Yet another Merpati crash...

[Dantooine]

Hello everyone,

just came across this scary piece of news (in French)...
Un avion s

To summarize, it seems that a Merpati plane crashed into sea upon entering Kaimana airport, coming from Sorong, killing 25...

Yet another Merpati crash / incident, and it seems as though the Indonesia government is doing next to nothing to avoid it.

I sure as hell will try to avoid this airline like the plague for my forthcoming trip to Indo and Papua this autumn. Hell, this ans last month's "incidents" are almost making me reconsider even trying to get to Papua...

 

[highdesert]

In English ...

Plane carrying 27 crashes in eastern Indonesia - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

 

[Bali Diver]

Have done quite a few internal flights in indonesia.But do feel a little nervous these days due to safety levels of ALL INDONESIAN internal flight airlines.

Just booked Jakarta/Bali return flights (Air Asia)and jakarta/biak/Nabire flights to Papua with Merpati,then hear this and last months incident.Must admit made my heart beat faster.

From this report if correct than it looks like to me ran out of fuel.not the 1st time this has happened in Indonesia

Merpati plane crashes into the sea, 27 dead | The Jakarta Post

Condolences to all

 

[SnappyTheDiver]

If you want to track these things try The Aviation Herald.

Landing conducted in very poor weather - heavy rain, fog. Most likely, pilots pushed it and lost. This is a recurring problem in many crashes and seems to happen quite often in Indonesia.

There have been many incidents this year with multiple Indonesian airlines.

 

[-SCUBADAVE-]

I stick to Airasia for most of my Indonesian flights. Great track record. Flew to Manado, Sulawesi from Singapore on Silkair. Costs a bit more, but at least Im still alive to write this.

 

[Magrone]

I stick to Airasia for most of my Indonesian flights. Great track record. Flew to Manado, Sulawesi from Singapore on Silkair. Costs a bit more, but at least Im still alive to write this.

Considering Pulau Weh and Bali are the only dive destinations that Air Asia services, Air Asia isn't much of an option for internal flights in Indonesia. I flew on Batavia a couple of months ago and the airplane wheel blew on landing in Surabaya. I have pics to prove it.

I don't really think there is a safe proof option right now for internal flights in Indo except the limited domestic route + relatively high prices of Garuda. If you are traveling to Raja Ampat or Ambon or Komodo or Alor, which are some of the top spots in Indo for diving, I guess you just have to chance it. Manado and Bali are both serviced by reputable airlines. My upcoming trip will be to both on SilkAir to Manado then Garuda to Bali.

That blown wheel on the Batavia flight left me a little hesitant to fly with them again

 

[Luko]

relatively high prices of Garuda.

It happens that when you're on connecting flights , Garuda is often cheaper than the rest (Lion Air, Batavia). For example, I am flying Banda Aceh to Manado, which needs 2 flights : Garuda is almost 40% cheaper than Lion Air.

I don't really think there is a safe proof option right now for internal flights in Indo except the limited domestic route

I can understand a blown wheel experience may have been worrying but it has happened to some other reputable airlines all over the world.
In Indonesia, Batavia is one of the few airlines that has been removed from the EU black list, along with Garuda and Airasia.com (Lion Air and Merpati are in that list).

 

[joebubbles]

. If you are traveling to Raja Ampat or Ambon or Komodo or Alor, which are some of the top spots in Indo for diving, I guess you just have to chance it.

That blown wheel on the Batavia flight left me a little hesitant to fly with them again

Well, there are LOB options from Bali to Komodo for the more skittish. I just came back from Komodo. Flew from DPS to LBJ on Merpati and back on Transnusa and I'm alive to talk about it. .
In the attached vid you can see an ambidextrous pilot take a video of his own landing at Labuan Bajo. One of the more scenic approaches around. Enjoy.
YouTube - Komodo.AVI

 

[highdesert]

I stick to Airasia for most of my Indonesian flights.

Air Asia planes are spotless, and the flight crews are friendly ... that's "if" they fly when they say they will. My experience is that they'll cancel/change a flight with no notice, costing you multiple days of a very expensive halfway-round-the-world vacation. Never again.

 

[AlMitch]

I was forced to miss a day on P Weh and got to spend it in the fantastic city of Banda Aceh instead because of Air Asia! SO I'm not to charmed with them!

It really is a bit of a crap shoot with internal flights in Indo. I'm on Merapti from Manado to Sorong at the end of the year so that should be fun!! :depressed: Lets just say many prayers will be said before and during the flight!

But at the end of the day you are far more likely to be taken out by a stray water buffalo on the road to the airport than actually be in a plane accident when in Indo!