Advice on connections quandary in Indonesia (ARD-KOE/-SUB/-SIN) on

[aspro2]

Hi folks. I'm hoping those of you with broad travel experience in Indonesia might have some wisdom to share...

I am booked to fly SUB-SIN-MEL on a Saturday in May; VA award on SQ (J). Dep SUB 18:40.

I was planning to get to SUB (Surabaya) from ARD (Alor) as follows, sold on one ticket as a legal connection by LionAir. I'll be travelling with hand luggage only.

IW 1942 Wings Air >> JT 695 Lion Air
ARD 09:40 - KOE 10:20 >> KOE 11:05 - SUB 12:10

Assuming this goes smoothly, it all looks good. However, in recent weeks I've been able to see from (non-member, and patchy) data for these flights at flightradar24 that ARD-KOE sometimes arrives after the scheduled departure of the KOE-SUB flights, but that in most cases the second flight has departed late: 10-15 mins after the first flights' arrival. I can't tell if that means it waited for connecting passengers. And this timing isn't always true - I can see for 19 Feb that the first flight was 55mins late and the second flight left 9 mins early!

If the connection were to fail, the next flight KOE-SUB (JT 693) is 15:05 arr 16:10. IF I was rebooked onto that flight and IF it arrived reasonably on time (I believe travel from T1 to T2 could take 30+mins) , then all would be well... but, y'know...

It was suggested to me that the recent delays might in part be due to the wet season currently.

The Saturday of travel is during Ramadan this year (no idea if that has any effect on travel of this sort).

(I could leave ARD a day earlier, but this is an important holiday for me that I'd prefer not to curtail if possible.)

Any helpful thoughts? Would you rework the itinerary somehow if you were travelling?

 

[theblank]

The Saturday of travel is during Ramadan this year (no idea if that has any effect on travel of this sort).

Indonesia is deserted during Ramadan, because most people go home for the duration, but utter utter travellers chaos at the beginning and end of it.

 

[aspro2]

Indonesia is deserted during Ramadan, because most people go home for the duration, but utter utter travellers chaos at the beginning and end of it.

Well thankfully I'm missing the two ends!

 

[Scarlett]

Wings is the less reliable regional element of Lion... and personally I wouldn't fly either of them.
The real question is can you handle missing the departure from SUB?

 

[aspro2]

Wings is the less reliable regional element of Lion... and personally I wouldn't fly either of them.
The real question is can you handle missing the departure from SUB?

Wings is pretty much unavoidable on the first leg. Garuda's onward timings were poor for many connection solutions when I was doing the original plan.

As for a missed departure in SUB question... I guess I don't know. I'm not sure how SQ would handle such a problem for a VA reward ticket in J... wash hands? rebook? (Under the various scenarios, I would presumably have enough advance knowledge that I could call SQ from KOE and alert them to a possible problem, perhaps making them more helpful?)

 

[Scarlett]

You've got the best (and only) solution already figured out, from what I can see.
The only direct flight out of Alor is that Wings flight (actually two a day) and they both go to Kupang so I can't see anything else you could do. (actually Google finds a TransNusa flight as well - but it's pretty much the same timing as the second Wings flight).
The second KOE-SUB leg has two JT flights and SJ as well, so you do have options. Other than heading to SUB on Friday, you've got your plan. And I don't think Ramadan will make any difference: the travel craziness will be around Id-ul Fitri, in early June.

So, if Lion will sell you the ticket then go right ahead, say a prayer to your imaginary deity of choice and best of luck.

 

[theblank]

. I guess I don't know. I'm not sure how SQ would handle such a problem for a VA reward ticket in J.

Full service airlines tend to take care of you if connections are missed, provided you contact them before checkin closes.
Your worst outcome is going to be the Date change fee charged by VFF, OTOH that is $60 or 7500 pts.

Given there is 2(?) flights a day from SUB and 4 from SIN, there is almost no chance you would be stuck in SUB or SIN for long if you miss your connection.

 

[aspro2]

Thanks to you both for your advice.