Tickets home for the holidays selling fast<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
This year's Islamic Idul Fitri holidays are around one month
\naway, but airplane tickets to popular destinations across the
\narchipelago are already hard to find.<\/p>\n
Flights plying the Jakarta-Surabaya-Bali routes have been
\nfully booked by holiday-makers planning to celebrate the post-
\nRamadhan fasting month festivities in their hometowns on Java and
\nBali islands.<\/p>\n
This year's Idul Fitri holiday falls on Nov. 25-26. Like in
\nthe past, the annual exodus of millions of Muslims will likely
\nhit Java and other islands across Indonesia several days ahead,
\nduring and after the festivities.<\/p>\n
\"Tickets for Surabaya-Bali flights 10 days before Idul Fitri
\nhave already been booked out,\" a Star Air reservation officer
\nsaid on Monday in Surabaya, East Java.<\/p>\n
She said consumers have booked tickets from Surabaya to
\nJakarta since early September and added that these tickets are
\nexpected to be sold out in the near future.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Lion Air ticketing officer Nurdin said tickets for
\nthe Jakarta-Surabaya route -- for departures on Nov. 22 until
\nNov. 30 -- have been fully booked.<\/p>\n
He said that Lion runs eight flights between Surabaya and
\nJakarta every day and has anticipated an increase of passengers
\nduring the national Idul Fitri holidays by increasing the number
\nof its flights.<\/p>\n
However, many people have registered with Lion Air as wait-
\nlisted passengers, as requests have increased for its tickets
\nfrom Jakarta to Surabaya, Nurdin added.<\/p>\n
Private airline officers said, that compared to 2002, tickets
\nfor the upcoming holiday flights had taken less time to be booked
\nout.<\/p>\n
The lower prices of flight tickets are believed to be the main
\nreason for people traveling by plane during the holiday season,
\ninstead of by train.<\/p>\n
Plane tickets from Jakarta to Surabaya are sold for between Rp
\n225,000 and Rp 435,000 each, while the same route by train can
\ncost more than 200,000 per person.<\/p>\n
Other private airlines, including Batavia Air and Bouraq
\nAirlines, also reported that their flights to Surabaya or Bali
\nfrom Jakarta have been fully booked.<\/p>\n
\"Although we have yet to set the fixed prices for November
\ntickets, consumers have already booked departures on Nov. 23-23
\nand Nov. 29-30,\" Indah of Bouraq Airlines was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
She said Bouraq tickets for the Jakarta-Surabaya route are
\nnormally sold for between Rp 225,000 and Rp 248,000 each.<\/p>\n
\"Usually, if there is an increase in ticket prices, passengers
\ncan pay the difference while checking in at the airport,\" Indah
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The price of tickets during national holidays, like Idul
\nFitri, Christmas and New Year, has increased in the past by up to
\n30 percent of the normal fare.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tickets-home-for-the-holidays-selling-fast-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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