Bouraq private exchange rate

Bouraq private exchange rate

Did Bouraq know something about what was going to happen to
the rupiah well before we all did? As of mid October it had set
its own private, profit-making rate of Rp 4,100/US$ for people
purchasing airline tickets. Prices were quoted in US$, but if you
wanted to pay in rupiah, then you had to pay Bouraq Rp 4,100 for
every dollar, while in the real world the exchange rate was still
well below Rp 3,500/US$. We were purchasing return tickets to
Singapore -- flying there on Nov. 19 (the day we paid for the
tickets) and back on Nov. 22 -- hardly what you call an advance
purchase, on Nov. 18/19 the common rate was Rp 3,500/US$.

Now we've become used to paying a slight "overcharge" for
tickets purchased in advance -- say Rp 100 to Rp 200/US$ -- just
to cover those inevitable changes in exchange rates. But Bouraq
wanted to go one better and make this "overcharge" into their own
little profit center. The rate they were forcing people to pay
made them a nifty Rp 600/US$ or 17 percent -- not bad for doing
nothing at all.

Somehow our usual travel agent (Floressa Wisata in Sanur)
forgot to inform us in advance; we have been using their services
for about two years. Bouraq had told them about their "special"
exchange rate in mid October, leaving the agent plenty of time to
let their clients know. As we had made prior arrangements to pick
up our tickets on the way to the airport and had confirmed
business meetings in Singapore, we were left with no choice but
to be fleeced by both Bouraq and the travel agent. Bouraq added
insult to injury, by overcharging us slightly for the prepaid
airport tax for Singapore (US$11 vs. US$10) and then demanding we
pay this amount at their own private exchange rate of Rp
4,100/US$.

On our return I contacted both Bouraq and our travel agent to
complain and request a refund. Their approach to my complaint was
to blame each other. Bouraq claimed the agent misunderstood their
instructions and that this rate was only for "commercial
transactions". Since then they made this explanation "non-
operative", bringing their private exchange rate into line with
the real world on Nov. 26.

My point here is not just the money involved -- the sum is
relatively small -- but the principles and attitude of Bouraq in
particular and secondly, the professional failure of the travel
agent. By belatedly bringing their private exchange rate back
into line with the official BI rate, Bouraq implicitly admit that
they were "overcharging" for dollars from Nov. 1 to Nov. 25. If
and when customers complain about this, the principled thing for
Bouraq to do would be to make an apology and immediately pay a
refund. Not try to blame the travel agent and dodge their
responsibility. The agent, having failed in their duty to inform
us of what Bouraq was up to, should simply apologize and make the
refund, if, as it seems, Bouraq has lost track of their business
principles.

SEAN FOLEY

Ubud, Bali