This is a Garuda Indonesia connecting flights guide.
In this guide, you’ll learn about how to book Garuda Indonesia connecting flights. This guide also covers baggage policy, air passenger rights and compensation rules. Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier of Indonesia, with its headquarters at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The airline operates flights to more than 90 destinations in 12 countries.
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
1
Is It Protected?
Yes, it’s a protected connection.
Traditional airlines sell airline-protected connecting flights. It’s more convenient and more safe than self-transfer flights. You don’t need a visa for connecting flights like this.
Unless you book flights separately.
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2
Baggage Rules
Airline takes care of your baggage.
Mostly, you will check in baggage only once — you won’t have to recheck baggage for every flight. This is how it works with full-service airlines and airline-protected connecting flights.
Baggage allowance depends on the ticket, destination and occasionally some other factors.
3
Travel Insurance
Make your trip more safe.
Add travel insurance right away. Protect yourself against possible itinerary changes later right from the very beginning. Insurance must be for the duration of the trip.
Make your trip safe from day 1.
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1. Garuda Indonesia Connecting Flights
Garuda Indonesia is a full-service traditional airline.
It offers airline-protected connecting flights. On these type of flights, passengers are protected in case of flight delay, cancellation or denied boarding. If you miss your connection because of that, Garuda Indonesia will provide you with a new flight ticket to your original final destination.
That’s just one of the examples why airline-protected connecting flights are better than self transfers. If you have a self-transfer, you don’t have such perks.
Airline-protected connecting flights are:
- Safer. Your airline takes care of flight problems.
- More convenient. Baggage transfer is automatic.
- Easier to book. You book several flights as a single journey.
Yes, Garuda Indonesia sells airline-protected connecting flights.
1.1 Connecting Flights, One Airline
In some situations you will fly with Garuda Indonesia only.
Your connecting flight will consist of two or more flights which will be operated by Garuda Indonesia. These will be Garuda Indonesia airplanes and their staff. But it’s not the case with every Garuda Indonesia connecting flight.
1.2 Garuda Indonesia Codeshare Partners
Sometimes airlines share their flights.
It is done to widen the flight network. Thanks to this, airlines can offer flights to destinations they don’t service. So, you may book a connecting flight from Garuda Indonesia, but it might be operated by another airline. You will fly with another airline, on their airplane. Connecting flights with different airlines are common in the aviation industry. These kind of flights are called codeshare flights, and airlines collaborating — codeshare partners.
What you should know is that:
- If you miss a connecting flight through no fault of your own, you don’t have to worry about anything. Contact Garuda Indonesia to find out what are your options. In most cases, you’ll be offered a new flight to your final destination. Even if a part of your connecting flight was operated by a partner airline, not Garuda Indonesia.
- If your flight is heavily delayed, cancelled or overbooked, compensation is paid by airline operating this particular flight. If it’s operated by some other airline, not Garuda Indonesia, then they are called operating airline — they have to pay compensation when it’s due.
See a list of Garuda Indonesia codeshare partners here.
2. What If Garuda Indonesia Cancels a Flight?
Why are airlines cancelling their flights?
The reasons are numerous. Bad weather, strikes, staffing shortages, technical problems, airport congestion, security issues. These are just some of the most popular reasons why it’s happening.
2.1 One of Your Flights Is Cancelled
Garuda Indonesia is an Indonesian airline.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:
- Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
- Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).
This applies to all their flights departing from Europe.
If you miss your connection because of the delay or cancellation, contact Garuda Indonesia and ask for assistance. They have to offer you an alternative flight to your final destination. If your Garuda Indonesia flight departs from Europe, you may also opt for a full refund instead.
You may have a right to compensation, too (more on this below).
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
2.2 All Your Flights Are Cancelled
Overall, for you as a passenger, the options are the same.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, Garuda Indonesia must:
- Offer you a choice between a new flight and full refund.
- Offer you assistance at the airport if it’s a last-minute cancellation and you are already at the airport (you have a right to care).
This applies to their flights departing from Europe.
Refund must be paid within seven days.
You may have a right to EU flight cancellation compensation.
2.3 Garuda Indonesia Refund for Cancellation
Yes, you have a right to ask for a refund.
If your flight departs from Europe, you can opt for a refund.
If the alternate flight doesn’t fit your travel plans, request a refund. It has to be paid by bank transfer within 7 days.
3. Garuda Indonesia Missed Connecting Flight
Why do people miss their connecting flights?
You may miss a connecting flight because your previous flight was delayed or cancelled. You may miss a flight because of airport congestions and long lines. And, sometimes, you may simply make a mistake and wait at the wrong gate or fall asleep while waiting for flight.
3.1 What Happens If You Miss Garuda Indonesia Connection?
If it’s your fault that it happened — it’s your responsibility.
If it’s not your fault, then your airline has to take care of that. If you booked a flight from Garuda Indonesia, it doesn’t even matter if the flight is operated by Garuda Indonesia or its partners, you should contact Garuda Indonesia. It’s their responsibility to find a solution.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004, they must:
- Take you to your final destination as soon as possible.
- Offer you assistance at the airport (you have a right to care).
In case of Garuda Indonesia, some of this apply only to flights from Europe.
Read more: Missed Connecting Flight Due to Delay
3.2 Right to Compensation from Garuda Indonesia
Sometimes you have a right to compensation.
If your Garuda Indonesia flight:
- Departs from the EU, EEA or UK,
- Arrives to destination 3 or more hours late,
- Is delayed or cancelled due to the fault of the airline
Then you might be entitled to flight compensation from Garuda Indonesia.
Flight cancelled less than 2 weeks before the trip?
You might be entitled to flight cancellation compensation.
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
3.3 Right to Care from Garuda Indonesia
On all Garuda Indonesia flights departing from Europe you have a right to care.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:
- Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary.
- Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
- Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails.
With Garuda Indonesia the regulation applies only to flights departing from European airports. With European airlines, like KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Wizz Air and British Airways, it applies to all their flights.
When it comes to air passenger rights, unless otherwise stated, we talk about air passenger rights in the EU, EEA and UK. When we say Europe or European, we mean EU, EEA or UK. This is done for the simplicity, since the according laws in these countries are about the same.
4. How to Book Connecting Flights with Garuda Indonesia?
You can do it directly from Garuda Indonesia or via a third-party.
Visit the website of Garuda Indonesia to book connecting flights directly from the airline. This is the best and safest option. Alternatively, you can book Garuda Indonesia flights using a third-party booking website, such as kiwi.com.
How to Book?
Airline website (directly).
This is the easiest way to book a connecting flight. It’s also the safest way to book a connection. You make a single booking, have a single reservation code and the booking includes several flights. Sometimes they are all with one airline, other times – two or more. Anyway, in this case, you can be 100% sure that you have a proper connecting flight.
Other Option
Flight booking websites.
Few examples: skyscanner.net, expedia.com, momondo.com.
Pay attention to the details. Because some of these sites are only search engines, and sellers are other websites. Apart from that, they often sell both airline-protected connecting flights and self-transfer flights. If it’s a self-transfer, know that it comes with its own risks, and there are things you should take into account. Self-transfer is not the same thing as airline-protected transfer.
For extra protection, buy also a travel insurance covering flight disruptions, or book with sites like kiwi.com, who offer extra protection.
With kiwi.com you are more protected than normally.
Read more: How to Book Connecting Flights?
5. Garuda Indonesia Connecting Flights: Baggage
Since Garuda Indonesia is a traditional airline, everything’s very easy.
Baggage rules on connecting flights with Garuda Indonesia are simple.
In short, Garuda Indonesia takes care of your baggage. In most cases, you’ll need to check in your bag only once — before the first flight. The airline will take care of your bag throughout the journey. You don’t have to collect and recheck baggage between flights. Unless you have a self-transfer, or you’re traveling through a country that requires everyone to collect and recheck their baggage between connecting flights (the US is one such example).
If you aren’t sure, ask the staff when checking in your bag.
5.1 Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
What happens if there are several airlines?
What if one of your flights is operated by different airline, not Garuda Indonesia? As we already talked, you may experience this, because Garuda Indonesia does share some of its flights with its codeshare partners. In this situation the rules are the same — your baggage is being taken care of by an airline. In most situations you won’t have to worry about it.
Read more:
- Connecting Flight Baggage Transfer: Different Airlines
- Lost Baggage on Connecting Flights
- Delayed Baggage on Connecting Flights
- What is Checked Baggage?
5.2 Garuda Indonesia Free Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance varies — it’s not the same on all flights.
It depends on the airline, travel class, ticket type and destination.
Check booking confirmation to see your baggage allowance. If you are only booking Garuda Indonesia connecting flight, you can see the free baggage allowance when you choose your travel class and ticket type.
5.3 Economy Light
This is the cheapest option for long-haul flights.
Economy Light comes without free baggage allowance.
We see this all across the industry. Full-service traditional airlines are offering also tickets without free checked baggage allowance. The wording is also often the same — Economy Light. So, if you see this, most likely it’s without checked baggage (carry on baggage only).
Garuda Indonesia doesn’t have an “Economy Light” travel class (for now). All passengers get free baggage allowance on flights operated by Garuda Indonesia. However, airline baggage policy can change. Make sure you check what is included in the fare when you are making a booking.
Read more: What Is Carry-on Bag / Baggage?
6. Connecting Flight Examples
Here are two connecting flight examples with Garuda Indonesia.
6.1 Protected Connecting Flights with Garuda Indonesia (Most Common)
For this example I’ll use the website of Garuda Indonesia.
Let’s assume that you want to fly from Istanbul to Denpasar (Bali).
You have found flights for October 1, and these are the options:
On their website Garuda Indonesia sells only protected connecting flights. However, as we can see, not all of the flights are operated by Garuda Indonesia. For example, the first option is partly operated by Turkish Airlines. When you click on “Booking Details” you can see that there are two flights: Istanbul – Jakarta and Jakarta – Bali. The first flight is operated by Turkish Airlines, but the second one — by Garuda Indonesia.
Also pay attention to total flight duration, number of stops and price.
6.2 Self-Transfer Flights with Garuda Indonesia
Now let’s assume that Bali is not your final destination.
After a day or two of rest, you want to fly to Lombok which is your final destination. You’ve booked a stay in a tranquil resort on the beach. You’ll explore Bali on your way back. But first you want to have a more quiet beach experience.
- You can book a connecting flight to Bali, like in the example above. You’ve decided to book the first option which arrives in Bali at 10:10 am.
- And then you go to kiwi.com, skyscanner.net or some other flight search engine, and book a flight from Bali to Lombok. Leaving yourself, let’s say, 1 day in Bali (a one day stopover in Bali). You may also book directly from an airline serving flights on this route (for example, from AirAsia).
Your Istanbul – Bali flight is an airline-protected connecting flight. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, Garuda Indonesia will put you on another flight for free. You don’t have to worry about anything. However, your last flight (Bali – Lombok) is a separately booked flight. It includes a self-transfer layover / stopover. You will need to check in for this flight separately. If you have checked bag, you will have to collect and check it in for the next flight. All of this takes time. So when booking such a flight (self-transfer), leave yourself plenty of time between the connecting flight and the self transfer.
Also, you will need to clear immigration in this case.
What is your experience with Garuda Indonesia? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Garuda Indonesia? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive compensation from Garuda Indonesia?
Featured photo by Jeffry Surianto
About the author:
Una is an organized globetrotter and foodie who’s been living a digital nomad lifestyle since 2013. She always starts her day early with a good book before diving into work. Apart from traveling and aviation, her other passions include gym, hiking and cycling. Una is also a strong proponent of AI technology. She firmly believes in its potential to simplify life and has often advocated for its wider adoption in our day-to-day activities. Her favorite airlines are Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM.
