after immigration. And my bags have always arrived without anything being stolen from them.

As for the Air traffic control, they usually make us do one or two holdings north of Jakarta but never have I experienced more than two. Last year I read a report that they needed 2000 new controllers, preferably "yesterday". I think they are doing a decent job with what they have (I know a bit about this being a former controller myself).

Maybe I am just lucky but it seems to me that this airport is not too bad. The only thing to complain about in my view is the lack of a well stocked bar.

There's a big difference between International and Domestic flights

 

[fmj50]

Ah of course, understood. Silly me

 

[jstar]

Yeah, don't forget the domestic network is huge. It is true, in terminal 2 -how ugly and dingy it may be- you won't encounter that many issues. In a -nicer looking- terminal 3 for instance, things get regularly out of hand. And it is amplified during the day. Now the same applies to Halim, the other Jakarta airport. There you often see people freaking out and screaming at the boarding staff, or even walking on the tarmac since the bus did not arrive at the plane, etc.

 

[Davita]

Report today in Jakarta Post is that Terminal 3 at Soekarno-Hatta has already increased the airport charge from Oct 1....

"Passengers were initially not charged to use the facility, but on Oct. 1 the airport operator introduced the new PSC — Rp 130,000 for domestic flights and Rp 200,000 for international flights — as opposed to Rp 40,000 and Rp 150,000, respectively, at the other two terminals."

 

[Banana72]

Five years of flying in and out of Indonesia, I'd have to say the airport experience is getting better and better. Even better than US airports in some respect (believe it or not)...granted, I've always had my papers in order (KITAS, KITAP, etc). Cleanliness is much better and the atmosphere is much friendlier especially vs 15-20 years ago particularly with the customs officer. Just got back from Singapore a couple days ago, and the custom's arrival guy didn't even look at me longer than two seconds...just asked "how long have you been in Indonesia, and how long do you intend to stay" I said "I'm here on a KITAP pak" and offered it...he said "No need". Process time: one minute. Toilets are also consistently clean, and free of smell...

if anything that needed to be improved is the baggage claim area..

I will have to say, I'm just talking general airport experience, comparing Indonesia (now) vs Indonesia (up to a few years back). I have yet to experience delays in the past few years, knock on wood. If I did it was probably a very minor delay like an hour or so.

Worst experience was in Phoenix and New York. Was scheduled to be in New York around eight at night, arriving at 4 in the morning (and the hotel guy sold my room to somebody else), this was when cellphones were not as popular as they are now. It was a nightmare.

 

[Davita]

Just got back from Singapore a couple days ago, and the custom's arrival guy didn't even look at me longer than two seconds...just asked "how long have you been in Indonesia, and how long do you intend to stay" I said "I'm here on a KITAP pak" and offered it...he said "No need". Process time: one minute.

.....are you saying they don't stamp your passport anymore?

 

[Banana72]

.....are you saying they don't stamp your passport anymore?

Sorry, I think they did! I was looking around for my parents & wife when the officer was flipping through the passport pages. It went so fast and he gave me back my passport before i know what's going on!

 

[jstar]

Toilets are also consistently clean, and free of smell...

Ever flown via Istanbul?

 

[Bad_azz]

The airports I like the least : Dubai (but not been there for a few years- so it could have changed) & Heathrow - again not been for a long while but my memory of it was that it was grim , painted in some vile colour that resembled institutional puke green - it did not have anything to make anyone feel welcome & as a first impression of the country to the many many people who come in via that portal - ewww!
My fave airport was the one on Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)- do all the check in then go upstairs an open sun terrace at each end to look out over the apron (? tarmac? ) and watch the planes with the sea as the backdrop. Last time I was there though it had grown a lot in comparison to my first visit 15 years previously- ahh nostalgia.

 

[Jaime C]

My alltime worst airport bathroom was in Rome. Maybe 10-12 years ago. Really disgusting.

And I still don't know why all the airport bathrooms in Malaysia only have the hoses, but not the sprayer. Rather disgusting to me.

 

[Davita]

My alltime worst airport bathroom was in Rome. Maybe 10-12 years ago. Really disgusting.

And I still don't know why all the airport bathrooms in Malaysia only have the hoses, but not the sprayer. Rather disgusting to me.

Sprays are for wimps...real men know how to swirl the hose end in the toilet water, insert while the water is still dribbling, then turn the tap to full blast...

 

[kimdub]

Have to agree with Banana. Just arrived Terminal 2 this AM, 4 AM to be exact. Immigration booths almost fully staffed. Immigration guy even smiled and instead of reviewing every page in my passport, he took less than a minute to wave me through. Luggage took longer than necessary but since it all arrived, I am not going to complain.

Customs also easy. Just put the carry ons through the scanner.

And a long line of Blue Birds waiting.

Certainly a lot easier than arriving at LAX 6 weeks ago.

 

[Banana72]

Ever flown via Istanbul?

No I haven't, but judging from your smiley, whatever you witnessed, I'll take your word for it!

 

[Banana72]

Have to agree with Banana. Just arrived Terminal 2 this AM, 4 AM to be exact. Immigration booths almost fully staffed. Immigration guy even smiled and instead of reviewing every page in my passport, he took less than a minute to wave me through. Luggage took longer than necessary but since it all arrived, I am not going to complain.

Customs also easy. Just put the carry ons through the scanner.

And a long line of Blue Birds waiting.

Certainly a lot easier than arriving at LAX 6 weeks ago.

Not to mention the TSA rent-a-cops often times are on power trips it's ridiculous.

and here you go Kimdub..number 1.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/...ccording-to-pilots-and-flight-attendants.html

 

[Bad_azz]

Have to agree with Banana. Just arrived Terminal 2 this AM, 4 AM to be exact. Immigration booths almost fully staffed. Immigration guy even smiled and instead of reviewing every page in my passport, he took less than a minute to wave me through. Luggage took longer than necessary but since it all arrived, I am not going to complain.

Customs also easy. Just put the carry ons through the scanner.

And a long line of Blue Birds waiting.

Certainly a lot easier than arriving at LAX 6 weeks ago.

LAX would be up there at my third worst- I was very ill at the time - but my experience of the place was awful. This was pre 911 though so I can only assume it has got a whole lot worse

 

[Anglian]

Yes it has B-A, must have some of the worst restaurants in the states, and once through immigration nothing, it looks as though they run out of money, I always fancied having a meal at that big tower, I did it was shite, unbelievably bad

 

[Bad_azz]

Yes it has B-A, must have some of the worst restaurants in the states, and once through immigration nothing, it looks as though they run out of money, I always fancied having a meal at that big tower, I did it was shite, unbelievably bad

I just remember it feeling so aggressive and unwelcoming- like they were doing us a favour letting us in. It has deffo put me off wishing to visit the USA again.