Raja ampat sorong flights help

[Szczerber]

Thank you for the reply.

Unfortunately the luggage situation happened to us in the past as well. Back in 2019 we had booked a liveaboard in Komodo. However the airplane had an issue, so instead of 2 hours in Frankfurt we have spent there more than 27 hours, so we have missed our connecting flight to Bali. Thankfully, we had more time before the liveaboard departure. Upon arrival Singapore Airlines organized our flights through Surabaya to Labuan Bajo. However the duffel bag with our dive gear never made it to Labuan Bajo. We lost half a day of the trip, but we were able to dive using rental gear from the liveaboard
Our dive gear was later retrieved in Bali.
where we continued our trip.

I am surprised to hear that the luggage issue continues. I thought our case was an isolated incident due to the plane problems.

I will definitely book the earlier flight.

Thanks again

 

[NorCalDM]

Hi,

Another hijack of the thread. In March 2023 we are flying Singapore Airlines from the US and staying one night in Singapore. The next day next day, we paln to continue on Singapore Air to Jakarta to finally board the Garuda GA682 leaving at 00:30 to Sorong.

I still have not booked the SIN-CGK leg of the trip. There are plenty of options, but I am basically looking at two flights: one is supposed to arrive at CGK at 13:05 and the other possibilty arrives at 18:05.

Are 6 hours going to be enough to obtain our entry visas, provide proof of vaccinations etc., collect our suitcases and transfer to the Garuda flight? It sounds reasonable, but I have never been to Jakarta airport and especially now post Covid things often get delayed. On top of that flights get delayed as well.

Or would you recomend taking the earlier flight and spend more than 12 hours at the airport. We do have lounge access, so it should be a liitle easier, but still...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I would take the earlier flight so you don't have to stress about it. We were just there in late September and had an 11 hour layover in Jakarta and it was perfect. We rented a room at the Jakarta Airport Hotel and was able to take a shower and sleep for a few hours before our connecting flight to Sorong. Make sure you have time on the return from Sorong to Jakarta. We had 4 hours between flights and missed our international connection, had to stay the night in Jakarta and fly out the next day. Many domestic flights from Sorong to Jakarta were delayed which just seemed like the norm.

 

[scubayinzer412]

hey there
is sombody on the tour (seahorse) leaving sorong 12/25?

 

[living4experiences]

Hi,
I have questions concerning the booking of excess luggage flying from Vienna to Sorong and back:
I fly from Vienna - Doha- Jakarta with Qatar Air (already booked), then from Jakarta to Sorong with Garuda (the only leg not included in Qatar Air and not yet booked), and return Sorong - Jakarta - Doha - Vienna (also already booked with Qatar, the hole thing is a multistop flight, so I have more time in the stopovers, and it was much cheaper, than booking all the legs separately).

My questions:
- How did you inform Garuda you have dive gear? This concerns the flight from Jakarta to Sorong at 00:30, I am going to book this online.

- Anyone knows, how I can add excess luggage on my flight home? Since it's a shared operations flight, I probably cannot book it online with Qatar and/or Garuda. So I have to buy it probably directly on the Airports. 25 kg will cost around 500$. Any idea, if it's possible to get it cheaper, because it's dive gear? Or some hidden online options?

I would be very thankfull for any information, we will be on LOB in RA and have to bring the gear so excess luggage is not avoidable.

Perhaps it would be cheaper to fly business class between Jakarta and Sorong for the extra luggage allowance.

 

[Andrea1]

Perhaps it would be cheaper to fly business class between Jakarta and Sorong for the extra luggage allowance.

I thought about that too, but business class is surprisingly expensive on this flight, at least with Garuda.

 

[NootFish]

I thought about that too, but business class is surprisingly expensive on this flight, at least with Garuda.

I can't imagine needing more than 2x 23kg checked bags plus carry on and personal item... my huge camera + enclosure + heavy BCD + everything else makes it with a few kg to spare (although my carry on is a camera bag with A Lot of heavy lights and strobes and batteries... definitely more than the 7kg they suggest). Never had any issue with Garuda. You say "dive gear" they say "OK"... never even had to show it.

 

[Andrea1]

Garuda is not the problem. Qatar Air is - they give 25 kg free, and for additional 25 kg they want ca. 350 Euro. Sports equipement od dive gear is even more (!) expensive.

 

[stepfen]

Garuda is not the problem. Qatar Air is - they give 25 kg free, and for additional 25 kg they want ca. 350 Euro. Sports equipement od dive gear is even more (!) expensive.

Are you sure it is only 25??? I booked with Qatar few weeks ago tickets to Indonesia (directly from their web site if it matters) and I got 30kg checked in plus 7kg carry on per person. BTW our tickets includes a short local flight here in Greece for which the local operator allows only 20kg - still we got 30kg all the way.

Maybe if you booked through an agent the info passed to you is not correct?? You can log in Qatar's website using your booking number and surname and check your booking yourself.

 

[Andrea1]

Are you sure it is only 25??? I booked with Qatar few weeks ago tickets to Indonesia (directly from their web site if it matters) and I got 30kg checked in plus 7kg carry on per person. BTW our tickets includes a short local flight here in Greece for which the local operator allows only 20kg - still we got 30kg all the way.

Maybe if you booked through an agent the info passed to you is not correct?? You can log in Qatar's website using your booking number and surname and check your booking yourself.

I booked direct with the website, I have the booking confirmation allready, and it says 25kg. I remeber while checking the flight, it said 30kg sometimes... I thought it may refer to business class. Did you start from Athens to Jakarta? Did you have the 30kg confirmed on your booking? Thanks a lot for your reply!!

 

[JanSTR]

I recently took a similar route Frankfurt - Doha- Jakarta - Sorong with Qatar Air and Garuda in the standard Economy and also received 25kg @ Qatar Air. Seems to be standard. Also direct booking.

I also had to retrieve the luggage and check it again at both layovers in Jakarta. Same for the check in itself: I had to do two separate online check ins even though it is on the same booking.