Flight options to Sorong

[ojo]

I like flying through Singapore because it’s a big gateway; there are so many flights with different carriers to Indonesia per day to various places and if something goes wrong, you have options to help you get to where you ultimately need to be without sitting and waiting for flights, even if it means an additional connection within Indonesia.

I have done a fair share of Eva and ANA to Jakarta so I understand your desire for something different.

Scoot is budget but bearable. If you buy it on your international ticket with SQ as one itinerary, your checked baggage rules for SQ apply because it’s the MSC (most significant carrier) in your ticket. The baggage gets transferred between the 2 flights for you. For carry on, I carry 16-17kg of camera equipment in a roller board as well as a 7-8kg backpack and I haven’t had issues. To be honest, Scoot is pretty similar to the other budget carriers in Indonesia but I trust it for safety more, if anything. Get the flight that works best for you logistically.

When looking at flights I use google flights. Some other search services don’t retrieve the local domestic flights and airlines.

There are direct flights with Lion Air between MDC to SOQ daily, usually 1.5 hours and under $200 round trip. I usually book direct with Garuda but for Lion group (Batik, Wings, Lion) I book with Tiket but you may need to whitelist your card with them through email if it doesn’t work. Booking direct with Lion group doesn’t play nicely with my various US credit cards.

OOO, wondering if you - or anyone else reading - have ever experienced this: I have been trying to book a Garuda flight from CGK RT to Sorong, and nothing I do gets the flight booked. Before booking my flight, I booked the flight for my friend in NY - using all her info and her card. The the first time I tried to book I got the msg that I'd already just made a booking and couldn't make another. I assumed this was based on a reading of my IP address. Since then, I have tried about 9 times, and each time my credit card gets checked, I input the code they send, and then at the last minute I get a "Transaction Failed" notice and get sent back to a bland credit card info page. I've spent endless hours on this - talked with them via WhatsApp, spent two idiotic hours on the website chat, had friends try to book the flight for me first with my cards, then with theirs - and it's always the same "Transaction Failed." So it's not the IP, it's not the credit card(s), it's apparently my data somehow. Since I see no other option, I am about to try booking via Booking.com, even though I know it's safer to book direclty with airlines. Have you ever experienced either this refusal or using Booking.com for Garuda flights? Thanks.

 

[also_anon_dc]

I am about to try booking via Booking.com, even though I know it's safer to book direclty with airlines. Have you ever experienced either this refusal or using Booking.com for Garuda flights?

You are putting way too much effort into this. I assume you're trying to book directly on the Garuda website? There's no reason to avoid reputable third party sites like booking.com or sites vouched for by Scubaboard posters like Nusatrip or Tiket. Once you buy the ticket on a third party site you can verify it by going to the Garuda site and putting in your reference code/ticket number and making sure they have a record of the reservation. I purchased my Garuda flight on Nusatrip (and then verified it on Garuda's site) in about 10 minutes.

 

[ojo]

You are putting way too much effort into this. I assume you're trying to book directly on the Garuda website? There's no reason to avoid reputable third party sites like booking.com or sites vouched for by Scubaboard posters like Nusatrip or Tiket. Once you buy the ticket on a third party site you can verify it by going to the Garuda site and putting in your reference code/ticket number and making sure they have a record of the reservation. I purchased my Garuda flight on Nusatrip (and then verified it on Garuda's site) in about 10 minutes.

Thanks.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Book

OOO, wondering if you - or anyone else reading - have ever experienced this: I have been trying to book a Garuda flight from CGK RT to Sorong, and nothing I do gets the flight booked. Before booking my flight, I booked the flight for my friend in NY - using all her info and her card. The the first time I tried to book I got the msg that I'd already just made a booking and couldn't make another. I assumed this was based on a reading of my IP address. Since then, I have tried about 9 times, and each time my credit card gets checked, I input the code they send, and then at the last minute I get a "Transaction Failed" notice and get sent back to a bland credit card info page. I've spent endless hours on this - talked with them via WhatsApp, spent two idiotic hours on the website chat, had friends try to book the flight for me first with my cards, then with theirs - and it's always the same "Transaction Failed." So it's not the IP, it's not the credit card(s), it's apparently my data somehow. Since I see no other option, I am about to try booking via Booking.com, even though I know it's safer to book direclty with airlines. Have you ever experienced either this refusal or using Booking.com for Garuda flights? Thanks.

Just use Tiket.com but you may need to whitelist your card if it doesn’t work. Email cc@tiket.com and ask to whitelist it. They will give you instructions. It sounds sketchy but you can trust them; it’s safe and it works and I’ve had no security issues on my card in the year that I’ve since done it.

 

[ojo]

Book

Just use Tiket.com but you may need to whitelist your card if it doesn’t work. Email cc@tiket.com and ask to whitelist it. They will give you instructions. It sounds sketchy but you can trust them; it’s safe and it works and I’ve had no security issues on my card in the year that I’ve since done it.

Thanks - I'd already booked via Booking. Garuda help up that reservation as well for about an hour, then I got confirmation. Phew! I'll keep Tiket.com in mind for the future - and need to read about whitelisting. Thanks much!