Hello friends! Welcome to my report.
Firstly, as usual, please apologize for my bad English, and also bad photo quality as I took all shots by my cellphone.
This report is continuing my previous report with Indonesia AirAsia from Jakarta to Singapore. After visiting my cousin, I and my family had to return home to Jakarta. Actually we still wanted to stay longer in Singapore, but as an undergraduate student, I had to attend a class in July 8th. That day was also my sister's 20th birthday, and we had planned to make a special dinner to celebrate it.
So, why did we go home from Batam, an Indonesian city & island located on the southern side of Singapore?
The ticket price from Singapore to Jakarta for 6th July 2017 had risen drastically to IDR 2,300,000 (about USD 172.00) per pax, while the normal price is about IDR 600,000. There were still many people travelling to Singapore on July, a holiday period for Indonesian students, making the ticket price jumps so high. The only option to get cheaper ticket was flight from Batam to Jakarta, with ticket price starting from IDR 1,000,000 per pax. It was still high compared to normal fare (IDR 500,000-600,000), but we could save IDR 1,000,000 per pax (almost 50% from the ticket price of Singapore-Jakarta). This time, I traveled with my dad, mom, grandma, and my younger sister. So? We could save IDR 5,000,000 (about USD 375.00) for 5 people if we went home through Batam.
The cheapest ticket price was offered by Batik Air, a subsidiary of Lion Air Group focusing on middle-high segment, for IDR 1,000,000 per pax. The flight would arrive at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, an airport located in the eastern side of Jakarta and closer to our home than Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK). You can read my previous report with Batik Air on August 2015 here.
From the HarbourFront ferry terminal, we left Singapore to Batam by international fast ferry. It costed SGD 25.00 (USD 18.00) per pax, while my 79-years old grandma got a special fare as a senior. It took about 1 hour to reach Batam from Singapore by the ferry. Our destination was Batam Center, a ferry terminal located close to the Batam's airport.
Then the Batam Fast ferry arrived at Batam Centre ferry terminal.
From the ferry terminal, we took a taxi to the Hang Nadim Airport. The traffic was friendly, without any congestion.
After 30 minutes taxi ride, we arrived at the airport. As it was still on holiday season, the airport was packed by people leaving and arriving.
The airport building has existed since 1985. What an old building.
Check in counter of Garuda, with usual Skyteam identity.
While the queue was long, the check-in process itself was quick. After that, we moved upstairs to the departure area. There was a security check before entering it.
There was still more than 60 minutes before boarding, so we waited at a restaurant named "Sanur".
Then we proceed to the waiting hall. It was very crowded.
The airport's 4,500 m runway is capable for 747s. That's why this airport is designated by Indonesian government as one of airports serving Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia. But at that time, I only saw 737, A320, and an ATR72.
An ATR of Wings Air ready for departure, but I didn't know where it was going to.
Garuda Indonesia, our flag carrier.
Boeing 737-900ER of Lion Air, Indonesian largest carrier.
We were called for boarding at 5.10 p.m., 20 minutes behind the schedule.
Entering the airplane, we were greeted by the cabin crews. We proceed directly to our seats on row 19-20. My dad and my sister was on row 19, while behind them were me, my mom, and my grandma. Behind me was an Indian family (parents and their 2 little children) talking to each other in Hindi. They were together with us since in the Singapore-Batam ferry, but I heard that they were going to Surabaya. Perhaps they also chose this option because the ticket price from Singapore had risen very high.
Some shots outside the window before departure.
All passengers had boarded. The flight was fully loaded without vacant seat. Then the plane was pushed, and cabin crews started the safety instructions.
Other shots while preparing to take-off.
Then the aircraft flew smoothly at 5.40 p.m.
We passed the Bintan Island, a large island at the eastern side of Batam. There was a new airport construction, while it currently has an airport (Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport, IATA code: TNJ) located close to Tanjung Pinang city.
View of Tanjung Pinang city, capital of Kepulauan Riau province. Batam is also part of the province.
About 7 minutes later, the seat belt sign was turned off. As usual, I checked stuffs inside the seat pocket.
It recently starts operation of their Boeing 737-800 MAX, the world's 1st carrier to operate it.
Invocation card, containing prayers of 6 religions.
I spent most of the time during the flight by reading a Malay newspaper I bought in Singapore and the "Airliner World" magazine.
Unfortunately there was a problem on the IFE system. The cabin crews politely apologized for this. They also answered complains about this from the passengers, especially the Indian guy behind me.
About 20 minutes after take-off, cabin crews started serving our meals: a fish-fillet burger, chocolate muffin, and mineral water. The burger was OK, but of course McDonald's fillet-o-fish is more delicious. But I like the muffin, it was nice to taste.
After enjoying my meal, I continued reading newspaper and listening musics from my cellphone.
At 7.00 p.m. the plane started going down for landing. We could see night view of Jakarta.
The pilot made an announcement that the plane would have to wait for landing, as the air traffic in Halim Airport was congested. Finally it landed on Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 7.20 p.m. smoothly and safely, after 15 minutes flying around the airport waiting for landing.
Time to leave the plane. These are the final shots of the cabin.
The plane bringing us here. Its reg code was PK-LAV, starting operation in February 2016.
Other planes parked. The airport is currently used by Citilink and Batik Air on regular basis. Private jets, chartered flights, Hajj flights, and VVIP flights also use this airport.
As the airport didn't have aerobridges, we had to walk to the terminal building.
Entering the terminal building. There was an image of Vice Marshal Halim Perdanakusuma, a member of Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) died in an air incident happened in 1947 at Perak, Malaysia. The airport is named after him.
A free drinking water tap also available. Something I don't find in Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
The baggage claim area was crowded. Only 2 belts available.
Then we left the airport and went home by taxi.
"Firstly, as usual, please apologize for my bad English"
- Please apologize for my bad checking :), but I found a problem (two missing words) in one sentence only :
"a member of Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) WHO died in an air incident WHICH happened in 1947 at Perak, Malaysia".
"and also bad photo quality as I took all shots by my cellphone."
I would be very sorry if you stopped posting flight reports because of that ;)
The airfares made 100% sense to detour to BTH to fly home !
No offense intended, but BTH looks so Indonesian, in contrast with SIN, from the monument outside the airport to the airport building and the boarding room :)
Thanks for sharing !
Thanks for your comment.
During "normal" times, Singapore-Jakarta flight costs cheaper than Batam-Jakarta, but this time we were in the peak season, making the ticket prices jumped so highly (from normal IDR 500,000 to IDR 2,300,000).
This method (entering / leaving Singapore through Batam) was also used by many Indonesian travelers before 2011, when there was still a regulation by Indonesian government that every Indonesian people leaving & entering the country have to pay fiscal fees (if I'm not mistaken, the fee was around IDR 1,000,000 in Soekarno-Hatta airport), except at some international ports in Sumatra, Riau Islands (Batam is one of them), and Kalimantan. But after the abolition of fiscal fees and growing popularity of LCCs (especially AirAsia), it is cheaper and easier to go directly from Jakarta to Singapore than to take the long journey through Batam.
The Batam Airport has been very old. My 1st time visit to the airport was in 2001, and 16 years later in 2017 the condition is still almost similar. I don't know whether the government has any plan to build the new terminal building of the airport or not, but I think the new terminal has been necessary.