Lion Air Indonesia dilemma

[Mike Veitch]

Thanks so much for the responses. No, there is no business class on the Manado-Sorong leg and Lion Air is the only game in town on that route. I am hesitant to wait to get to the airport and try to sort it it there. I think we may have solved the problem by flying Citilink from Manado to Mankassar, overnighting at an airport hotel in Mankassar and then flying Batik from Mankassar to Sorong.

I would suggest Garuda instead for this. Manado to Makassar to Sorong. Garuda also gives you 23kg excess per person for "sports gear". And if you have silver, gold, platinum status on one of their partner airlines you will probably get extra kgs as well. Although the Garuda flight departs to Sorong at 2am, you can stay in the airport hotel before that

 

[chillyinCanada]

I agree with the Garuda advice but I hate the fricken night flights and then after arrival Sorong have to sit in hotel lobby until checkin, exhausted. The only way around the waiting for checkin, that I've found, to get some proper sleep before boat departure is to buy two nights at hotel, first night being the night that you are on the plane, must make it a late arrival confirmation with the hotel.

By the time, this was all worked out, it was easier to fly to Manado, overnight there and then take a day flight to Sorong and check-in to hotel for night before boarding. I was much better rested despite the hopping about.

However, I didn't have the same luggage problem as the OP.

 

[Centrals]

Batik is the sister company of Lion.
Citilink is the low cost equivalent of Garuda.

Have you checked the excess luggage policy of both airlines?

Does Lion air offer freight service(cargo) between Manado and Sorong? Worth a try?

Any advice from the LoB operator?