Domestic Indonesian airlines fuel levy ?

I was just advised by my tour operator that domestic Indonesian airlines have introduced a fuel levy. I have a trip this coming April, I already paid for the entire trip including the domestic air tickets in full back in December of 2007.

The tour operator says it doesn't matter that I already paid in full, I still have to pay an extra $105 for the fuel levy.

Anyone else heard about this ?

Yes. Same thing. Flying from Manado to Sorong in April.

Ron

They increased it in Jan BUT if the ticket has been issued before the increase, you don't have to pay the new charges. I think what happened is your travel agent booked it but didn't issue the ticket until now. I'd get a clarification from the Indonesia Airline directly.

I got this info from my travel agent in Bali.

Lesson learned, get airline ticket/reservations #'s when you pay the tour operator or dive shop.

I normally book/plan my own trips. This is my 1st time going on a group trip and it appears the dive shop collected my money, but did not forward it to the tour operator/airline for 30+ days.

Then the dive shop should be paying your fuel levy

Dive shop is claiming it is an airline fuel levy, tour operator claims they did not receive the money from the dive shop until after the fare increased.

Classic he said - she said. Ultimately it is my fault for not following up after paying in full.

This trip has had several changes and price increases since I put down my deposit in June, but I'm trying to not get upset and go with the flow.

Well that's always going to be a problem for dive shop/trip organizers. Most if not all don't use local agents and act as intermediaries with the liveaboard staff who act as intermediaries to the ticketing agents. So there's always some sort of delay in communications and bookings. Plus they want to fill the trip before they book. So once in a while you get hit with an increase in levies.

Ron

You could insist on not paying since you paid BEFORE the levy was instituted. But if you somehow get left out at sea, you'd know why.

Yeah, I could make a stink, but then again, I decided to do this group trip in the 1st place so I could meet local divers. Don't want to get labelled "that guy who complains"

But isn't complaining part of the genetic make-up of a New Yorker?

Yeah, complaining and opinionated.

Funny, I do usually like to vacation in places very un-NY like and meet non NY'ers.

We'll see how it goes. At least I should make some friends when I make my standard offer of giving away my dive videos for free.

But isn't complaining part of the genetic make-up of a New Yorker?

Now! Now! You're not being fair to the New York element of the population

And, speaking of Indonesian fuel charges, I will be talking to Ultimate Dive Travel about this. I know I'm ticketed because he emailed me the ticket information. And, I just paid for my tickets on my MasterCard. Ouch!!

Yeah, I could make a stink, but then again, I decided to do this group trip in the 1st place so I could meet local divers. Don't want to get labelled "that guy who complains"

Actually it's not unreasonable of you to ask 'strongly' why collect money if they are not going to issue tickets immediately. In my experience, meeting fellow local divers is overrated Also remember to be thoughtful of the on board videopro who supplements his income with DVD sales, don't kill the guy's market before the big sales pitch.

And, speaking of Indonesian fuel charges, I will be talking to Ultimate Dive Travel about this. I know I'm ticketed because he emailed me the ticket information.

Ellen

If you are ticketed then they cannot make you pay the levy. If they do try, tell them to stuff it.

The dive shop is claiming it is a airline enforced fuel levy. They have not admitted to holding my money. The tour operator is claiming they didn't receive the money until after the fare increase.

I decided to be polite and gave the dive shop/trip leader my CC # to process. I asked him to forward my plane ticket/res #'s as well as the hotel res#. That was 4 days ago. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

I always keep the boat videographer in mind. Towards the end of the trip, many people I meet on the boat often come to me asking if I sell my videos. I tell them I post them on Youtube. We exchange emails and once I finish editing, I email them the Youtube link as well as the offer to send them the DVD version. Surprisingly, not many take me up on my offer. Maybe they were not impressed with my video skills.

The dive shop is claiming it is a airline enforced fuel levy. They have not admitted to holding my money. The tour operator is claiming they didn't receive the money until after the fare increase.

Hmmm I would not be happy with a response like that. So there is a dive shop who's booking through a tour agency? I wonder if this agency can issue tix for the domestic sections. I haven't booked through a US based travel agent in so many years I forget the process.

If you get the exact date of the fare increase ( i asked but forgot ), then you can go to the dive shop and ask why it took so long. Sucks to have to fork out $105 because of someone else's screw up.

.... Sucks to have to fork out $105 because of someone else's screw up.

Yeah, I know, which is why I've been venting here. This trip is 19 days long total with the same group. There will be people on the trip that know each other. I will be one of the new guys. Either the dive shop or tour operator is lying to me, but if I make that accusation, it will end with people getting pissed off. I want to keep my attitude positive.

This should easily be the best diving I've ever done (Caribbean and Hawaii only so far) and that's what matters most to me.

In the US, most group trips use a tour operator to handle everything, including booking air. This dive shop does 5-6 group trips every year which is why I am surprised things are so unorganized.

How are things in Indonesia normally handled ? Direct, tour operator, resort/boat ? I imagine for US citizens, it's probably best to have a local Indonesian company involved at some point whether it be a tour operator or the resort/liveaboard.

How are things in Indonesia normally handled ? Direct, tour operator, resort/boat ? I imagine for US citizens, it's probably best to have a local Indonesian company involved at some point whether it be a tour operator or the resort/liveaboard.

Well direct bookings often are the easiest. But most,if not all, of the liveaboard/resorts use a local travel agent for internal flights. So they act as an intermediary as well and there's a lag in communication. But if you want to go as a group and meet people, the organized tours are the best way to go.