Trip planning questions....will this work?

[outofofficebrb]

I’m glad you decided against your original plan because I was going to say no way, don’t do it. Even if you could get through customs and baggage, transferring terminals wasn’t that quick due to how often the buses come at Jakarta. Additionally, delays happen all the time, and the more connections you have, the more possibilities for issues to arise. Don’t forget these are offline connections meaning you have to exit plane and get your baggage on your own, possibly change terminals, and re-check everything before the baggage and check in cut off times.

Indonesia is not known for having reliable on time flights when you might need it the most. I think leaving yourself more time would be best. I think arriving Jakarta at 4:45 and catching a 9:45 is doable.

Don’t forget to factor in your no fly times, too. I know you’re limited on vacation but don’t forget the important details! You may also want to look into travel insurance or what you get with your credit card for certain delays, cancellations, interruptions, weather, etc or what it costs to catch up and rebook.

Keep in mind typhoon season in Japan and Hong Kong. October is generally quite late to have one but it does happen and will affect or delay travel. I almost was affected by one in late Oct in Japan returning from Indo.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Dan T - I had wondered about this. The flight westwards from NY to Indonesia seemed murderous. I wondered if it might be easier to go east. From the UK we use Singapore Airline and it's affilliates. It seems expensive at first but the further you travel, the better value for money it becomes. If you factor in time (and effort) in airports, I'm not sure it works out much longer. And then there is the generous luggage allowance and checking it all the way through. For east coast US I wonder if flying via London to pick up Garuda into Indonesia might also work.

 

[Dan]

Dan T - I had wondered about this. The flight westwards from NY to Indonesia seemed murderous. I wondered if it might be easier to go east. From the UK we use Singapore Airline and it's affilliates. It seems expensive at first but the further you travel, the better value for money it becomes. If you factor in time (and effort) in airports, I'm not sure it works out much longer. And then there is the generous luggage allowance and checking it all the way through. For east coast US I wonder if flying via London to pick up Garuda into Indonesia might also work.

Haven’t tried Garuda from UK to Indonesia, yet. I’m happy with Singapore with the flexibility to go either Jakarta or Denpasar at very competitive price & great service. I’ve been doing this way for the last 10 years. I can fly from Sorong at Saturday noon and arriving in Houston at 1pm-ish on Sunday.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Garuda used to have the reputation as being the airline with outside toilets but they are very much climbing up the reports on "good airlines". They have good legroom in economy.

The relevance to this thread is that perhaps it would be possible for a compromise on taking leave from work - with a comfortable flight, work could be done on the plane. Good wifi at Singapore airport too. By the way, Singapore Airlines is changing its fare structure. I think there are at least three types/prices of economy ticket, the difference being on flexibility, eg whether you can change the dates etc later.

 

[Manneca]

I pretty much only dive Indo-Pacific. I'm retired so I have some flexibility but I always build in several days to recover from jet lag. I did a live aboard Biak to Sorong and two couples flew in from Darwin (not long flights or much of a time difference, but overnight flights) missed an entire day of diving because they were so tired. Garuda is really not so bad. I've flown them only intra Indonesia, but if you can get flights entirely on Garuda tickets you're a bit more protected if things go south. (If you're booking separate tickets Jakarta-Sorong, you risk missing the flight to Sorong with your tickets cancelled for no show, particularly if it's a LCC.) A day cushion is good.

 

[Dan]

Thing did go south on one of my dive buddy on the way home from So wrong. Garuda flight from Makassar to Jakarta was 2 hours late, shaving his connection to Singapore with Singapore Airlines from 4 to 2 hours & his luggage didn’t make it to Jakarta until the next flight. So, he had to rush to Singapore & continue on to Houston without his luggage. Garuda would not ship his luggage to Houston and only to Jakarta. Luckily One of my dive buddy who lives in Jakarta had the same problem & able to pick up his luggage & sent curriers to Denpasar to give it to me as I stay in Bali for 3 days longer before going home. I ended going home from Denpasar to Houston with an extra luggage.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Dan T your post should be compulsory reading. Yes, this is serious advice. And I've repeatedly heard about So Wrong. And again, the advantages of booking with one carrier. Transfer times - decide what is worse, sitting in an airport reading a book and getting bored, or missing a connection/losing your luggage. And don't put anything in your check baggage that you can't happily wave goodbye to. When KLM (Kases Lost Manytimes) lost our luggage - again - we just smiled, it was just a matter of expense to replace, there was nothing of any sentimental attachment.

Travelling in Indonesia is fine, many of the airports are much better than you might expect, but you have to keep alert and have back up plans.

 

[Dan]

Dan T your post should be compulsory reading. Yes, this is serious advice. And I've repeatedly heard about So Wrong. And again, the advantages of booking with one carrier. Transfer times - decide what is worse, sitting in an airport reading a book and getting bored, or missing a connection/losing your luggage. And don't put anything in your check baggage that you can't happily wave goodbye to. When KLM (Kases Lost Manytimes) lost our luggage - again - we just smiled, it was just a matter of expense to replace, there was nothing of any sentimental attachment.

Travelling in Indonesia is fine, many of the airports are much better than you might expect, but you have to keep alert and have back up plans.

Good advice pelan-pelan (pole-pole in Swahili or slowly-slowly in English).

 

[Dan]

Thanks all... I realize the flight will be brutal. We will leave out of LIT on Wed morning and arrive in Jakarta late Thursday night had hoped to get into Sorong as early as possible Friday to recover. Our boat leaves Saturday morning. There is a 545am flight from Jakarta to Sorong and that sounds like a better plan. Didn't want to hang at airport for 6 hours waiting for our next flight. Would love it if we were able to go a day or 2 earlier but work won't allow it. Coming back we can fly from Ambon and arrive in Jakarta at 445pm, connecting flight leaves at 945pm. Will that be enough time?

Much better flight itinerary. If you fly with Garuda from the new terminal 3, 6-hour wait in that airport would be a breeze. You can hangout in Starbucks or any open shops for coffee & good Wi-Fi access. I did that in last November (see a picture of the new Terminal 3, below)

You mentioned about going with Blue Manta. I plan to do a trip with that boat in September 2019 on Ring of Fire trip. Please let us know how do you like it.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[pelan-pelan]

Nice photo. Six hours is not so bad if there are showers, coffee, a quiet area like they have at Singapore Changi. For what it's worth, don't assume Melbourne airport is civilised. Filthy place, food all over the floor, loos all blocked, no hot water, majority of shops closed in the middle of the day and nowhere comfortable to sit. Don't mean to hijack the thread but some people travel through Australia to Indonesia. At the top of the tree - hands up who's been to Ternate airport. Marble, orchids, it's like a palace. Could live there but feel a scruffian like me might get thrown out.

Jakarta in four weeks' time and counting.