a plane on the runway

My Aero Dili A320 flight in business class from Dili to Bali was a comfortable ride with a good meal, attentive, service, and plenty of privacy: I was the only (paying) passenger in the forward cabin!

Aero Dili A320 Business Class Review (DIL-DPS)

I paid $386 for my one-way flight in business class, plus an extra $50 to Trip.com in case I had to cancel it (otherwise, the ticket would have been non-refundable). Very few online travel agencies (OTAs) offer Aero Dili tickets, but Trip.com is one of them and the booking process was very straightforward.

The check-in and boarding process is quite unique in Dili (I outlined it here). The airport is not in great shape and after checking in, I was transported by bus to a departure area, where I enjoyed a cup of coffee while waiting for my flight to board.

a group of people standing outside a building

a couple of people standing in a building

a wood paneling with signs

a yellow sign on a wall

a group of people in a building

a hallway with a door open

people sitting on a bench in a building

a row of chairs in a building

a group of chairs in a building

a person sitting in a car

a couple of people walking into a house

a road with trees and plants

a group of people in a room

a man standing in a room with a coffee machine

a hand holding a cup of coffee

a group of people sitting in chairs in a room

30 minutes before scheduled departure, boarding was called and passengers were invited to walk out to the aircraft, parked exactly where we had landed the previous afternoon.

a plane with flags on it

Aero Dili (8G) 181
Dili (DIL) – Bali (DPS)
Monday, November 3
Depart: 9:00 AM
Arrive: 9:55 AM
Duration: 1hr, 55min
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Distance: 708 miles
Seat: 1A (Business Class)

As I stepped onboard, a flight attendant checked my boarding pass and pointed to my seat in the first row.

Seat

The business class cabin on the Aero Dili A320 is eight seats in a 2-2 configuration. Seats include greater recline and a foot rest and are more akin to an international premium economy seat rather than a “domestic first class” seat in the USA.

a woman standing in the middle of an airplane

a woman standing in an airplane

a row of chairs in an airplane

a plane with seats and windows

the inside of an airplane with seats and windows

a seat in an airplane

a row of seats in an airplane

a seat in an airplane

a man sitting in a plane

While the seat was showing its age in terms of some cracking and discoloration, it was functional.

a seat with buttons and switches

Individual air vents and reading lights were available in the overhead panel:

a ceiling with lights and a sign

The flight was about 3/4 full in the back, but I was the only passenger in business class…until at some point in the flight an Aero Dili engineer sat down in the second row of business class on the opposite of me. Aero Dili flies its own mechanics on its flights each day, which makes sense to me versus paying for service at its outstations (much like United does on its 737 Island Hopper service).

an airplane with seats and windows

Food + Drink

Before takeoff, a warm towel and beverage were offered:

a glass of water and a towel on a tray

Even though this was a short flight and 9:00 am departure, lunch was served after takeoff.

Choices were between chicken or beef. The flight attendant recommended beef so I tried that and was glad I did…it was like a hamburger with a savory combination of spices and was served with rice, broccoli, and French Fries. Bread, fruit, and some sort of bright green gelatin dessert were served on the side along with a slice of processed cheese. The table setting included a full-size salt and pepper shaker (the salt shaker was cracked).

a plate of food on a tray

a plate of food with a side of rice and vegetables

a plate of food on a plane

a loaf of bread in a bowl

a plate of food and salt and pepper shakers

a hand holding a packet of chili sauce

a plate of food with rice and vegetables — The hamburger was topped with bay leaves, onions, tomatoes, and other spices.

a plate of food and a glass of water on a tray

I did not ask about alcohol and that’s on me…I wasn’t even thinking about it, but I should have inquired what was on offer.

I concluded the meal with a cup of coffee, which was strong and bold. Timor-Leste knows how to do coffee!

a cup of coffee and saucer with a spoon and a pitcher of sugar

Service

The crew was very lovely and attentive…I think there was a bit of awkwardness over me being the only passenger, but the crews on Aero Dili were excellent on both flights.

a woman in a red dress standing in an airplane — Attentive cabin crew on Aero Dili

a man and two women in red uniforms

IFE + Wi-Fi

There was no in-flight-entertainment or Wi-Fi onboard. There were also no power plugs, though there was an in-flight magazine, oecumenical prayer card, and duty free catalog.

But it was a beautiful day to fly and I did not even pull my laptop out of my bag, instead enjoying the views for the entire 90-minute flight.

a sign on the road

a person walking in a dirt field

a town on a beach

a body of water with a body of water and a boat in the middle

a body of water with land and mountains in the background

an airplane wing and a body of water with a boat in the distance

a body of water with mountains and land in the distance

an aerial view of land and water

an airplane wing and wing of an airplane

an airplane wing over a body of water

an island with boats in the water

Lavatory

Business class passengers use a dedicated lavatory in the front of the aircraft. It was clean (toilet paper was even neatly folded) and included L’Occitane skin products.

a sink and toilet in a bathroom

a group of bottles in a metal container

a toilet paper rolls on a counter

CONCLUSION

We landed early in Bali and I was soon on my way through immigration for my connection to Jakarta.

This flight was not cheap when you consider how short it was, but it’s always fun to fly on the flag carrier of another nation, and I do hope to return to Timor-Leste one day and maybe next time ride the A319 with lie-flat beds!

And finally, may I mention that there was no Josh Cahill-style drama! The food was very good and did not make me sick…