Virgin and Jetstar cancel Bali flights due to Volcanic eruptions

[theblank]

AIR ASIAS prices just went from $300 odd each seat to somewhere north of $900.

I am trying to find a flight from Brisbane or Gold Coast to Jakarta in two weeks, and the best and cheapest route for me is usually BNE-DPS-JKT, but I cant take the risk of not making it there.
Air Asia flights from OOL are suddenly ridiculously high now. OOL-JKT return will cost me more than $1000 with luggage, same prices as Qantas. Whats the point of being a LCC if they are not cheaper!

I have never paid over $800 to get to Jakarta, and its pissing me off, usually can get there for under $700 (return)

 

[tinkybelle]

I used points to fly dps sin syd. In J/f there were lots of flts avail in J as well

 

[Melburnian1]

JQ36 from DPS to MEL is operating today (Saturday 14 November 2015) but its 2100 hours timetabled arrival has been delayed until 2340 tonight.

The 1845 hours from MEL to DPS, JQ35 has been cancelled while the 1110 XT803, also northbound seems to have been delayed for 24 hours. I do not know if the latter (and its incoming flight, presumably from DPS) will end up operating as from memory XT has a fleet of only two aircraft.

 

[Melburnian1]

XT801, the Sunday 15 November's 1110 hours flight from MEL to DPS has been delayed until 0315 on Monday 16. Presumably this is due to this AirAsia airline only having a couple of aircraft. At least unlike some other airlines it is operating a service.

 

[theblank]

Looks like it has cleared up.

for those of you in Bali or recently, what's the daytime customs queue like lately? The last two times I have landed in Bali was 2pm Saturday and was two hours + to line up for customs. I had a 3 hour transit time, and just made the next flight by running all the way to domestic.

 

[ChrisDPom]

It really is pot luck.

Flights are arriving steadily so 1 hour to get through.

Sometimes a few are delayed and arrive all at once. You get bussed to the terminal then join the queue to pay for the visa, the queue to go through immigration and then the quickish queue to get your customs dec checked.

A lot of budget airlines don't issue the customs dec en route so you have to complete it after immigration - BYO pen.

A couple of handy hints:

if if dual national like me (Australian & UK passport), use the non-Australian passport if it is one of the free visa options. Saves $50 plus you don't have to queue to pay for the visa). I won't get into the argument over why Australians have to get a visa and were dropped from the free visa list effective 1 July due to our coughing on the Bali 9 executions!!

Next is the X-Ray machine queue. There are usually 2 queues and up to 3 machines in use. The left hand queue is only served by one machine while the right hand queue has 2 (the extra machine is switched on if very busy and IF there are enough staff.

Always go go in the right hand queue - if the extra machine is working, it can cut 15 mins off a long queue.

Also, don't hesitate to embarrass the Chinese tourists blatantly walking to the front of the queue and barging in. We are insensitive loud mouthed Aussies and this is somewhere it is worthwhile living up to our reputation!

Chris

 

[Cynicor]

Also, each of my early arrival flights (11ish am, weekdays) has met an empty immigration hall, no queue and no hassle. Wait longer for the bags and no X-ray queue.

Though last time I got searched(for drugs, I assume?), they couldn't imagine someone would bring 15kg of reading material!

 

[theblank]

Also, don't hesitate to embarrass the Chinese tourists blatantly walking to the front of the queue and barging in. We are insensitive loud mouthed Aussies and this is somewhere it is worthwhile living up to our reputation!

Chris

the staff seemed to be quite proactive in sending them back to the queue, as well as picking out families with babies and offering them the express lane. Tip of the day, line up next to them and offer to carry their pram, that worked for me !
technically that was my nephews wife and kids, and the customs tried to stop me from going with them, but I convinced them.

 

[Melburnian1]

ChrisDPom, excellent advice re mainland Chinese tourists. On the one occasion that I drew a Chinese couple's attention to how there was a queue at immigration, they immediately became very sheepish and retreated.

They know jolly well that barging to the front is unfair on others, but it must be ingrained behaviour. Yes, it may be the most populous nation on earth (although India is set to occupy that mantle in time) but there are some nationalities from countries with large populations in small areas who behave in a civil manner. No prizes for guessing that the Japanese are top of the list for decorum.

 

[Melburnian1]

Here we go again:

Virgin cancels all Bali flights due to returning ash cloud

Fiji, Philippines and Thailand looking good as alternative destinations.

 

[Pushka]

It is for this reason we wont be looking at Bali for a quick holiday now. Sad for all those stuck and those wanting to go.

 

[Melburnian1]

Apologies if others believe that this is off topic, but apparently the median duration of eruptions is seven weeks:

How long do eruptions last? | Volcano World | Oregon State University

From what I can see, GA appears to be operating overnight flight(s) tonight (Friday 27 November) from DPS to Oz, similar to what occurred last time, yet the Australian-domiciled airliens are not. We've had the discussion above about the pros and cons, so I will not repeat that.

 

[stockdot]

Was scheduled to depart on VA64 back to Sydney tonight at midnight, but alas just heard the news! Am currently rebooked on Sunday morning's VA64 leaving at around 1am.

If that falls through and is cancelled as well, does anyone have any thoughts on alternate ways to get from Bali back to Sydney? Have to be back in time for Monday morning. Would have been nice to have had the extended holiday though!

 

[Pushka]

Try Silk Air to Sin then down to Sydney. Garuda?

 

[Captain hum]

Just arrived in syd. Booked to fly out with Garuda tomorrow. And very glad we didn't re book with VA. It's beyond ridiculous now...

 

[Melburnian1]

On Saturday 28 November 2015, XT is operating into SYD.

That makes two airlines operating between Oz and DPS - GA and XT.

Given that many Bali visitors are 'bogans' and possibly 'wedded' to JQ in particular, and unable or unwilling to compare fares of other carriers, will the reluctance or inability of JQ, VA and (presumably when its flights commence) QF to fly when there is ash around lead to a gain in business for GA and XT at the Australian carriers' expense?

This is more relevant in non-school holiday, non-Easter and non-Christmas periods when typically flights are not full. A friend went to DPS in October on XT: the flights had many empty seats to and fro.

 

[ChrisDPom]

Wedded to JQ for the Qantas lounge and SC's not because I am a bogan (never had a mullet in my life!!).

Due out on Sunday from PER for 5 days to drop some of my stuff in Bali so keeping my fingers crossed.

I can at least use the Q lounge while waiting for Jetstar to fix planes (PER-DPS October) or delayed flights (SIN-DPS early November).

Admit if I was not aiming for QFF Gold this year I would have already swapped to GA, Air Asia or TR on these flights.

Chris

 

[Moopere]

I'm heading across in late December - honestly, the prospect of a delayed flight doesn't bother me at all - I mean, unless one has a connecting holiday somewhere or some other non movable target, what does it really matter? I should go and re-read my travel insurance now (hehe), but I assume this would be covered and they would look after me and the wife and we'd just essentially extend our holiday.

After traveling inside China, with the massive delays that seem endemic there (4-6-8 hours or more, usually sitting on the plane!), everything else just fades into semi inconvenience.

 

[ChrisDPom]

Apologies if others believe that this is off topic, but apparently the median duration of eruptions is seven weeks:

How long do eruptions last? | Volcano World | Oregon State University

From what I can see, GA appears to be operating overnight flight(s) tonight (Friday 27 November) from DPS to Oz, similar to what occurred last time, yet the Australian-domiciled airliens are not. We've had the discussion above about the pros and cons, so I will not repeat that.

Last time this one erupted, it rumbled and grumbled for 15 months (mid 1990s).

Chris

 

[ChrisDPom]

Virgin making a decision regarding night flying today - all daytime flights are scheduled.

Jetstar don't even have an advisory notice on their website and app. Presume that means they are flying as normal so I may be lucky (again) tomorrow evening.

Chris