Booking domestic flights from abroad

[bintang_shrimp]

Book directly through garuda or the two main indonesian travel website : Traveloka and nusatrip. Booked dozens of flights with both of them and never had an issue.

This. They can book any Indo airline with US cards. Only catch is I'm not seeing AirAsia on there lately. I think it's some kind of monopolistic campaign by Garuda and other gvmt. owned Indo airlines to force them off the booking agencies. But you can still see AirAsia flights on Skyscanner and book directly on their own website. They often have much better luggage prices than LyingAir etc.

 

[Fragola]

I booked a return flight directly through Garuda from DPS-LBJ and back again for July and Aug. It was booked months ago. I received several notices of flight consolidations for my travel days that went from 3 flights per day to one flight. The only issue I had was the return flight they automatically moved me to was earlier in the day and conflicted with my check out plans and boat transfer that day.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I booked a return flight directly through Garuda from DPS-LBJ and back again for July and Aug. It was booked months ago. I received several notices of flight consolidations for my travel days that went from 3 flights per day to one flight. The only issue I had was the return flight they automatically moved me to was earlier in the day and conflicted with my check out plans and boat transfer that day.

How did you handle that issue?

 

[Fragola]

How did you handle that issue?

I ended up booking an additional one way flight from LBJ-DPS on Wings Air.

 

[howswedeofme]

We booked directly with Garuda for DPS to LBJ in May. No issues at all. Our flight times were changes a little but not by much and I received emails about it. I fly Delta whenever I can or, when I can't, with a SkyTeam Alliance member and since Garuda is in the SkyTeam Alliance I felt a little more comfortable booking without an agent.

 

[GirlonFire]

I booked my PT NAM flights direct on the Sriwijaya website.
I am US based and had no issues with payment or otherwise.
I used flights from Bali to Labuan Bajo, Bima to Bali and round trio Bali/Alor.

 

[scubaNYC16]

I was in Komodo and Bali last month and be prepared for delays and mishaps on internal flights which are pretty common. Going to Labuan Bajo from Bali, NAM sent half the plane's bags back to Bali. We landed at 1130am and got our bags on boat at 9pm. This after them telling us the flight was leaving an hour earlier than scheduled and then being delayed for 2 hours. Coming back Wings was delayed for over 3 hours with barely any info but a nice paper bag with some snacks. I hear Garuda is more reliable but their schedule didn't work.

 

[billt4sf]

I will only add that, when you are at the airport in Indo - ANY airport in Indo - show them your boarding pass and make sure you are at the right gate. Do not depend on the electronic signs as we do in the West.

Get up and ask again since they have a habit of moving the gate and making unintelligible announcements.

When you see a bunch of people standing around, DO NOT assume they are waiting to board your flight. (Ask me how I know).

When you board the plane, state the name of your destination to every airline person you see, especially to the flight attendant as you step on the plane. Sometimes they have multiple destinations boarding through the same gate at the same time.

- Bill