Posted by Daniel on Monday, 15. February 1999 at 02:27 Bali Time:
In Reply to: Watch Those Airport Porters posted by Lynne on Saturday, 13. February 1999 at 00:52 Bali Time:
Signs at the Denpasar airport, especially at the international terminal, clearly state that the fee to be paid to a porter is Rps1,000 PER BAG (But again, who is reading signs when one is tired and cranky after a long flight?) While you are waiting for your luggage by the conveyor, you will be approached by porters proposing their services. It has been my experience that, should you decline, they will leave you alone: time is money and they have to work fast while there are still passengers in the terminal, and therefore have no time to behave like hawkers. Should you accept their services, either you know the price of Rps1,000/bag, or you can arrange the fee in advance (Easier said than done, if you have not been through it at least once)
This being said, like any place in the world, let the buyer beware! Like everybody else, porters need to feed themselves and their families, and the present situation in Indonesia does not help things.