Warning: Avoid Lion Air

[anzac65]

................I hope that each and every reader of this message will take a few minutes and cut a little slack to this 3rd World Nation and its growing perspective as the best dive destination on our planet.

Robin Engel
Kepala Bidang Industri Wisata Bahari dan Perkapalan
GAHAWISRI PUSAT
JAKARTA INDONESIA

Airline safety is not a place to cut anybody any slack. Fortunately, you either meet the requirements or you're out until such a time as you do. Does your non-computerised aviation authority also leave Boeing's Alert Service Bulletins and other documentation at the bottom of a pile until they get round to reading them ? Thanks for the reinforced perspective on what the EU ban is about.

 

[highdesert]

Bruce,

What part of Raja are you headed too?

I hope you post a trip report I'd like to hear about your trip with Robin's LOB. I am thinking of doing Bali (on Robin's LOB), Lembeh and Raja next year.

Thank Robin for me for all his help.

You are going to have a great time!

Scott -

The honest answer to that is ... I'll tell you when we get back, since I don't really know. This boat and crew has been in RA for some time, with a good record and divers who have logged good reports about boat and crew. Robin assures me we'll dive the good stuff, based on local conditions and how far you can get from Sorong and back in 12 days. The combination of decent price, boat and crew, and Robin's knowledge leads me to believe we're in for a good trip.

 

[Wayan]

Airline safety is not a place to cut anybody any slack. Fortunately, you either meet the requirements or you're out until such a time as you do. Does your non-computerised aviation authority also leave Boeing's Alert Service Bulletins and other documentation at the bottom of a pile until they get round to reading them ? Thanks for the reinforced perspective on what the EU ban is about.

I have to agree with it is always not so clear cut. It is also reported that one of the carriers met all the requirement earlier in the year and still the EU bans the flights. There are a number other underlying factors as well which have nothing to do with the safety aspect of the operation of some of the more well know carriers. Interesting if they were as bad as a lot of people think they would not be allowed to fly to any international airports.

 

[Eskasi]

Living as an expatriate, I have had the airlines lose my luggage many times. I have also on occasion have stuff stolen from it. This usually happens when I change flights en route to a destination. Whenever I can, I follow a few rules to avoid this;

1) Try to stick with the same carrier. Switching airlines creates a situation whereby neither party will be responsible for lost bags or missed connections.

2) If you have to stopover to change flights, check your bags all the way to the final destination if possible. If this is done, then the carrier taking you to your final destination has the responsibility to bring your bags to you even if they lose it (usually the next available flight). I have done this even with 24hr layovers (and some).

3) Always try to have a minimum layover time of 2hrs or so to give enough time for your bag to make the connection. You can run to the next gate....your bags can't

4) Try to carry essentials if you can. I used to carry my reg. These days, my DSLR and housing is far more important and that comes as handluggage with me. I can rent gear, I cannot rent a housed DSLR.

5) Buy travel insurance and keep the hotline number in your cell or wallet. It is cheap.

I know at times this may not be possible and the potential for being caught out is great....as it was in this case. I usually am not too concerned about losing bags completely. They are usually just late. I do however make it real hard for people to pilfer my stuff.... I once locked my reg to my reg bag and locked that to the inside of my old dive luggage (which was also locked of course!!) Hah. And to throw them off, I had another reg bag in there locked up in the same manner with my boots and some spare parts.....I was flying a small charter flight through a crappy airport....I had to check it and have the bags out of my sight! I was not going to make it easy.... basically, everything in there was daisy chained! I find that it's usually an item or two that goes missing if something is stolen....seldom the whole bag. If they do steal something anyway, that's what insurance is for....

And by the way....on airlines such as Emirates and even Turkish Air, I have ALWAYS been given between US$100-200 (regardless of class traveled) to buy essential toiletries and basic clothing when my bags do not arrive.

 

[chinacat46]

Just returned from Raja Ampat and I guess I got lucky. On the way from Manado to SoWrong I flew Wings(aka Lion Air) and the flight left Manado ontime and everybodies luggage arrived who was on our LOB(Peter Hughes Paradise Dancer). On return I flew Express Air from SoWrong to Jakarta with layover in Makassar. Both Express Air flights were a little late(<30 mins) but that is pretty much ontime for Indonesian airlines. Express also gave you food but there was no leg room to speak off. I'm 5'9" and I was cramped. If you are taller you better get the exit row or row 2(behind the one first class row) or you will have your legs around your head. No problems with baggage and I pack light so no extra charges.

 

[Travelnsj]

So are you saying on Express Air if you are 6'2' and 225lbs....you may be a bit cramped?....Yikes!

 

[Darnold9999]

So how was the PH boat and trip? Leaving in three weeks for the same trip!

 

[chinacat46]

So how was the PH boat and trip? Leaving in three weeks for the same trip!

The boat is really really nice and roomy and a great crew. The food was okay but I've had a lot better on other liveaboards. This was my 2nd trip to Raja and these guys don't know the area like the previous boat(Larry Smith's old boat) I was on. Raja is an incredible area and the reefs and fish life are beyond compare but it still matters which sites you dive and the PH crew is just learning the area. Some of the dives were great but others left me less then satisfied. Hopefully they will figure things out but I felt like I would have enjoyed myself more if I was on a boat that knew the area well.

 

[chinacat46]

So are you saying on Express Air if you are 6'2' and 225lbs....you may be a bit cramped?....Yikes!

Well you could travel 1st class(row 1) or get a seat in row 2(more leg room since row 1 seats recline further) or get an exit row seat. If you have any other seat you will be very cramped.

 

[Travelnsj]

Well you could travel 1st class(row 1) or get a seat in row 2(more leg room since row 1 seats recline further) or get an exit row seat. If you have any other seat you will be very cramped.

Working on my trip next year it looks like I am stuck with Lion and Merpati for traveling in Indo. I can take the Express Air flight out of Sorong to Manado at I think it's 2:30 pm and it is 30 euros cheaper or the Lion/wings flight at 9:15 am....I want to get to Lembeh and not hang out in SoWrong....just HOPE Wings puts my luggage on the plane this time!