Left Perth last night with wife, 4 kids and wife's girlfriend on the 5.10pm AirAsia flight out of Perth, took off at 5.10 and landing in Bali smack on 8.30pm. Had to take the bus to the terminal. Flight was uneventful except they ran out of arrival cards, we got 2 cards between 7 of us, had to fill in the rest after we landed. Had pre-ordered meals which were OK, but serving sizes small.
Booked VIPVOA and hotel transfer with Murti, so glad we did. I actually expected immigration to be quiet when we arrived, but I decided to book VIPVOA anyway as an insurance policy after being stuck in a 2 hour queue back in March.
No queue at VOA but the immigration lines where back to the VOA booths. We were escorted past the queues to the empty domestic/crew booth, quick headcount by the immigration official and straight to the baggage belt.
Surprised to see our bags already chucking bog laps on the conveyer belt, instructed the teenagers to guard bags while us adults went for a smoke in the toilet sized smokers room. Our "guide" was waiting for us when we returned with fully processed passports, straight thru customs and outside to meet Murti (lovely lady) and paid her for VIP and transfers in Aussie dollars. Wasn't enough room for 7 of us and 5 bags, so Murti waited with the 3 left behind bags for the van to drop us off and return for the bags. Didn't charge us any extra.
After reading all positive and negative reviews here on BTF regarding VIPVOA I'm glad I've tried it for myself and my opinion is if you can afford it, do it. It doesn't slow down the line for anyone else because they use the domestic/crew immigration officials to process the passports who are standing around doing nothing anyway.
Hope this post doesn't start another VIPVOA 'flame war', just wanted to report my experience.
John