Here’s a little story and confession about my (last) trip. I booked my tickets since end of April, for the long weekend in May 9-12 (Thursday to Sunday). So it was a pretty much planned trip, with the main purpose to join my sister’s holiday in Surabaya, then Yogyakarta. The ticket was for flights between Jakarta-Surabaya, and Yogyakarta-Jakarta. The first flight to Surabaya was an afternoon flight, so I would have some time to rest and pack stuff on the 9th.

True as predicted, I didn’t do much packing the night before the trip. I finished packing in the morning of Thursday the 9th (not a good example, perhaps). While packing I also prepared some snack box, and still actually went out for lunch with the boyfriend; which is where the twist started.

I planned to use the Damri “shuttle” bus from Terminal Blok M to the Soekarna Hatta airport, but the time calculation was a bit off. Initial plan was to be at the bus station on 1 pm. Turned out we were out for lunch at Blok M Square from 1++ pm to 2pm – which I thought was still okay, as long as I didn’t delay any further and be at bus station on 2pm. And that… didn’t happen as well. I clumsily left my small hand-carried medical pouch in boyfriend’s car – and it required about 20 minutes to go back to the car park and retrieve the pouch.

By that time I started to get cranky and panicky… since… you know what, my flight was on 4.15pm. So on my way to the bus station, a little before 2.30pm, I decided to change my transport plan, and took a taxi straight to airport. Cost difference was quite something, but it was a decision I’m grateful of.

With another delay due to traffic jam in Slipi area (in tollway, darned it!) I managed to arrive at the airport perimeter on 3.30pm (by this time I got really cranky), and reached the terminal 1C on 3.40-ish. It was almost 30mins to flight time, and check in counter would be closed any time! I was walking-running to the terminal, passed the security check, to find… it was a full-house long queue to the check-in counter. Desperate? Definitely.

I actually had started to prepare myself for the worst possibility of missing my flight (*cough* not my first time *cough*), when the check in officers were starting to shout: “Surabaya and Denpasar passengers please step forward first! Surabaya and Denpasar..” Holy thank the Lord! I slided through the queue and anxiously tried to find the vacant counter… and guess what, 3.55pm I’m done and ready to go to the boarding room. I even still got time to bought some throat soothers and chewing gum.

The funny and annoying part is when I found out that the boarding gate was keep on changing. I was told to go to Gate 4, to find that it is moved to Gate 3, and on the very final announcement, we were actually boarding through Gate 6. Haha. 4.10pm, I was already in my plane, waiting for 4.20pm departure (which was then delayed a bit to 4.30pm departure).

So, it was great thing I didn’t miss a flight (again). When was than happened? Uhm, perhaps in another post, please? Here I just want to put final notes for any of you who are planning to take a flight, and don’t want to miss it:

• Know your flight schedule well, and do web check-in if possible (especially if you have no baggage)
• Domestic flight: Check in usually open 2 hours before flight schedule, and closed half an hour before flight. Flights would recommend you to do check in about 1 hour before schedule, but arriving earlier would be better (the queue line should be shorter if you’re earlier).
• International flight: Do come 3 hours before your flight.
• Waiting at the airport is better than got panicking on your way to airport.
• Prepare your ID card or other proof of identification, and some cash to pay airport tax.

I guess that’s for now. What if you miss a flight? Hm.. I’d write that in another post, for sure.
Or better, have you ever missed a flight? Share your tips to me, if you have some!