Question Confused about Batik Air Baggage policy for SCUBA gear

[Pearlman]

Hey Folks
I am flying to Manado via Jakarta in July but seeing different T&C for Batik Air. This link Batik Malaysia Baggage policy says the following:

SPORTS EQUIPMENT : Accepted as CHECKED IN BAGGAGE within the permitted baggage allowance and MUST SIGN the Limited Release Tag (LRT)

Diving equipment/Bowling ball/Golf bag
• Weight calculated within given flight ticket regular baggage allowance

While this link Batik Air Indonesia Flights says the following:

• Especially for Batik Air Indonesia (ID) flight routes, if you bring diving equipment, you will get an additional free baggage allowance of 15 KG. For connecting routes with other Lion Air group flights, you will not get a free 15 KG allowance for diving equipment.

• Passenger need to declare while check-in, that checked baggage consist of diving equipment, failed to do this will resulting an Excess baggage to be paid (non-refundable).

I fly two-hops via KUL on to Jakarta on the 1st leg and then on to Manado via domestic flight using Batik Air again.

So do I get this extra 15kg sports equipment allowance over and above my 20kg checked baggage allowance on my BLR > KUL > CGK route on all the hops/legs?

The tickets were booked on Batik Air Malaysia which is a sister concern of Batik Air Indonesia, but the thing is clicking on the ticket booking link for Batik Air Indonesia https://www.batikair.com/ redirects to https://www.batikair.com.my/. And then I also expect to get the 15kg free extra allowance for the CGK > MDC domestic route based on the above but I am confused about that too given that the flight was book on the MY sister concern site.

I wrote to customer care and after a week delay all I got was the T&C for the Malaysia website that says sports equipment is withing the allowed baggage limit only and not an additional 15kg + 20kg default ...

Nobody seems to be aware of the Batik Air Indonesia Flights T&C for SCUBA gear!

 

[Mod63]

look at your ticket: Does the flight numbers start with "OD" or "ID"?

 

[Pearlman]

look at your ticket: Does the flight numbers start with "OD" or "ID"?

Its OD for the International legs and ID for the domestic… are you saying only the ID flights have the extra 15kg?

 

[rmorgan]

We have had good luck with Batik and other regional carriers in having our SCUBA gear fly at no charge, even where it was a few kg over the 15.

 

[JonnieB]

Have flown Batik, Air Asia, Thai Lion, and Scoot around SE Asia with 20-25 kilos of scuba gear in checked luggage. Never declared it, just bought a ticket with 25 kilo baggage allowance and stuffed in my gear. Also don't forget 7 kilo carry-on, which several carriers allow you to upgrade to 10-15 kilos for $10 or so. Also, never had "sticky fingers" issues with checked baggage in over 25 years winging it in the region

 

[Stndinup]

We just went through Indonesia by way of Jakarta. Flew both Batik and Lyon to and from Alor with no baggage issues. We purchased more weight for our dive bags which you can do through the website. They didn't weigh our carry-on's. The overhead storage was big enough for backpacks. I had 6 rechargeable battery's in 1 case and they did open that and insect it. It was in my carry on and they let it go through. It was much easier than we expected. Leave enough time between connections, most of ours were a bit late. Jakarta's main terminal is amazing so a lay over there is actually enjoyable.

 

[Pearlman]

Dang! I missed this subtle observation! All clear now …

Especially for Batik Air Indonesia (ID) flight routes,…

 

[Christian]

We just went through Indonesia by way of Jakarta. Flew both Batik and Lyon to and from Alor with no baggage issues. We purchased more weight for our dive bags which you can do through the website. They didn't weigh our carry-on's. The overhead storage was big enough for backpacks. I had 6 rechargeable battery's in 1 case and they did open that and insect it. It was in my carry on and they let it go through. It was much easier than we expected. Leave enough time between connections, most of ours were a bit late. Jakarta's main terminal is amazing so a lay over there is actually enjoyable.

Going to Alor on the 02:00 Batik flight from Jakarta in beginning of September. Bought 30 kgs luggage on nusatrip.com. Booked a room at airport hotel as I will have 11ish hours to spend (land @15:00 in Jakarta). Good to hear it went fairly smooth. Any other heads up appreciated as this is a first in Alor for me.

 

[cozcharlie]

FYI: I had my dive travel agent (from a well known dive travel company) inquire with the Indonesian agency they use to book intra-Indonesia flights. They did confirm an extra 15kg allowance for scuba equipment in a separate bag on the Batik flights I have booked from Jakarta to LBJ/Komodo and from Ambon to Jakarta in the next couple of months.

Now whether the Batik employee at the check-in counter actually honors that policy is a whole other question .

 

[Pearlman]

FYI: I had my dive travel agent (from a well known dive travel company) inquire with the Indonesian agency they use to book intra-Indonesia flights. They did confirm an extra 15kg allowance for scuba equipment in a separate bag on the Batik flights I have booked from Jakarta to LBJ/Komodo and from Ambon to Jakarta in the next couple of months.

Now whether the Batik employee at the check-in counter actually honors that policy is a whole other question .

They did for me a couple of days back at CGK. Didnt even ask to open my regular hardcase luggage to confirm - Simply took my word for it without batting an eyelid, as soon I said it. But I may have been lucky because the counter agent at the Batik check-in booth at Terminal 2 domestic - She was young, pretty and foolish … now if only my interactions with her were not of a professional nature but on a wholly personal level .., Sigh! (Or maybe all the above is true except that she was actually batting her eyelashes a lil extra at me?)

That said I got scammed into business class by Batik on the BLR>KUL leg, I couldn’t find my weighing scale the day before departure while packing and even though I knew the standard weight of my scuba suitcase from past experience, I postponed (rather procrastinated) booking the add-on luggage until it was too late past the 12hr deadline.
No big deal I thought, I'll pay the 20-30% extra counter charges for excess 10kg... Except that Batik Air charges $20 per KG at the counter on flights to KUL! And so I ended up paying for business class with 30kg free check-in bag allowance.. because it was for just a few dollars more over and above my excess baggage per kg calculations! No one to blame but myself... eventually I ended up drowning my sorrow with 2 full glasses of Glenfiddich 15 y.o on-the-rocks mid-air at 30,000 ft (besides the free meal and a beer to go with dinner) which magically patched the hole in my pockets…