In Reply to: Indonesian airline moving into Australia posted by bekayem on Friday, 11. January 2008 at 10:53 Bali Time:
as probably one of the most EXPENSIVE domestic carriers in Indonesia right now.
They have the Indonesian public "duped"by their advertising campaigns into thinking they are a "Low Cost Carrier". They are actually an "Optimum Cost/No Service" Carrier!!! On my most recent trip between Manado and Denpasar, I paid Rp.1,100,00 Manado/Denpasar with Garuda Indonesia and received all one would expect from a Full-Service Carrier - meal service on both sectors Manado/Makassar and Makassar/Denpasar plus friendly, professional in-flight service. My return Denpasar/Manado (also via Makassar) with Lion Air cost Rp.1,400,000. Aircraft WAS a new B-737-900ER but was an absolute "no-frills" model (sure they negotiated with Boeing to take whatever they could off - better still add as little a possible to the basic fuselage to keep purchase price at absolute "rock-bottom")- not even Video Monitors for Safety Announcements which are still performed manually by sombre-faced ladies. There is NO service whatsoever, apart from a plastic "aqua-glass with straw - costs almost nothing - dispensed almost grudgingly to passengers. To add insult to injury, they have an "in-flight lottery", the TWO prizes being.....wait for this....A SNACK PACK!!! It is NOT even possible to purchase drinks/snacks on board what can be a sector of up to 3+ hours.
If you think you have experienced the occasional travel delay, let me tell you that Lion Air has "made delayed flights an Art Form"!! If Lion or its "sister" Wings Air arrives on time at any destination, it is cause to break-out not one - but two bottles of Moet et Chandon!!
My resort regularly has guests arriving on late evening flights from Bali & Jakarta with Lion Air. On the most recent SIX occasions, both flights have been delayed by a MINIMUM of 1.25 hours. Only this week a Wings flight - first of the day - from Sorong arrived in Manado 2 hours late. The delays are compounded by a lack of ground-handling staff; it is quite normal for the last baggage to come off a carousel from a Lion Air flight with around 120 passengers up to 55 minutes following landing.
It appears that, in order to maximise profits, Lion/Wings operate each aircraft on an unsustainable number of sectors each day.
The Indonesian Government is taking flight delays - and their impact n Indonesia's Tourism Industry (not to mention the business sector)- so seriously, that they are contemplating passing legislation which will see passengers on delayed flights paid a fixed amount of monetary compensation by the Airline/s concerned based on length of delay.
If Australians have an issue with Jetstar puporting to be a "Low Cost Carrier" and offering minimal service levels, they Jetstar will have a Five-Star Rating when compared with Lion Air if they enter the Australian Market using their "Indonesian rationale". At least one can at least purchase food and beverage on Jetstar!!
The complaints we receive here at the Resort by members of the International diving fraternity who, through necessity, are compelled to use either Lion or Wings, are huge!!
All I can say if Lion Air ventures into Australian Skies is....GOOD LUCK AUSTRALIA!!!