French flying from Jakarta: can I still request a 72 hours visa free transit?

Last night I was to fly to Beijing and from there to another country. But China airline desks at the Jakarta airport did not let me take my flight saying that I need an entry permit. I showed them my plane ticket to fly out to the next country, I showed them the entry permits in my passport for the next country destination, I explained them that I was just in transit, and I am french and therefore I am allowed to request a 72 hours free transit. They still denied me getting on the plane. Why? Is it because I was leaving from Jakarta Indonesia? Is it because the flight was having a stop in Xiamen before heading to Beijing? Please help me understand and advise, thank you Beatrice