For the impromptu trip to Sing, hubby booked me on Jetstar Airways. Very cheap at 100USD return. One of the reasons I had a hard time finding the check-in counter was because I was looking for Jetstar, but apparently it is also called ValuAir.
The plane was okay. Not as new as Air Asia but doable. The staff was pleasant and helpful on the Jakarta to Singapore flight, but on the way back they were quite brusque.

Enjoyed my cupcake while reading Eat Pray Love (inspired to continue reading it after my Bali trip!)
I thought they wouldn’t be serving anything, but was pleasantly surprised by a free cupcake & water. The muffin was yummy and moist – unlike the dried up pastries that are usually served on planes, but the water was warm (hmmm I wonder why). During the return flight to Jakarta they managed to serve chilled water to the people in the first few rows. The ones for the people in the back didn’t look cold.
Browsed through their catalogue and found it relatively more expensive. Shouldn’t it be cheaper because it’s duty free?
But all-in-all, considering how cheap the flight was, I say Jetstar is pretty good value for money. I recommend for short trips (distance & duration of stay).
Jetstar trumps all the other budget airlines flying from SIN to MNL. The 20kg checked baggage allowance alone wins it.
Wow 20kg? Not bad at all! Too bad there’s no direct Jetstar flight from Jakarta to Manila !
DW my husband had to drop us off at jakarta at my inlaws place and he got airasia one way ticket for us$30 which is still the cheapest we had ever seen and my husband got it to go jakarta- singapore. this was last june. still i cant believe airlines sell tichet that cheap.