high cost of domestic air travel in Indonesia.

[ppina]

I am travelling to Triton Bay in October and the flight was more expensive than the accommodation. The internal flight was surprisingly expensive. Besides the cost of the flight, the luggage cost is outrageous.
I have been diving in Indonesia since 2018. In 2019 the flight from Lisbon to Sorong cost was 1,000 dollars and this year is more than twice the price. I have already made reservations for traveling in 2024 to Rajat Ampat, but I am seriously thinking of searching other Asian countries offering cheaper internal flights.
I hope the internal flights in Indonesia in the future will begin to fall.

 

[cetacean]

@ppina
When I look at the round trip fare from Jakarta to Sorong (return, for every month through next January) it's basically the same price as it has been for the last year+. I don't see this price decreasing much in the future - they are filling their flights at this price point. BTW - when I price this as two different flights (Lisbon->Jakarta, Jakarta->Sorong [return]) it comes back about $400 cheaper - this may be because booking Indonesian internal flights directly tends to be cheaper than booking as part of an international ticket.

The additional cost to fly to Triton Bay (KNG) adds quite a bit to the internal flight cost - that's because it is a small airport with limited flights. A large number of travelers to KNG are foreign divers, so they likely price it accordingly.

To get around the baggage issue, we flew Batik from Jakarta to Sorong (return) in business class - they won't charge you overweight baggage if you fly in that class (just returned from this trip a few weeks ago). The airfare was more expensive, but we never worried about the baggage costs.

 

[JustinJRL]

Yup flights are double what they were a year ago. Perhaps I was lucky in 2022. Compared to 2018 I think we've seen about a 30-40% rise in prices, both international and domestic. Air Asia used to fly into Sorong, not anymore, so that may be a difference. It sucks but there may not be much we can do about it.

 

[ppina]

According to the comments, it is normal from Jakarta to Kaimana with a bags pay 1000 euros.

I pay from Lisbon to Jakarta 800 euros with bags.

 

[Dan]

Check it with tiket.com - One App for Your Holiday Needs. I can get a roundtrip CGK-KNG for $700. I plan to go to Triton Bay too in Jan 2025, $742 off on White Manta, Misool-Triton Bay, 15-24 January 2025. Actually mine will be cheaper as my trip would be flying from Jakarta to Sorong, crossing by White Manta liveaboard from Sorong to Kaimana, then flying back from Kaimana to Jakarta.

 

[ppina]

Check it with tiket.com - One App for Your Holiday Needs. I can get a roundtrip CGK-KNG for $700. I plan to go to Triton Bay too in Jan 2025, $742 off on White Manta, Misool-Triton Bay, 15-24 January 2025. Actually mine will be cheaper as my trip would be flying from Jakarta to Sorong, crossing by White Manta liveaboard from Sorong to Kaimana, then flying back from Kaimana to Jakarta.

Now add 25kg

 

[Dan]

Now add 25kg

Goggle it!

How much is excess baggage on Batik Air?

How much is excess baggage on Batik Air?. Batik Air has ensured you can carry your luggage utterly free of cost. However, for that, it is necessary to make sure that you have taken the steps below. - PR12947511

www.prlog.org

“The Batik Air excess baggage price is $2.20 per kg. +1(802) 209-2600 So, to avoid this charge, you must ensure that you stay within the weight limits of Batik Air. That is undoubtedly going to help you out in saving your money. Yes, you can even connect with the customer service team.”

So, add $55.00 for 20kg allowance + 25kg excess = 45kg total baggage.

 

[ppina]

Wings Air - No Free Baggage
Lion Air - 15KG

10KG - IDR900,000 - 54 Euros
25KG - IDR3,050,000 - 180 Euros

Flight - 621.12 Euros
Bags - 237 Euros

 

[Dan]

Still less than €1000 you mentioned earlier.

In 13 years of travel to Indonesia (including 9 times to Raja Ampat) I had 2 carryon backpacks and put as much as I could in them and never paid any additional baggage. You may try that trick.

For my upcoming 10th trip to Raja Ampat in February 2024, I booked Garuda Airlines that includes 20kg free baggage & 20kg free for dive gear equipment. Unfortunately from Sorong to Kaimana (which I have never been to), most flights are operated by Wings Air, which is part of Lion Air. So you are stuck with paying extra for baggage. If you’re not willing to pay that much, try to carry the heavy stuff in the carryon.

 

[Luko]

Still less than €1000 you mentioned earlier.

In 13 years of travel to Indonesia (including 9 times to Raja Ampat) I had 2 carryon backpacks and put as much as I could in them and never paid any additional baggage. You may try that trick.

With all due respect, you're not a real photographer Dan.
Once you have the serious equipment (aluminium housing, multiple strobes, arms and floaters, domes, wet lenses, macro ports, torchlight etc.) you cannot put that stuff in your carryon, every year going twice to Indo, I am carrying 62-65kgs of checkin luggage plus a backpack with my computer, batteries, camera and lenses (10kg) and my wife carryon (5-7kg) , and she's even not a diver, hence it's all my equipment she might only take 10-15kgs at most of the whole!

LIkewise, the current prices of the flights to Kaimana steered me away from going to Triton bay. We're 2 people and in the end, domestic flights would have cost us 1600€, (more than what we pay for the long haul flights!) We'te talking almost about Palau or PNG connecting flights price level.
Garuda has gone nuts, I still have 400€ coupons from them since COVID cancelations that I cannot use since their revenue management has been going overboard, hence I always find way cheaper alternatives! As much as I despise them, the Lion Air group is finally the only affordable carrier... I am going to leave them 200€ on luggage for return flights to R4 this august, but in the end I cannot find better.